Default email app

You can make Shortwave your default email app by following the instructions below for your device or browser. Once enabled, Shortwave will automatically open any time you follow an email link.

iOS app

1. Install and launch the Shortwave iOS app
2. Navigate to Settings > Default mail app from the your avatar account menu in Shortwave
3. Tap Default Mail App again from your iOS settings
4. Select Shortwave from your list of apps

Android app

1. Install the Shortwave Android app
2. Open your system Settings
3. Search and select your current email app via Settings (i.e. "Gmail")
4. Under App info tap Open by default
5. Tap Clear default preferences
6. Open a mailto link
7. Tap Shortwave then Always from the pop-up menu

Mac desktop app

1. Download the Shortwave desktop app
2. Open the Mail app from the Applications folder or Finder
3. Navigate to Settings > General from the Mail menu bar
4. Click the General button
5. Choose Shortwave from the “Default email reader” dropdown menu

Web app (app.shortwave.com)

If you prefer using Shortwave in a browser tab, you can set your computer to open Shortwave in your default browser when clicking on email links. You can do this by following the relevant Desktop app instructions above and choosing your preferred browser as your default mail handler (instead of the Shortwave desktop app).

Doing this ensures that other non-browser apps also send you to Shortwave in your preferred browser.

Chrome

1. Go to Settings > Overview in Shortwave
2. Click Make default mail app in the top right of the page
3. Click Allow in the popup that appears by the URL bar

Not working?

If you've previously canceled or blocked the prompt, reset it from your browser settings:

1. Navigate to Chrome's Protocol handlers settings at chrome://settings/handlers
2. Ensure the default behavior is set to "Sites can ask to handle protocols"
   
3. Remove app.shortwave.com if it appears in the Not allowed to handle protocols section by clicking the X
4. Refresh Settings > Overview and follow the steps in the section above

Firefox

1. Go to Settings > Overview in Shortwave
2. Click Make default mail app in the top right of the page
3. Click Add application in the popup that appears below the URL bar. If the popup doesn't appear, skip this step and go straight to step #4.
4. Navigate to Firefox settings at about:preferences#general
5. Search for the term "mailto"
6. In the mailto row, choose Use app.shortwave.com from the dropdown list

Edge

1. Go to Settings > Overview in Shortwave
2. Click Make default mail app in the top right of the page
3. Click Allow in the popup that appears by your URL bar

Not working?

If you've previously canceled or blocked the prompt, reset it from your browser settings:

1. Navigate to Edge's Protocol handlers settings at edge://settings/content/handlers
2. Remove app.shortwave.com if it appears in the Blocked section by clicking the trash can icon
3. Refresh Settings > Overview and follow the steps in the section above