Windows 10: Windows 10 default e mail client is Outlook, but Word Opens Thunderbird when sending docs...

I have set Outlook as my default e mail client in Windows 10. I have tried to associate all Word doc formats with Outlook as well if possible. But when I open Word and try to send a document as an e mail attachment, Word opens Thunderbird instead. I have uninstalled Thunderbird and reinstalled after unchecking the box asking if you want it to be your default e mail client.


At any rate, shouldn't the WIndows 10 setting override any THunderbird setting when it comes to Word?

:)

 

Default e-mail client not chosen ?


A lot of digging and testing has been done to try and find something to resolve the weird default e-mail client issues in Windows 10 v1803. Below is a list of findings and a huge Thank You to the developer of the report generation software I've been using for many years. We're all just shaking our heads at this in wonder.

I'm sure more will be discovered for this chapter. *Wink

At least, knowing this will allow changes to have things work as the user would like.

Findings ... "So Far":

1. Right-click a file in the file browser > Send To > uses the setting in:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\mail > (Default) value
If not found will use the one in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail > (Default) Value

If that value is empty, it will prompt you to select one, and it write it to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\mail > (Default) value

2. Setting the default app for Mail in the Windows Settings does nothing to either one of those keys. And since it does nothing to those two keys, any apps including the send to context menu item will not use the selection for the default app you set in Windows Settings.

3. MAPI uses those registry keys (and Send To uses MAPI), so basically it ignores what you set as the default app in Windows Settings, so if you want MAPI to use the default, you have to set it manually as far as I know. For example, the list of available MAPI Email clients is only in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail
But you should set both (Default) values to the same value. For example, if you want Mozilla Thunderbird as your default MAPI email client, you have to modify both like so:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\mail > (Default) value = Mozilla Thunderbird
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail > (Default) Value = Mozilla Thunderbird


=================

I'm marking this thread as (at least) one solution (or SOLVED) as it is the only one I've come across so far. I know that adjusting the registry is not everyone's choice, but at least it is an option.

 

Default e-mail client not chosen ?


Appears to be a 'one-off' situation where an APP I've used for many years to send reports (a PDF file) works fine on 2 of my 3 Dell Latitude laptops ... but can't get a proper operation on one laptop.

All three laptops have new/fresh/clean installations of Windows 10 Pro with all current updates. I did a scrub of the SSDs and a clean install rather than upgrades.

Default e-mail clients have been switched back/forth between Outlook-2016 and Thunderbird-32.8 and selecting individual files and using the right-click / send-to command works fine and the currently selected default e-mail client is utilized (be it Outlook or Thunderbird).

The APP I've used for inspection report generation for now over 15 years and has been updated and refreshed many times and there are updates many times each year. I've also down testing for the developers of this APP on many alpha and beta releases.

What I've noticed (since the 1803 Windows update) is that on one of my laptops (Dell Latittude E5430) when I have the APP generate and send a report it always brings up Outlook as the client. Even if Thunderbird is set as the default. I've also set defaults by protocol and extension ... to no avail.

During this same time I can right-click on a file and send-to and it will bring up the default I've selected as Thunderbird.

Now ... when testing this same routine on my other two laptops (Dell D830 and Dell E6420) the approprite default e-mail client is selected by the APP I've used for my reports and all other files selected as a 'send-to'.

I'm thinking I must have some switch toggled in the Windows 10 Pro installation on this laptop - Dell D5430 that I can't recall or find. Or there is something set or not set in the registry that seems to want to always route this particular APP to send-to Outlook ... no matter what the default e-mail client is.

And, as noted, this same APP works just fine on my other two laptops.

Why one new/fresh/clean installation will be different is beyond me.

I've been searching and trying to come up with a solution, but so far ... 'zip, nada, nothing' ...

BTW, this same installation on this laptop (Dell E5430) would not let the Directory Opus (file manager) add two registry entries it needed for complete operation of that APP. I had to manually add those entries to get Directory Opus fully operational.

Makes me wonder why one W-10 Pro installation would do such and the other two not have any problems?

Oh well ... always something it seems.

If anyone has any hints I'll give most anything a try.

 

Default e-mail client not chosen ?

On the problem laptop ... I get same results with a 2nd profile with admin privileges.

My other two laptops all have a single admin user. Ergo all settings/privileges the same.

I don't do any syncing with any other devices. All of my laptops run as a stand-a-lone local user situation.

I took the step this morning to do a repair/replace routine from my Windows 10 USB with the hopes that any files that might be messed up would be replaced, corrected, etc.. The process went very smooth. BTW - I had Thunderbird set as the default e-mail client during the refresh of Windows.

Once completed I did my tests and individuals files (documents and JPGs) all routed to be processed via Thunderbird. Cautiously optimistic so I opened my report app to go through the report generation, ftp upload and then e-mail request and it chose Outlook as the e-mail client.

So ... still stuck in neutral.

As noted ... this same app does properly choose Thunderbird (when selected as the default e-mail client) when e-mailing the report.

I must have a cantankerous laptop here ... UGH!

For now ... I'll put Thunderbird on the back burner until I have or see another possible solution to try.

Murphy is alive and well for me with this hiccup.