How to use the mailto link generator
- Enter the recipient addresses in To, separated by commas, and optional Cc and Bcc addresses.
- Enter the subject and type the message body. Line breaks are kept.
- Enter the link text to use in the HTML code.
- Copy the link or the HTML. Use the test link under the result to see how your mail app opens it.
What a mailto link does
A mailto link opens the visitor's mail app with a new message already filled in. Nothing is sent until they press send, and the link works only if they have a mail app or web mail set up to handle it. The address goes after mailto:, and the other parts follow a question mark as name=value pairs joined with ampersands: cc, bcc, subject and body.
Special characters must be percent-encoded, which the page does for you. Spaces become %20, an ampersand becomes %26, accents become their UTF-8 bytes and line breaks in the body become %0D%0A. For hello@example.com with the subject Question about opening hours, the link begins mailto:hello@example.com?subject=Question%20about%20opening%20hours&body= and then continues with the encoded message.
Limits to know
Mail apps and browsers cut off very long links, often somewhere near 2,000 characters, so keep the body short. The page shows the length and warns when it gets long. Some mail apps ignore the body, and some do not allow bcc, so test the link with the apps your readers use. Formatting and attachments cannot be added through a mailto link, only plain text.
A mailto link on a public page exposes the address to anyone and to automated collectors, which can bring unwanted mail. A contact form is another way to avoid that. Anyone who sees a Bcc address in the link can read it, so use it only where that is fine. The page checks that every address looks like name@example.com, and it refuses a subject that spans several lines.
Related tools and privacy
The URL Encoder and Decoder handles other web addresses, the Email Signature Generator makes a signature for the message, the WhatsApp Link Generator builds a similar link for chats, and the Add to Calendar Link Generator builds links for events. Everything runs in your browser and nothing you type is uploaded. No email is sent.
Assumptions and limits
- Addresses use the simple form name@example.com. Display names and quoted addresses are not supported.
- The body can hold up to 20,000 characters, though real mail apps cut links off much sooner.
- The subject is one line. Line breaks in the body become CRLF, as the standard asks.
- Nothing is uploaded or stored, and no message is sent.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a mailto link with a subject and body?
Enter the address, the subject and the message. The page joins them as mailto:address?subject=...&body=... and encodes spaces, ampersands, accents and line breaks for you.
How do I add several recipients, cc and bcc?
Separate addresses with commas in each field. Addresses in To go after mailto:, and Cc and Bcc go in cc= and bcc= parts of the link.
Why is my mailto link not working?
The visitor needs a mail app set to handle mailto links. Very long links can also be cut off, and some apps ignore the body or the bcc part. Test the link and keep the message short.
Does the link send the email?
No. It only opens a new message with the fields filled in. The person has to review it and press send themselves.