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MailtoMaker Email Link Generator
Free & Privacy-First

Free Mailto Link Generator:
Create, Customize & Troubleshoot

Create perfect mailto links instantly. Add subject, body, CC, BCC and more with proper URL encoding.

⚡ Instant Generation
🔒 Client-Side Only
🌐 URL Encoding
📱 Mobile Friendly

Generated Mailto Link

Generated HTML <a> Tag

In This Guide, You Will Learn...

Everything you need to know about mailto links, from basic syntax to advanced troubleshooting

What is a Mailto Link?

Learn the basics and why you should use mailto links

The Complete Mailto Syntax

Master all parameters: to, cc, bcc, subject, and body

Multiple Recipients

Learn how to add multiple email addresses in To, CC, and BCC fields

How to Create Mailto Links

Code examples for HTML, JavaScript, and Markdown

Why Is Your Mailto Link Not Working?

Troubleshoot common problems and get solutions

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about mailto links

The Complete Mailto Syntax: A Deep Dive

Understanding the syntax of mailto links is key to unlocking their full potential. Let's break down the structure from the simplest form to a complex, multi-parameter link.

The Anatomy of a Mailto Link

A mailto link is constructed with specific components that must be in the correct order:

  • The Scheme: Every mailto link must begin with mailto:.
  • The Recipient: Immediately follows the scheme (e.g., mailto:hello@mailtomaker.com).
  • The First Parameter: Added after the recipient using a question mark ? (e.g., ?subject=Hello).
  • Subsequent Parameters: Chained together using an ampersand & (e.g., &body=Hi).

A Deep Dive into All Mailto Parameters

While the recipient's email is the only mandatory part, you can add several optional parameters to pre-fill the email draft, making it easier for your users.

The `subject` Parameter

This parameter pre-fills the email's subject line. This is one of the most useful parameters. Remember to URL-encode any special characters to avoid breaking the link.

<a href="mailto:support@example.com?subject=Urgent%20Support%20Request">Request Support</a>

The `body` Parameter

The `body` parameter pre-populates the main content of the email. A common challenge is adding line breaks. To do this correctly, you must use %0A to represent a new line.

<a href="mailto:info@example.com?body=Hello%20Team,%0A%0AI have a question...%0A%0ABest regards,">Ask a question</a>

The `cc` & `bcc` Parameters

You can add "carbon copy" (`cc`) and "blind carbon copy" (`bcc`) recipients. This is useful for keeping team members in the loop without requiring the sender to manually add them.

<a href="mailto:project@example.com?cc=manager@example.com&bcc=archive@example.com">Email Project Team</a>

Putting It All Together: A Real-World Example

Let's combine multiple parameters into one powerful mailto link. This example sets a recipient, a CC recipient, a subject, and a multi-line body, showing the true power of mailto links.

<a href="mailto:sales@example.com?cc=support@example.com&subject=New%20Inquiry%20%26%20Feedback&body=Hello%20Sales%20Team,%0A%0AI have an inquiry about your product...%0A%0AThanks!">Contact Sales and Support</a>

Avoid Errors, Use the Generator!

Manually encoding special characters and line breaks is tedious and error-prone. Use the interactive generator at the top of this page to create perfect mailto links every time. It's the best way to ensure your links work flawlessly across all email clients.

Multiple Recipients in Mailto Links

Adding Multiple Recipients

To add multiple recipients in a mailto link, separate email addresses with commas. This works for the main recipient (To), CC, and BCC fields.

mailto:first@example.com,second@example.com,third@example.com

Advanced Multiple Recipient Patterns

To + CC Recipients

mailto:primary@example.com,second@example.com?cc=cc1@example.com,cc2@example.com

To + CC + BCC Recipients

mailto:to@example.com?cc=cc@example.com&bcc=bcc1@example.com,bcc2@example.com

Best Practices & Tips

  • Always URL encode email addresses that contain special characters

  • Test your mailto links with different email clients to ensure compatibility

  • Consider using our generator above to automatically handle encoding and syntax

Common Issues & Solutions

  • Outlook Character Limit

    Some versions of Outlook have a character limit. Keep your total mailto URL under 2000 characters.

