{"id":58198,"date":"2014-01-12T17:52:29","date_gmt":"2014-01-12T15:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onsoftware.en.softonic.com\/?p=58198"},"modified":"2025-07-02T00:57:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T07:57:13","slug":"mailbox-ios-mail-client","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/mailbox-ios-mail-client\/","title":{"rendered":"Mailbox: not your average iOS mail client"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mailbox<\/a> is the only iPhone app\u00a0that I remember having to join a\u00a0waiting list for just so I could download it<\/strong>. Even those who just wanted a preview had to join the queue… and\u00a0wait. Sooner or later, though,\u00a0it did happen.<\/p>\n

Now, finally, Mailbox is available to everyone<\/strong>. Why would you choose it over the\u00a0official Gmail app<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Actually, there are a few reasons. The one that intrigued us was the underlying Mailbox promise that it would\u00a0not only change the way you manage your mail on your mobile, but also the way you manage you life. In order to accomplish that, they’ve\u00a0proposed a new way of\u00a0reading and storing\u00a0emails.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So let’s see what’s new this email client can add to our iPhone experience, as well as our lives.<\/p>\n

Installation and set-up<\/h3>\n

After entering your email address and password for your\u00a0Gmail account, Mailbox provides\u00a0you with a short tutorial<\/strong> that goes through how the app works: archiving emails\u00a0(Archive<\/em>), snooze function\u00a0(Later<\/em>), and moving the message to a list (Lists<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\"Mailbox\"<\/p>\n

The section entitled\u00a0Mailbox Tools<\/em> will go through each.<\/p>\n

In the next step you can choose what to do with\u00a0your Inbox<\/strong>. If you want it to appear exactly as your Gmail inbox does now, then you need to choose “no” when you’re asked if you “need help getting to zero?”<\/p>\n

If you choose this, then you’ll see\u00a0all your unread messages in the\u00a0Mailbox inbox \u2013 basically, everything will appear\u00a0normal.<\/p>\n

\"Need<\/p>\n

However, this isn’t the best way to make the most of Mailbox<\/strong>. The idea behind the app is to focus on streamlining productivity, and in fact,\u00a0Mailbox does make\u00a0it easy to harmonize the flow of mail that arrives on a daily basis…\u00a0as long as you stick to the\u00a0rules<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So, when the popup appears with the question need help getting to zero<\/em>?, click on ‘Learn More’<\/em>. Mailbox will then give\u00a0you three options for archiving<\/strong> mail in your inbox.<\/p>\n

\"Mailbox\"<\/p>\n

1)<\/strong> The first option is Archive Everything<\/strong>. The Inbox is completely emptied, letting you separate off your\u00a0pre-Mailbox emails so you can make a fresh start, after\u00a0which everything will (hopefully) be\u00a0easier. Of course, the messages don’t actually disappear. If you’re using\u00a0the app, you’ll\u00a0find them in the\u00a0Archive mailbox, while in webmail you can access them from the panel All messages<\/em>.<\/p>\n

2) <\/strong>The second option is Archive All Except Unread<\/strong>, which moves all\u00a0read messages into the Archive, but leaves the others in the Inbox. This seems to be the best option for those who are starting to use\u00a0Mailbox,\u00a0because\u00a0it will soon begin to manage all unread mail using the\u00a0new system introduced by the app.<\/p>\n

3) <\/strong>With Archive All Except Starred<\/strong>, the only emails left in the\u00a0Inbox are those marked with a star \u2013 in other words, any\u00a0special emails.<\/p>\n

Once you make your selection, you can\u00a0finally begin\u00a0to use Mailbox.<\/p>\n

The interface<\/h3>\n

The graphics used for organizing mail are\u00a0very logical. In the upper part of the interface you have 5 buttons, three of which are grouped together.<\/p>\n

\"Mailbox\"<\/p>\n

With the first button<\/strong> (which depicts three stacked\u00a0horizontal lines) you can access\u00a0all of the folders: Mailbox, Later, Lists<\/em> (with the lists you’ve created, if you’ve already put messages here), Archive, Trash, Sent<\/em>. All your emails are accessible from here.<\/p>\n

\"Mailbox\"<\/p>\n

Also accessible here from here is the Settings menu\u00a0and Help<\/strong>. The latter is particularly important, because new users will inevitably wonder about many things, particularly the way in which\u00a0Mailbox and Gmail webmail work together. You’ll find lots of answers here\u00a0(often accompanied by explanatory diagrams and videos), a collection of hints and tips, as well as other useful services.<\/p>\n

From the Settings<\/em> menu<\/strong>, you can add new email accounts, edit those you’ve already added, choose the default account, attach a signature automatically\u00a0to all sent emails, amend\u00a0settings for Lists<\/em> and\u00a0Snoozes<\/em>, set your syncing preferences, notifications, and the application badge.<\/p>\n

With the next three\u00a0buttons<\/strong> you can respectively\u00a0access the\u00a0Later<\/em> box, the\u00a0Mailbox<\/em> and the\u00a0Archive<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The last button<\/strong> creates a new email message.<\/p>\n

The app takes full advantage of the fact the iPhone has a\u00a0touch screen and you can actually move mail into the\u00a0different folders by using different gestures<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Mailbox\"<\/p>\n