iPhone why did they mess up the design of the mail app?

[ghanwani]

I use the mail app with gmail.

I have 2 issues with it:
- The archive button and the "every else" button are so close that I keep hitting archive accidentally especially when using the phone with one hand. The entire screen bottom is empty, why'd they have to put these two icons right next to each other?
- When I want to put a message into a folder, it is now a 3 step process:
1. Hit the "everything else" button.
2. Scroll to find the "folder" option and select.
3. Scroll to find the actual folder and select.
Didn't need step 2 in iOS 12.

Who is designing this stuff?

 

[Puonti]

When I tap on the "everything else" button I don't need to scroll to find the move options (called "Move to Important" and "Other Mailbox..." on my device - I don't see anything labelled "Folder"). I'm using an XS max and the last option I see is "Delete Message" - anything beyond that I need to scroll to see.

 

[ghanwani]

When I tap on the "everything else" button I don't need to scroll to find the move options (called "Move to Important" and "Other Mailbox..." on my device - I don't see anything labelled "Folder"). I'm using an XS max and the last option I see is "Delete Message" - anything beyond that I need to scroll to see.

Is this with gmail?

I'm on an SE, so the last option I see without scrolling is "Flag". Then on scrolling, I see "Mark as unread", "Move message", "Trash", and several other options. If I select "Move message", then I get my list of folders.

 

[Puonti]

Is this with gmail?

I'm on an SE, so the last option I see without scrolling is "Flag". Then on scrolling, I see "Mark as unread", "Move message", "Trash", and several other options. If I select "Move message", then I get my list of folders.

Yep, this is with a gmail address - but interestingly enough I just realized the two gmail addresses I have set up behave differently in this regard. One of them has the "Move to Important" and "Other Mailbox..." options I mentioned, the other one has the same one as you do ("Move Message"). Not sure why that is, as both addresses have the "Important" mailbox available.

But as for having to scroll to see the "move" option (in its various forms), it seems that it's a case of screen estate. The order of the options appears to be same between our phones but I'm using an XS max. It's just able to show more.

It would be great to be able to edit the quick actions at the top of the list - that way you could have Move right there. I never use Archive, for instance. Email is for communication, not organizing things...

 

[ghanwani]

Yep, this is with a gmail address - but interestingly enough I just realized the two gmail addresses I have set up behave differently in this regard. One of them has the "Move to Important" and "Other Mailbox..." options I mentioned, the other one has the same one as you do ("Move Message"). Not sure why that is, as both addresses have the "Important" mailbox available.

But as for having to scroll to see the "move" option (in its various forms), it seems that it's a case of screen estate. The order of the options appears to be same between our phones but I'm using an XS max. It's just able to show more.

It would be great to be able to edit the quick actions at the top of the list - that way you could have Move right there. I never use Archive, for instance. Email is for communication, not organizing things...

Yes, the need for scroll is because of small screen, but my gripe is about needing to do 2 selects before I get to my list of folders instead of just one select in the iOS 12 and earlier mail app.

Somebody got paid a lot of money to come up with this improvement?

 

[DotCom2]

Also, the "Send Blocked Senders to Trash" is not working. It keeps them in the Inbox and not sent to Trash.

 

[bmac89]

I’m not on iOS 13 so probably not much help but I understand the frustration with the new mail design (who on earth thought this was good design!).

Anyway can you use the swipe gesture (slightly swipe on an email) and press ... and then move message?
Still multiple steps but maybe you will find it easier. Also you can drag and drop an email into a folder but perhaps this is not possible on iPhone.

Also I don’t suppose the buttons hidden behind the “everything button” can be rearranged like the share sheet can?

Finally I suggest you and everyone else not happy with this change to provide feedback to Apple. Link: https://www.apple.com/feedback/

 

[ghanwani]

Anyway can you use the swipe gesture (slightly swipe on an email) and press ... and then move message?
Still multiple steps but maybe you will find it easier. Also you can drag and drop an email into a folder but perhaps this is not possible on iPhone.

Unless done carefully, it results in message archival. Not a good choice when one is in a hurry or using the phone one handed.

Also I don’t suppose the buttons hidden behind the “everything button” can be rearranged like the share sheet can?

If possible, that would be great. I can't figure it out though.

Finally I suggest you and everyone else not happy with this change to provide feedback to Apple. Link: https://www.apple.com/feedback/

Thanks. Will do.

Edit: They do not seem to accepting feedback for the Mail app, so I sent feedback on the iPhone. My guess is that it probably went to the infinity bottom bit bucket.

 

[bmac89]

Thanks. Will do.