  • Special Characters

    Email addresses containing periods or plus signs must be properly encoded.

How to Create Mailto Links: Code Examples

Plain HTML

Standard HTML anchor tag:

<a href="mailto:contact@example.com?subject=Hello">Send Email</a>

JavaScript

Dynamic creation with JavaScript:

function createMailtoLink(to, subject, body) {
  const encodedSubject = encodeURIComponent(subject);
  const encodedBody = encodeURIComponent(body);
  return `mailto:${to}?subject=${encodedSubject}&body=${encodedBody}`;
}

// Usage
const link = createMailtoLink(
  'hello@example.com',
  'Question about your service',
  'Hi,\n\nI have a question...'
);

// Create a clickable link
const anchor = document.createElement('a');
anchor.href = link;
anchor.textContent = 'Send Email';
document.body.appendChild(anchor);

Tired of Hand-Coding?

Worried about encoding errors and syntax mistakes? Our free Mailto Link Generator above creates perfect, error-free links in seconds.

Try the Generator

Why Is Your Mailto Link Not Working?

You've crafted what you think is the perfect mailto link, but when you click it... nothing happens. Don't panic! Most mailto link issues have simple fixes.

7 Common Problems & How to Fix Them

1. Encoding Special Characters

This is the #1 cause of broken mailto links. Special characters like spaces, ampersands, and question marks must be properly URL-encoded.

❌ BROKEN:
<a href="mailto:test@example.com?subject=Hello World&body=Hi there, How are you?">
✅ CORRECT:
<a href="mailto:test@example.com?subject=Hello%20World&body=Hi%20there%2C%0AHow%20are%20you%3F">

2. Link Not Opening in Gmail/Outlook

The mailto protocol depends on having a default email client configured. If users haven't set one up, clicking links won't work.

Does mailto work with Gmail? Yes! Gmail handles mailto links excellently in web browsers.

3. Character Limits

Outlook has a roughly 2,000-character limit for mailto URLs. Keep your links concise to ensure compatibility.

4. Simple Syntax Errors

Common "face-palm" moments include:

  • Missing colon after mailto
  • Missing question mark ? before first parameter
  • Using question mark instead of ampersand & between parameters

5. Line Break Issues

Line breaks in the body must be encoded as %0A. Using actual line breaks will break the URL parsing in many email clients.

6. CMS or Framework Conflicts

Some content management systems or JavaScript frameworks automatically modify href attributes, potentially breaking your mailto links. Always check the final rendered HTML.

7. Mobile Device Configuration

On mobile devices, mailto links depend on having an email app installed and configured. If users only use webmail, mailto links might not work as expected.

The Ultimate Fix

The single best way to avoid all these headaches is to let a specialized tool handle the complexities for you.

Our free Mailto Link Generator automatically takes care of perfect URL encoding, proper syntax validation, cross-client compatibility, and character limit warnings.

Use the Generator Now

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum length for a mailto link?

While there's no official limit, we recommend keeping mailto links under 2000 characters for maximum compatibility. Some email clients (especially older versions of Outlook) may have issues with longer links.

Can I use HTML in the body of a mailto link?

No, mailto links don't support HTML formatting in the body. The body text will be plain text only. Any HTML tags will be shown as literal text.

Why isn't my mailto link opening in Gmail?

If you're using Gmail in a browser, you need to set Gmail as your default email client in your browser settings. Alternatively, you can configure your operating system to use Gmail as the default email application.

How do I add line breaks in the email body?

Use %0A or %0D%0A for line breaks. For example: body=Line1%0ALine2

Can I attach files using mailto links?

No, the mailto protocol doesn't support file attachments. For security reasons, you cannot pre-attach files to an email using a mailto link.

Ready to Create Perfect Mailto Links?

Stop wrestling with URL encoding and syntax errors. Use our free generator above!

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