Home Forums Networks & Cross-Platform Networking How to change default email

When I send something to someone via the share button to their email, it doesn't use the email I want it to. I can't find a way to change the default email. I have three email accounts. This is what I found on a discussion board regarding this issue on Catalina: If you haven’t installed a new email app on your Mac, only “Mail.app” will show up. I don't see an email app under Applications for any of my email accounts. Is there a way around this? I'm not sure what to do. Thanks.

Try Mail > Preferences > General and change the setting for Default email reader. Also, see if there is a similar preference in your other email apps.

If I'm following you, Rita, Mail > Prefs > Composing > Send new messages from:"xyz" may be the setting you need.

Hi: That's what I tried before but it didn't work. I just now tried what Artie said to do, and it worked. But, thank you!

Worked like a champ! Thanks, Artie. Funny, that never came up in all my searches online.

Glad it worked!

Depending upon how you use your three accounts, you may want to try "Automatically select best account." I've found that Mail does a pretty good job of learning.

(I've often had to ask Google the same question in many different formats before it's found my answer. It can get awfully frustrating.)

I don't see that option, but I'd rather pick the email because one is for family, one is for friends and one is for everything else.


Depending upon how you use your three accounts, you may want to try "Automatically select best account." I've found that Mail does a pretty good job of learning.

(I've often had to ask Google the same question in many different formats before it's found my answer. It can get awfully frustrating.) [/quote]

For sure!

Don't you see "Automatically select best account" as in the top screenshot here?

If you select it, and then select the email address you want to use (as per the bottom screenshot) for each recipient, Mail remembers and uses the same address each subsequent time you email that recipient.

It's what I do, and I've never noticed Mail not getting it right (but take a look every once in a while in the beginning to be certain).

OK, now I see it. I find that true when I send an email from my Apple mail. I'll start looking to see if it's doing it when I use the share button. Thanks again, Artie (to the rescue)!

I'll guess that it will default to your main email address but change to the one you want when you enter the recipient.

I just pretended to send someone an email via share off of my Safari Browser. It showed my default email. When I put in the recipient it just stayed on the default email. When I email this person from my mail program, it defaults to the one I usually use with that person. Oh well. I can always change it as I go.

What if when you put in the recipient you then change to the right account?

Does it perpetuate?

I tried it and all it does is give me drop down choices of my emails.

I guess it can't handle that second level.

Seems strange.

I'll play with it and see if I can finagle something.

Update: I just clicked on the share icon in the App Store, and the unaddressed email that came up used, as I expected it would, my main account, and when I entered a recipient, the account changed to the one that I use for him.

More: Don't forget that if this is a new setting it won't work the first time for a particular recipient, because it takes Mail that first time to "learn.

OK, got it. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks, Artie.