I’ve been using Mac OS X for several years. But it sometimes happens that I cannot figure out how to do a simple task. How about setting the default e-mail application and web browser?

Screenshot 01 – Source: MacHouse

Screenshot 02 – Source: MacHouse

Screenshot 03 – Source: MacHouse

If you started using Mac OS more than 10 years ago, you may still remember that there was a control panel called Internet. (See Screenshot 01.) If you open it, you can set your default e-mail application and web browser of your choice. (See Screenshot 02-3.) Okay, so how do you do it under Mac OS X 10.4? 

You may tend to think there is a preference pane similar to ‘Internet’ under Mac OS X. At least not for OS X 10.4… The default e-mail application for Mac OS X is, of course, Apple’s Mail. So let’s launch it. Then let’s choose Preference under Mail on the Menu Bar. (See Screenshot 04.) Clicking on the General tab, you should find a drop-down menu titled Default Email Reader. (See Screenshot 05.) So, for example, if you want to set the default e-mail application to Microsoft Entourage, simply click on this drop-down menu and choose ‘Select’ and point to Entourage. (See Screenshot 06.)

Screenshot 04 – Source: MacHouse

Screenshot 05 – Source: MacHouse

Screenshot 06 – Source: MacHouse

Likewise, the default web browser for Mac OS X is Safari. So if you want to change it, then you have launch Safari. After launching it, choose Preference under Safari. (See Screenshot 07.) Then you can choose the web browser of your choice with the top pull-down menu. (See Screenshot 08.)

Screenshot 07 – Source: MacHouse

Screenshot 08 – Source: MacHouse

Apparently, if you want to change the default e-mail application and web browser, you must have Mail and Safari in the first place. So you don’t want to trash them if you don’t virtually use them. Umm, actually… Some Unix utility applications like OnyX might let you change them. But OnyX 1.8.5 doesn’t cover default e-mail application or default web browser.






References:

Mac OS X: How to change the default web browser or email application