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Mailto link generator
Add a recipient, subject, body, CC, or BCC. Get a properly encoded mailto URL and a ready-to-paste HTML link.
Free browser tool
Compose the link
Your entries stay in this browser. This page does not send, save, or validate email addresses.
Live output
Valid link still opens the wrong app? Use smart-mailto.
Quick answer
How to create a mailto link
- 01
Enter the recipient
Add one address or separate multiple addresses with commas. CC and BCC are optional.
- 02
Write the prefilled message
Add a subject and opening body copy. The visitor can still edit both before sending.
- 03
Copy and test
Use the HTML output on a website, or copy the raw URL into a document or button builder. Test it before publishing.
Syntax
The mailto link format
A basic link starts with mailto: and an email address. Optional fields come after ?. Each extra field starts with &. The format is defined by RFC 6068.
mailto:hello@example.com?subject=Hello&body=Can%20we%20talk%3F| Part | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mailto: | Starts the email link | mailto: |
| To | Sets the main recipient | hello@example.com |
| subject | Prefills the subject line | ?subject=Hello |
| body | Prefills the message body | &body=Can%20we%20talk%3F |
| cc / bcc | Adds copied recipients | &cc=team@example.com |
Percent-encoding matters. A space becomes %20, a line break becomes %0A, and a literal ampersand inside the subject or body must not be confused with the separator between fields. The generator handles those conversions as you type.
Use the right tool
When a mailto link works, and when it does not
Good fit
- Simple contact and support links
- Prefilled feedback or enquiry prompts
- Links in internal documents and prototypes
- Cases where the sender should use their own email account
Use a form instead
- You must guarantee that a submission reaches you
- You need attachments, validation, or structured fields
- You need conversion tracking or automated routing
- The visitor may not have a mail app configured
A mailto link does not send anything by itself. It opens a composer and leaves the visitor in control. That makes it lightweight, but it also means you cannot treat a click as a completed enquiry.
Common failure
Why a valid mailto link can still feel broken
The browser passes the link to the visitor's configured email handler. That may be Apple Mail, Outlook, another desktop app, a webmail service, or no useful handler at all. Correct syntax cannot choose the visitor's preferred provider.
Keep the generated link as your fallback
If you want visitors to choose Gmail, Outlook, Proton Mail, Yahoo Mail, or their native app, smart-mailto upgrades the same anchor without removing its standard mailto behavior.
Questions
Mailto link FAQ
How do I create a mailto link?
Start the href with mailto: followed by the recipient. Add a question mark before the first optional field and an ampersand before each additional field. This generator handles the separators and percent-encoding for you.
Can a mailto link include a subject and body?
Yes. Add subject and body as query parameters. Spaces, line breaks, ampersands, and other reserved characters must be percent-encoded so email clients read them correctly.
Can I add CC, BCC, or multiple recipients?
Yes. CC and BCC are supported fields. RFC 6068 also allows comma-separated recipients, but email-client behavior can vary, so test the finished link in the clients your audience uses.
Does a mailto link send an email automatically?
No. It asks the browser or operating system to open an email composer. The visitor still reviews and sends the message.
Why does a correct mailto link open the wrong app?
The browser hands the link to the visitor’s configured mail handler. A valid link can therefore open a desktop app, a webmail service, or nothing useful if no handler is configured.