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Is it possible to add an HTML link in the body of a MAILTO link

html
email-client-behavior
url-shorteners
email-markup
Anton ShumikhinbyAnton Shumikhin·Jan 22, 2025
TLDR

No, HTML cannot be included in a mailto link's body parameter. Instead, URL encoding is used to include a text version of a link. Here's how to create this type of email link:

<a href="mailto:someone@example.com?body=Check%20out%20this%20site%3A%20http%3A%2F%2Fexample.com"> Email me </a>

This code transforms "Check out this site: http://example.com" into an encoded format for email bodies, where "%20" acts as a space and "%3A%2F%2F" corresponds to "://". This is a non-HTML method to share a URL in an email.

Understanding the limitations of the MAILTO body field

MAILTO body field: Keep it plain

The mailto link's body field supports the text/plain format, as outlined in RFC 2368. As such, HTML content is displayed as raw text, because the format doesn't interpret HTML markup.

Email Client Behavior: It's a surprise tool that will help us later

Different email clients may handle the mailto body differently. Some modern clients automatically convert plain text URLs into clickable links. However, this behavior is not consistent across all platforms or clients.

Formatting 101: Dealing with Spaces and line breaks

Special characters in a URL must be encoded which could be fun (honestly, who are we kidding!). For instance, spaces become %20, and line breaks turn into %0A for proper email body formatting.

MAILTO gotchas and their workarounds

Some potential obstacles with the body field include:

  • Email clients might truncate long URLs. Consider this while embarking on your mailto adventures.
  • Using a surplus of encoded characters may lead to the content becoming unreadable and in some cases, mistaken as spam. So, keep it clean and concise!

URL Shorteners: Tiny, but mighty

An effective way to avoid the issue of lengthy URLs is to use a URL shortener. This would make your link concise and your email body prettier. Remember, pretty emails get more attention!

UX Considerations: Polite prompts for action

Since clickable links are inconsistent, consider including instructions in the email body to copy and paste the link into their browser. This is like giving them a treasure map. X marks the spot!

Alternate Methods: Going the extra mile

If clickable links are a must-have for your use-case, consider alternatives like triggering an email client through a web form, using server-side scripts or leaning on email marketing services that support rich-text formatting. This way, your emails can do the cha-cha slide!

Compatibility Considerations: What email clients love and hate

Always test your mailto links across various email clients for compatibility. You wouldn't want anyone to miss your carefully crafted email, would you?