Apple’s Mail app just got a techie makeover-a splash of wild color, with a dye of free spirit and some amount of futuristic buzz. But wait-throw your minimalist hat into the air at your own peril. Some purists are going profane about how radically creative this vision execution has become-into UI overboard. Temper that, superheroes of the underdog! You are still free to restore the slick, uncluttered Mail app you have been used to.
Good to know : learn how to use autofill on your iPhone like a pro.
Say goodbye to dull mailboxes! Apple Mail has gotten an exciting visual upgradenow sprouting a colorful contact photo next to each email-it’s like a yearbook for your inbox!
Tired of squinting at your inbox, trying to analyze who that email’s from? Those tiny pictures aren’t there for decoration. They are short visual cues that quickly alert you about the sender-a familiar company logo; a colleague’s face; or even a category icon that screams, “Important!”-something like a visual caller ID cutting through the clutter of emails for you to focus on what matters.
If you find the new visuals make your inbox feel too colorful or cluttered, there’s an option to disable them.
Want to tweak your iPad or iPhone email settings? Dive in! First, unlock your device and hunt down that familiar gray “Settings” cog. Tap it. Next, scroll through the digital landscape until you spot “Apps.” Tap that too. Finally, pinpoint “Mail” in the app list and tap its icon to access a treasure trove of customization options.
On the next screen, in theMessage Listsection, turn off the toggle next toShow Contact Photos.
Now you can return to your email app. Notice how the colorful pictograms are no longer visible now.
Sick of gazing upon that same contact picture when each message flies in? Well, here’s a beautiful thing about Apple: It’s made inbox decluttering fairly straightforward. If you run iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, or macOS 15.5, just dive into the Mail app, tap the ellipsis at the top right corner of the screen, and with one tap, wipe away contact photos by deselecting “Show Contact Photo”. Zen inbox!
2. Turn Off Categories
Think of these as smart Categories, which means they basically act as an auto sorter floating above your inbox: “Primary” is the VIP lounge for everyone else, including your friends and family. The “Updates” is for the newsletter, social media alerts, and other such subscriptions really, the stuff you wish a personal secretary would take care of for you.
Tired of those pesky categories cluttering your inbox? One click to take back the tranquility of your messages! SelectList View, andpoofthey’re gone! Just a clean and focused inbox for you to get on with.
Tip : here’s how to convert an alias into your primary email in iCloud mail.
3. Ungroup Emails from the Same Sender
Stress out with disorderly inbox? Mail app categorizations put emails into groups by sender, giving that chaotic inbox an organized look. Alas! In probability of decluttering, a very crucial email might just get lost in the pile. Is the trade-off worth it?
Want to escape the suffocating grip of emails thread-overload? Go into any category where the conversations have been piling up. Look in the upper-right corner of the window for those faintly glowing three dots. Click on those dots and uncheck “Group by Sender” so that each email shines on its own object in your inbox, arriving free and independent. The time has arrived for you to regain your freedom in email!
4. Turn Off Priority Emails
Shortly after Apple introduced the ability to mark “important” messages in the operating system, AI entered the scene, and Apple Mail began prioritizing certain messages. Apple Mail considers subject lines, sender information, and even the tone of a message worthy of consideration. But even the most intelligent of algorithms can go astray. Will the Apple Mail AI put things in order in your inbox, or will it dump more “urgent” mails on you? It remains to be seen if this is an ingenious AI upgrade or another headache.
Got tossed away in AI-generated spam? Check your mailbox for emails with the same dreadful content; or, better still, with a quick tap, treat the inbox! Just open Mail, and look in the upper-right corner for three little dots. That can be your final blow against that AI monster.
Deselect theShow Priorityoption from there.
FYI : here’s how to silence notifications on iPhone for texts and more.
5. Change the Mail App’s Badge Notification Count
Heads up for all iPhone users! Your Mail app’s little red badge just became smarter. Forget the total count of unread emails-all they count now is the number of fresh, unread messages just sitting there in the Primary inbox with iOS 18.2. Prioritize what really matters!
If you’d like to change this back the way it was, open Settings and go toApps ->Mail ->Notifications.
SelectCustomize Notificationsat the bottom.
Switch toAll Unread Messages.
Going in-depth? Learn about the magic of Ambient Music and more within that in-depth article. Or take back your inbox privacy: find a way to repel tracking pixels from Apple Mail.
Thanks for reading How to Revert the New Apple Mail Look to the Classic View
