Find default email client

Question

Using C#, how can I determine which program is registered as the default email client? I don't need to launch the app, I just want to know what it is.

score 11 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:43

11

Use the Registry class to search the registry. This console app demonstrates the principle.

using System;
using Microsoft.Win32;

namespace RegistryTestApp
{
   class Program
   {
      static void Main(string[] args)
      {
         object mailClient = Registry.GetValue(@"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail", "", "none"); 
         Console.WriteLine(mailClient.ToString());
      }
   }
}

answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:43

Richie Cotton

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The default e-mail client is a per user policy. I agree with William Parke's response below. – JDennis Apr 30 '14 at 14:14
Is there anyway how to launch the app? – Rich Jul 17 '17 at 03:35

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:26

8

You can look in the registry on the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail

answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:26

Sani Huttunen

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score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 04 '13 at 06:42

3

You can read this registry key from

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail

edited Sep 04 '13 at 06:42

Irshad

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answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:27

Jonathan

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William Parke · Answer 4 · 2017-02-16T13:53:16.243

Default email client depends on the user. HKLM lists all registered email clients; the first one returned may not be the current user's default. Better to read HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients\Mail.

Also this only gives you the name of the email application. If you want its executable file name, you have to go on with something like:

object mailCommand = Registry.GetValue(@"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\" + mailClient.ToString() + @"\shell\open\command", "", "none");

and then remove anything extraneous from the command-line string that you don't need (quotes, parameters).

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:28

1

I think you should be able to find that info in the registry at HKLM\Software\Clients\Mail.

Look for the default string value.

answered Jul 13 '09 at 14:28

bruno conde

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Find default email client

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