In iOS 7, Apple introduced the option to add an "Unread" mailbox to the iOS Mail app, giving users a place to aggregate all incoming email for quick access. The feature was never widely publicized, and as a result, many iOS users today are unaware that it exists.

Adding an "Unread" mailbox takes just a few taps, but it's highly useful, especially when you've got a lot of incoming emails. We've created a video that shows how to enable the Unread mailbox on your iPhone or iPad, and below that, you'll find step-by-step instructions on the process.


Steps to enable the "Unread" Mailbox:

  1. Open the Mail app.
  2. Tap "Edit" in the upper right corner.
  3. Scroll down beyond the currently enabled mailboxes, and check the "Unread" box.
  4. Use the hamburger button to move the Unread box to a spot that's most convenient for your usage habits.
  5. Tap "Done."

Each incoming email will be filtered into the "Unread" mailbox as its received, and when read, the email will be removed from the box so you can always keep tabs on what hasn't been read. You can also filter emails by other parameters using specialized boxes found in the Mail app, including total emails received in a day, emails with attachments, flagged emails, and more.

For more quick tips on hidden iOS features, make sure to check out and subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel.

Top Rated Comments

rdlink Avatar
110 months ago
Still doesn't change the fact that I have two thousand unread emails :eek:
Go back and delete anything older than two weeks. Those people have given up on getting a response from you anyway. ;)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
just.in.time Avatar
110 months ago
Still doesn't change the fact that I have two thousand unread emails :eek:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JonneyGee Avatar
110 months ago
Why would I want a dedicated spot for unread mail?

Isn't just having it marked unread in your inbox good enough?
It's incredibly handy. I've been using this for years now.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Carlanga Avatar
110 months ago
Why would I want a dedicated spot for unread mail?

Isn't just having it marked unread in your inbox good enough?
Not if you have different emails and many emails coming your way daily and many with attachments and other stuff that might take some time to load from different servers. It's a way to only see and reply to the most instant needs of your emails. As someone that doesn't put important and older emails into folders since years ago this is a feature I like using.


---------

Now if only the mail app could get my gmail accounts mail instantly again like the old days I might start using it again. For now outlook all the way for me. Apple has the money they should eat the small cost of people using other mail addresses that are not apples. They need to support the most used mail servers properly if they really cared for people to use the mail app with no way to un-install or have redirects work easier.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AZhappyjack Avatar
110 months ago
Now if only the mail app could get my gmail accounts mail instantly again like the old days I might start using it again. For now outlook all the way for me. Apple has the money they should eat the small cost of people using other mail addresses that are not apples. They need to support the most used mail servers properly if they really cared for people to use the mail app with no way to un-install or have redirects work easier.
Not to derail this thread too far, but posts like this really torque my jaws. People assume that because Apple "has the money" they should pay for things for their users. Can you say "entitlement"? Just because Apple has the money to fund something, that does not necessarily mean that they should foot the bill for the world.

Of course there's also the fact that, in this case, this was NOT a change by Apple that removed the exchange access to gmail - it was Google. Facts are stubborn things.

Now, back on topic:

This is a great feature, and one that I have been using since Apple introduced it with the release of iOS 7.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C DM Avatar
110 months ago
Not if you have different emails and many emails coming your way daily and many with attachments and other stuff that might take some time to load from different servers. It's a way to only see and reply to the most instant needs of your emails. As someone that doesn't put important and older emails into folders since years ago this is a feature I like using.


---------

Now if only the mail app could get my gmail accounts mail instantly again like the old days I might start using it again. For now outlook all the way for me. Apple has the money they should eat the small cost of people using other mail addresses that are not apples. They need to support the most used mail servers properly if they really cared for people to use the mail app with no way to un-install or have redirects work easier.
Google were the ones that stopped providing exchange access (and thus push) to free Gmail accounts.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...