Edit: They do not seem to accepting feedback for the Mail app, so I sent feedback on the iPhone.

That would be right wouldn’t it!!! Just pick the next best option... Apple needs to hear feedback on this garbage design!

If enough people leave feedback perhaps it will get fixed in the next decade!

 

[tominco]

I use the mail app with gmail.

I have 2 issues with it:
- The archive button and the "every else" button are so close that I keep hitting archive accidentally especially when using the phone with one hand. The entire screen bottom is empty, why'd they have to put these two icons right next to each other?
- When I want to put a message into a folder, it is now a 3 step process:
1. Hit the "everything else" button.
2. Scroll to find the "folder" option and select.
3. Scroll to find the actual folder and select.
Didn't need step 2 in iOS 12.

Who is designing this stuff?

I totally agree. There’s more than enough space at the bottom. Why did Apple mess it up.

and they still can’t figure out to have a different reply to address for Gmail meaning it has to be a custom account if you use an alias. That should have been fixed in iOS 6 or 7

 

[Puonti]

Unless done carefully, it results in message archival. Not a good choice when one is in a hurry or using the phone one handed.

You can always re-assign "swipe right" to be "Move" instead of "Mark as read / unread" under Settings / Mail / Swipe Options. No need to be careful about the swipe.

 

[ghanwani]

You can always re-assign "swipe right" to be "Move" instead of "Set unread" under Settings / Mail / Swipe Options. No need to be careful about the swipe.

That's useful. It's still more work because my normal workflow is to open an unread message, go through it, and then either delete it or move it to a folder after optionally replying to it. The above would require me to go back to the message list.

 

[one more]

Apple stock email app is just not good. They seem to be still keeping it just for the sake of giving users something to use. As it is under iOS 13, the app is sluggish and has a bare minimum of functionality. I personally cannot find any reason of using it over Spark, Gmail, Outlook (Hotmail), Yahoo or any other 3rd party offerings.

 

[George Dawes]

I really hate the update . If it ain’t broke don’t fix it

the new gestures, the buggy text replacement,the mail interface , whole thing sucks

look now , a new line and no auto caps ! Really really annoying me , I might end up smashing this thing up soon . Mad 😡

why did they add all these stupid gestures that don’t seem to work ?

 

[minimo3]

Please just bring back the whole row of icons at the bottom of each mail message. It worked well and made great use of the space. It was so much easier to file and flag emails.

 

[Donnation]

They have made Mail in iOS 13 useless. Outside of Dark Mode, there really isn’t a whole lot positive to say about it. It’s the worst OS Apple has released in years.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Because they’re bored. So much requires multiple presses now Moving things into menus
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Please just bring back the whole row of icons at the bottom of each mail message. It worked well and made great use of the space. It was so much easier to file and flag emails.

It makes no sense they remove the menu icons to just give us blank space. What the heck

 

[bmac89]

Everybody... please report this through beta feedback app or the Apple website: https://www.apple.com/feedback/

This mail abomination needs to be fixed (I.e. returned to how it was before being broken). Maybe Apple will fix it by the time iOS 23 comes out.

 

[ghanwani]

My workaround for making message deletion acceptable is to avoid trying to delete the message from the message view, and instead, from the inbox (or any other folder) doing an
Edit ->
<select messages to be deleted> ->
Move ->
Trash.

Same thing if I need to move a message to a folder.

 

[acousticbiker]

Agree and I think the worst of these changes is requiring two taps to simply reply to a message - I have a hard time believing that any UI designers actually using this app on a daily basis would make that change, especially when nothing except empty space to the left is gained.

 

[stevemiller]

Everybody... please report this through beta feedback app or the Apple website: https://www.apple.com/feedback/

This mail abomination needs to be fixed (I.e. returned to how it was before being broken). Maybe Apple will fix it by the time iOS 23 comes out.

they don't even give a feedback option for ios mail on the linked site. i had to go through feedback app on my device. and it feels absolutely futile anyway. every other feedback i've made has been closed on their end without resolution, including pretty major issues i've come across.

 

[ghanwani]

Ever since updating to iOS 13, I have this weirdness where the app reports an "Account Error" when I try to do a refresh. It usually resolves itself after a second attempt. Here's a snip of the bottom of the screen when the error is happening. Anyone else seeing this?

 

[Puppuccino]

The Mail app has largely stayed the same for at least many iOS versions dating back to iOS 7. Granted some buttons and options may have moved but it's pretty simple.

The one thing I do miss though is the ability to Delete All from a mailbox. It was at the bottom of the screen in iOS 12 but seems to have been removed in iOS 13.