When you try to send a webpage or link by email via the FileSend menu in Internet Explorer, the options Page by E-Mail… and Link by E-Mail… may be dimmed/grayed out. This happens if a default mail client is not correctly set. Use the instructions below to reset the default mail client in Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Follow these steps to resolve the problem.

Windows Vista & Windows 7

1. Click Start, select Default Programs

2. Click Set program access and computer defaults

3. Click Custom, and select your mail client (for example, Microsoft Outlook)

(If User Account Control is enabled, you’ll be prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation after following the step 2 above. When the prompt appears, type your password, or click Continue.)

4. Click OK

Note: Windows 7 doesn’t include a mail client by default. You need to install a mail client such as Windows Live Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook (not free) separately.

Windows XP

1. Click Start, click Set Program Access and Defaults

2. Click Custom

3. Select your mail client

4. Click OK


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16 Comments

  1. Louis
    said this on Friday, December 9th 2011 1:46 am

    I use Windows 7, Explorer and Windows Live Mail. Just create a custom record. So simple! Thanks for your good working suggestions.

  2. J.D.
    said this on Thursday, October 13th 2011 3:00 am

    WOW! that worked! finally! Thank you, Clear & easy to fallow instructions

  3. Kay
    said this on Tuesday, June 7th 2011 11:41 am

    I was using Incredimail and finally realized that Win7 doesn’t recognize this email program. I had to use these steps to custom my defaults and make Mozilla my default and only now can I email webpages with no problems.

  4. Val from Bristol
    said this on Monday, May 2nd 2011 5:07 pm

    Thank you so much for this tip – I have been quite frustrated about not being able to send pages/links since I got Windows Live with my new laptop. Very much appreciated.

  5. Bob
    said this on Wednesday, April 6th 2011 11:26 pm

    I use Outlook 2010 as my e-mail program, for my main e-mail account and have a Google mail account for web replies, where my inbox is forwarded to my Outlook/main account. After downloading IE9, I have been unable to either e-mail a web page or have Google automatically forward my mail. I had to unload IE9 and return to IE8, where both functionalities have returned.

  6. Mr Angry
    said this on Thursday, March 10th 2011 7:48 pm

    I’m using fully up to windows 7 64 bit with all the updates and am getting this problem with the option to send webpage by email and send link by email greyed out.

    It was particularly useful for keeping a record of your ebay pages before they expire. And you can use them as a template and keep on the webmail servers.

    I have done the steps you said but it hasn’t made any difference … and yes the default program windows live mail and so on.

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