How to use Google Chrome Browser protocol handlers

Google Chrome lets websites ask you whether you’d like to use their services to handle specific web protocols, such as “mailto:” links or “webcal:” links.

Common web protocols

mailto:     Opens a new email
webcal:     Opens your calendar

Adjust protocol handler settings

Websites can request to register applications to handle these protocols by default. To adjust this setting, You can do it by follow these steps:

• Click the spanner icon on the browser toolbar.
• Select Options (Preferences in Mac and Linux)
• Under the Bonnet.
• Click Content Settings.
• In the dialogue that appears, find the “Handlers” section:

1. To allow prompts for protocol handler requests, select “Allow sites to ask to become default handlers for protocols”.
2. To disable prompts for protocol handlers requests, select “Do not allow any site to handle protocols”.

Manage handlers

Choosing the default handler

If you have multiple handlers for the same protocol, you can choose which handler to use as the default.

• Click the spanner icon on the browser toolbar.
• Select Options (Preferences in Mac and Linux)
• Under the Bonnet.
• Click Content Settings.
• In the dialogue that appears, find the “Handlers” section.
• Click Manage handlers.

Click the drop-down menu next to the protocol type to select which service you’d like to use as the default.

Using a different handler

You can choose which application you want the protocol to use directly on the web page containing those links.

• Right click the link that has a handler, such as mailto: or webcal: links.
• Select “Open link with”.
• Select the handler you’d like to use.

Removing a handler

• Click the spanner icon on the browser toolbar.
• Select Options (Preferences in Mac and Linux)
• Under the Bonnet.
• Click Content Settings.
• In the dialogue that appears, find the “Handlers” section.
• Click Manage handlers.
• Select the handler you’d like to remove.
• Click “remove this site“.