What you’ll see
Screenshot needed: browser showing the “Open Earmark” button/link that fails to launch the app. Save as
/images/troubleshoot-deep-link.png.Why this happens
Earmark Desktop registers a custom URL protocol (earmark://) so the browser can hand control back to the installed app. If your browser or endpoint management policies block custom protocol handlers, the handoff fails silently.
What to allow
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| External protocol handler | earmark:// |
| Browser / endpoint policies | Must allow launching registered desktop apps from links |
What to check
- Browser settings - some browsers ask before opening external apps; make sure Earmark hasn’t been permanently blocked in that prompt
- Endpoint management / MDM - corporate device policies sometimes restrict which custom protocols can be launched
- Default app registration - on macOS, check that Earmark is properly registered as the handler for
earmark://(reinstalling the app usually fixes this) - Windows SmartScreen or Gatekeeper - security software may block the app from being launched via protocol handler on first use

