Mailto link generator

Mailto link generator is a free tool that creates a mailto URL and HTML code with a recipient address, CC, BCC, subject line and pre-filled message body.

How is a mailto link structured?

A mailto link starts with the mailto: scheme, followed by the main recipient and any optional header fields. The first header field begins with a question mark, while later header fields are separated by ampersands.

A complete link can contain these parts:

• To email is the main recipient. It appears immediately after mailto:, as in mailto:accounts@example.co.uk.
• CC adds a visible copy recipient through the cc header field. Other recipients can see this address when the email is sent.
• BCC adds a blind-copy recipient through the bcc header field. It is hidden from recipients in the sent email, but it is not hidden in the link itself.
• Subject becomes the draft email's subject line through the subject header field.
• Body content becomes the initial message text through the body header field. Line breaks and characters which are reserved or otherwise disallowed in that URI component must be percent-encoded.

The general pattern is mailto:recipient@example.co.uk?cc=copy@example.co.uk&bcc=archive@example.co.uk&subject=Subject%20text&body=Message%20text. The optional CC, BCC, Subject and Body content fields can be left out. A link with no header fields may consist only of the scheme and recipient address.

How do I create a mailto link?

Enter the destination address in To email, complete any optional fields, then use the resulting mailto URL or HTML code where the link will appear.

1. Check the main recipient carefully, especially shared addresses such as sales@, accounts@ or support@.
2. Add CC only when every recipient should see that address.
3. Use BCC only with the understanding that anyone who inspects or copies the original link can read the address.
4. Write a concise Subject that will still make sense if the sender does not edit it.
5. Add useful context to Body content, leaving placeholders where the sender needs to supply information.

Header-field names are case-insensitive, but use lower case by convention, such as cc, bcc, subject and body. Do not put literal spaces in the finished URL. Spaces are normally represented as %20, while line breaks are represented using encoded newline characters.

Keep repeated wording in mailto subjects or body content consistent if several links belong to the same process. For example, use either "Quote request" or "Request for quotation" across the set rather than changing the subject on every page. Numbers can remain in subjects and message bodies, so references such as Invoice 1047 do not need special treatment beyond encoding the spaces.

Worked mailto example

Suppose an invoice approval page uses the following values.

To email: accounts@example.co.uk

CC: manager@example.co.uk

BCC: archive@example.co.uk

Subject: Invoice 1047 for approval

Body content: Hello Sam,

Please review invoice 1047.

Thanks

The composed URL is:

mailto:accounts@example.co.uk?cc=manager%40example.co.uk&bcc=archive%40example.co.uk&subject=Invoice%201047%20for%20approval&body=Hello%20Sam%2C%0D%0A%0D%0APlease%20review%20invoice%201047.%0D%0A%0D%0AThanks

For use on a web page, the equivalent HTML is written with an anchor element. Within an HTML attribute, ampersands should appear as & in the source:

<a href="mailto:accounts@example.co.uk?cc=manager%40example.co.uk&amp;bcc=archive%40example.co.uk&amp;subject=Invoice%201047%20for%20approval&amp;body=Hello%20Sam%2C%0D%0A%0D%0APlease%20review%20invoice%201047.%0D%0A%0D%0AThanks">Email accounts</a>

The visible link text can be changed without altering the mailto destination. Descriptive wording such as "Email accounts about this invoice" is usually more useful than displaying the full URL.

Where does the result appear when someone clicks the link?

The result normally appears as a new draft in the email application registered on the person's device. The To, CC, BCC, subject and body fields are filled from the URL, subject to what that application supports.

A mailto link does not send the message by itself. The sender can edit the draft, add an attachment and choose whether to send it. If the device has no email application or browser handler configured, clicking the link may do nothing or prompt the person to choose an application.

The link does not create an analytics report. A website can separately record that its email link was clicked, but the mailto format cannot confirm that the draft was sent or delivered. UTM parameters apply to HTTP and HTTPS web addresses rather than directly to a mailto destination. Use a UTM link generator when the destination is a trackable web page instead.

What causes mailto links to fail?

Mailto links can fail because the address is wrong, reserved characters have not been percent-encoded, no email handler is available, or the URL exceeds an application-specific length limit.

• Leaving spaces in the URL. Encode a space as %20. Do not rely on every browser or content system to repair it.
• Using unescaped punctuation inside a value. A literal ampersand can be mistaken for the next header field. Encode it as %26. A hash becomes %23, a plus sign becomes %2B and a percent sign becomes %25.
• Confusing BCC with secrecy. BCC hides the address in the resulting email, but the address is present in the URL itself and may be visible in the page source, link preview and copied URL.
• Writing a very long body. Browsers, content-management systems and email applications have differing URL limits. A short prompt is safer than placing an entire letter, legal notice or detailed form in the link.

Accented and non-Latin characters need UTF-8 percent-encoding in a URL. For example, plain text such as names or Welsh place names may expand into several encoded bytes, making the link considerably longer. Empty optional header fields are better omitted from a hand-written link than included with blank values.

Building links by hand is manageable for a few fixed contact actions, but it does not scale well to a large campaign with many recipients, subjects or page variants. A spreadsheet, template system or campaign platform is easier to audit when mailto links with different recipient, subject or body fields must be generated in bulk.

Frequently asked questions

Can a mailto link add an attachment?

No standard, widely compatible mailto header field can attach a local file. Some email applications recognise their own non-standard instructions, but those links will not work consistently elsewhere. Ask the sender to add the file after the draft opens.

Can the message body contain HTML formatting?

Mailto body content is generally treated as plain text. HTML tags may appear as literal characters or be removed, depending on the email application. Use line breaks and clear plain-text wording rather than relying on headings, colours or embedded images.

Can I include more than one recipient?

The mailto format permits multiple addresses separated by commas, but handling can differ between browsers, form controls and email applications. For a public link, consider using a shared mailbox or distribution address instead of exposing a long recipient list.

Are mailto links safe for confidential information?

Do not place passwords, access tokens, medical details or other confidential information in a mailto URL. The full link may be stored in page source, browser history, copied messages, logs or analytics systems. Use the body only for non-sensitive prompts and ask the sender to add private details within their email application if appropriate.

Will mailto links work in PDF files and documents?

They can work when the PDF reader, word processor or presentation application allows mailto hyperlinks and the device has an email handler. Compatibility depends on the viewing software, so keep the visible email address nearby as a fallback where contacting you matters.

Final checks

Open the generated mailto draft on both a desktop device and a phone if people commonly access the page on both. Confirm each address, check that line breaks appear in the intended places, and make sure punctuation has not split the query into unintended header fields. Keep the pre-filled message brief, avoid sensitive data, and provide a visible contact address for people whose devices cannot open mailto links.