Skip to main content
AndyMc12
AndyMc12
Inspiring
May 20, 2014
Answered

Mailto: Link Not Working

  • May 20, 2014
  • 3 replies
  • 68188 views

Hi, I have created a PDF with a mailto: link. When I click this link in Reader V11 it does not launch an email. However, when my business partner clicks the mailto: link it DOES work. We are both using V11, we both run Windows 7 and we both use Thunderbird. The only difference is he is based in the UK and I'm in the US. Can anyone please help me understand why this may not be working for me? Many thanks.

    Correct answer AndyMc12

    Thank you so much for running all these tests. I'm using 11.0.6. I also opened your file Pat and the email did NOT launch (just to ensure consistent behavior).

    So I upgraded to 11.0.7. No change in behavior - the email does not launch

    So I uninstalled V11 and then installed 10.1.4. No change in behavior - the email does not launch

    To me the version of Reader doesn't appear to be the issue since 3 different versions behave the same way.

    I then tested this on my Galaxy S3 android using V11.2.1 - email launches without issue.

    I then tested this on my ipad with a different reader - email launches without issue.

    So this is either Thunderbird or Windows 7?

    Thanks again!


    Hi all - issue fixed - I knew it had to be something with my windows set up since it was the only potential variable - I went to Start > Default Programs > Set program access and computer defaults > custom drop down. Then I enabled access to Thunderbird under the default email program option.

    I can now hit the mailto: link and it launches Thunderbird.

    Thanks for helping me narrow down the issue.

    Andy

    3 replies

    S
    Shirleymb4
    New Participant
    December 2, 2018

    I also had a problem with the InDesign PDF's email links, which ended up opening my Google home page only. I decided to try converting a Word document to a PDF, and the email links also brought me to the Google page. I tried clicking on the email address in the Word document itself, and the very same thing happened. I realized that it wasn't an InDesign problem at all. I researched the issue and found that in Google Chrome's advance settings, one has to change one of the settings. Now when I click on the Indesign PDF, Windows Live Mail 2011 opens with the email address in its proper place. Problem solved!

      gru-zinkerbell
      gru-zinkerbell
      New Participant
      June 25, 2015

      We had the same problem here in the office:

      We were running Microsoft Office 2013, Adobe XI, on both 32 and 64 bit systems.

      1. The "Send File" option doesn't work

      2. The "mailto" hyperlink in a PDF document doesn't allow the new email to be created.

      When we checked through the system logs, we noticed that this was being blocked by Mcafee HIPS (Host Intrusion) under "Sig ID = 2254".

      We altered the HIPS policy, and everything is now working 100%.

      ~graffiti
      ~graffiti
      Brainiac
      May 20, 2014

      If you go to Edit>Preferences>Email accounts, does it list any accounts?

      AndyMc12
      AndyMc12Author
      Inspiring
      May 20, 2014

      It says "Default email application" but nothing else. It's not checked. So I added my gmail account as a test and marked it as default. But no change in behavior within the PDF - it still does nothing.


      The issue here is that we (my company) generate these PDF's for clients who then send them to their customers. The mailto: is our client's email address which their customers will click to contact them. So, even if we fix the issue on my Reader, I have no guarantee it will behave correctly for others, right? Thanks for any input! Andy

      pwillener
      pwillener
      Brainiac
      May 21, 2014

      andymc12 wrote:

      So, even if we fix the issue on my Reader, I have no guarantee it will behave correctly for others, right?

      That is quite correct; these days users open PDF files in all kinds of environments; mobile phones, Android tablets, iPads, Windows computers with Firefox or Chrome (that use their own PDF viewers), PDF preview on Macs or Windows 8, ...

      There is absolutely no guarantee that anything will work as expected.

      But let's start with your own problem: what is your default email client?  Is it running when you click on that mailto: link?

      Also, what is your Reader version?

      Finally, is that PDF on your local disk, or online?  If online, in what browser?

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices