diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 73e9ae66e..3be4861cb 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ gem 'byebug', group: [:development, :test]
 group :development do
   # Spring application pre-loader
   gem 'spring'
+  
+  # open sent emails in the browser
+  gem 'letter_opener'
 end
 
 group :test do
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index eadf0b8a8..86b1bd292 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ GEM
       minitest (~> 5.1)
       thread_safe (~> 0.3, >= 0.3.4)
       tzinfo (~> 1.1)
+    addressable (2.4.0)
     arel (6.0.3)
     bcrypt (3.1.10)
     builder (3.2.2)
@@ -121,6 +122,10 @@ GEM
       thor (>= 0.14, < 2.0)
     json (1.8.3)
     jwt (1.5.1)
+    launchy (2.4.3)
+      addressable (~> 2.3)
+    letter_opener (1.4.1)
+      launchy (~> 2.2)
     loofah (2.0.3)
       nokogiri (>= 1.5.9)
     mail (2.6.3)
@@ -260,6 +265,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   http_accept_language
   jbuilder (~> 2.2)
   jquery-rails
+  letter_opener
   mysql2
   omniauth-google-oauth2
   paperclip
diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index b55e2144b..2c8ebb178 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 
   # Don't care if the mailer can't send.
   config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
+  
+  # Open emails in the browser.
+  # https://github.com/ryanb/letter_opener
+  config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :letter_opener
 
   # Print deprecation notices to the Rails logger.
   config.active_support.deprecation = :log