I cannot change my default email application because Apple Mail wants me to create an account first. I cannot enter preferences.

I don't want to load all my mail back into APPLE MAIL, just so I can change the defualt email to my gmail. Is there any other ways to get to the preferences within that application?

Open Outlook Preferences under Outlook in the Menu bar.

Select General

Check "Make default...."

Is there a way to do this for gmail while using Safari?

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking. You don't set a default email account for a browser. Please provide more details on what you are trying to do.

I am using Safari and would like to change my default email account to google. I cannot get into Apple Mail >preferences< without activating it & loading all my gmail. I don't want to do that! If I attempt to use a link from a website to send an email, I am continually taken to Apple Mail. I want the email to be sent through gmail...

Download IC Switch (free) http://flipmartin.net/software

Click on Email tab

Click Add button

Navigate to Safari and select.

(I've never used my browser as a default email client so can't say with 100% certainty that this will work. Some links are hard wired to open Mail when clicked. If you Control click on a link you should be able to copy the mailto info and paste into a new Gmail message.)

https://code.google.com/p/mailto-chromeextension/

worked when tested briefly here, although you need to be logged in to gmail first.