How to Add or Remove Additional Smart Inbox Folders in iOS Mail

This article explains how to add, remove, and create smart folders in the iOS Mail app Mailboxes screen so you can concentrate on unread mail, VIPs, attachments, and more. Information covers iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices with iOS 12, iOS 11, or later.

Enable or Disable Smart Folders in iOS Mail

The Mail app comes with a selection of smart folders that you can toggle on or off as well as an option to add custom smart folders. To enable smart folders that focus on specific types of messages in the Mail app:

1. Open the Mail app and go to the Mailboxes screen.

2. Tap Edit at the top of the screen.

3. Tap each item you want to activate and view on the Mailboxes screen.

4. Tap Done.

The folders are:

• All Inboxes: Used with multiple accounts. Collects mail from all inbox folders.
• [Account name]: An account's inbox. For multiple mailboxes, there is one for each account.
• Today: Showcases only the emails you received today.
• VIP: Shows messages from VIP senders in all inboxes.
• Flagged: Contains flagged emails from all inboxes.
• Unread: Shows only the unread emails in all inboxes.
• To or CC: Messages in your inboxes that have one of your email addresses listed as a direct To or Cc recipient (instead of as a Bcc recipient).
• Attachments: All inbox messages that have at least one file attached.
• Thread Notifications: Includes emails with activity in an email thread.
• All Drafts: Collects email drafts from the Drafts folder in all your accounts.
• All Sent: Contains all your sent messages, drawn from the Sent folder of each of the accounts you set up in the Mail account.
• All Trash: The deleted messages from the Trash or Deleted Items folders for all accounts set up in Mail.
• All Archive: Includes all Archived messages from the accounts in Mail.

Create Custom Smart Folder in iOS Mail

To add a custom smart folder, tap New Mailbox at the bottom of the screen, give it a name, and assign a parent location if you have more than one email account. As you receive emails in your inboxes on your iOS device, select an email and tap Move to move it to the custom folder manually. Having a rule to move the email to the folder automatically is more convenient, but you can't make the rule in the Mail app.

You can create custom folders in the Apple Mail application on your Mac and sync them to Mail on your iOS device. On the Mac, you can apply rules to sort emails to your new smart folder, so you don't have to do it manually. The custom smart folder on your iOS device is updated when the Mac is turned on, but it doesn't work while your Mac is turned off, so this solution isn't ideal.

A better solution is to add a rule for your custom mailbox in iCloud. That way, your computer doesn't have to be turned on. The change flows from iCloud to your iOS device.

How to Add a Rule in iCloud for a Custom Smart Folder

Go to iCloud.com in a browser and enter your login credentials. Then:

1. Select Mail in iCloud.

2. Choose the angled bracket to the left of Inbox to show the Mailboxes sidebar if it isn't open.

3. Select the gear icon located at the bottom of the sidebar and choose Rules.

4. Select Add a Rule.

5. Specify the filtering conditions and select the new custom folder from the drop-down list. If you haven't made it yet, choose New Folder instead and enter the custom folder name.

6. Tap Done.

The changes are reflected in your iPhone or iPad Mail app.

Remove Smart Inbox Folders in iOS Mail App

To remove a smart folder (preconfigured or custom) from the Mail app Mailboxes screen, reverse the process for adding or activating a smart folder:

1. Open the Mail app and go to the Mailboxes screen.

2. Tap Edit.

3. Tap the smart folder you want to remove from the Mailboxes screen to clear the check box.

4. Tap Done.

iOS Mail Smart Folders Display Messages of a Type

Some emails are important—and flagged. Some senders are, too, and marked VIPs. Some are addressed to you personally and show it in the To or Cc lines. Some emails contain important documents as attachments. Some emails wait in their inboxes across all those accounts. How do you keep up?

The iOS Mail app can help you collect and focus on specific message types. One ready-made smart folder shows only unread messages, for example. Others contain messages with attachments or drafts from the Drafts folders of all your mail accounts.

Enabling these smart folders on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is easy, and these folders can make life easier if you are looking for recently flagged emails, for example. If you tire of them, though, or find you use them too seldom to warrant a place in the iOS Mail app Mailboxes list for easy access, disable them individually.