iPhone: Sending and Receiving Emails

This article explains how to compose, forward, and reply-to emails using your iPhone. It also covers how to check and read your emails. To learn more about Mail and Account settings, instead, go here.

Sending Email

You can send an email message to anyone who has an email address. You can send it to one person or a group of people.

Compose and send a message

1. Tap .
2. Type one or more names or email addresses in the To or CC (carbon copy) fields, or tap and choose a contact to add the contact’s email address.
   

   As you type an email address, comparable email addresses from your contacts list appear below. Tap one to add it.

3. Type a subject if you like, then type a message.
4. Tap Send.

Send a photo in a message

From the Home screen choose Photos, then choose a picture. Then tap and tap Email Photo.

If you have more than one email account on iPhone, the photo is sent using the default account.

Note: Photos taken with iPhone will be resized to 640x480 resolution when attached to an email.

Save a message as a draft so you can work on it later

Start composing the message and tap Cancel. Then tap Save. You can find the message in the Drafts mailbox, add to it or change it, and then send it.

Reply to a message

Open a message and tap . Tap Reply to reply to just the person who sent the message. Tap Reply All to reply to the sender and the other recipients. Then add a message of your own if you like, and tap Send.

When you reply to a message, files or images attached to the initial message are not sent back.

Forward a message

Open a message and tap , then tap Forward. Add one or more email addresses and a message of your own if you like, then tap Send.

When you forward a message, you can include the files or images attached to the original message.

Send a message to a recipient of a message you received

Open the message and tap the recipient’s name or email address, then tap Email.

Checking and Reading Email

The Mail button shows the total number of unread messages in all of your inboxes. You may have other unread messages in other mailboxes.

On each account screen, you can see the number of unread messages next to each mailbox. Tap to see all your email accounts

Read a message

Tap a mailbox to see the messages inside. Unread messages have a blue dot next to them.



Tap a mailbox, then tap a message. Within a message, tap or to see the next or previous message.

Delete a message

Open the message and tap . You can also delete a message directly from the mailbox message list by swiping left or right over the message title and then tapping Delete.



Or you can tap Edit and tap next to a message.

Check for new messages

Choose a mailbox, or tap at any time.

Open an attached file

You can view or read some types of files and images attached to messages you receive. For example, if someone sends you a PDF, Microsoft Word, or Microsoft Excel document, you’ll be able to read it on iPhone. Tap the attachment. It downloads to iPhone and then opens.



You can view attachments in both portrait and landscape orientation. If the format of an attached file isn’t supported by iPhone, you can see the name of the file but you can’t open it.

iPhone supports the following email attachment file formats: .doc, .docx, .htm, .html, .pdf, .txt, .xls, .xlsx

See all the recipients of a message

Open the message and tap Details. Tap a name or email address to see the recipient’s contact information. Then tap a phone number, email address, or Text Message to contact the person. Tap Hide to hide the recipients.

Add an email recipient to your contacts list

Tap the message and, if necessary, tap Details to see the recipients. Then tap a name or email address and tap Create New Contact or "Add to Existing Contact."

Mark a message as unread

Open the message and tap "Mark as Unread." A blue dot appears next to the message in the mailbox list until you open it again.

Move a message to another mailbox

Open the message and tap , then choose a mailbox.

Zoom in to a part of a message

Double-tap the part you want to zoom in on. Double-tap again to zoom out.

Resize any column of text to fit the screen

Double-tap the text.

Resize a message manually

Pinch to zoom in or out.

Follow a link

Tap the link. Text links are typically underlined in blue. Many images also have links. A link can take you to a webpage, open a map, dial a phone number, or open a new preaddressed email message. Web, phone, and map links open Safari, Phone, or Maps on iPhone. To return to your email, press the Home button and tap Mail.

Important: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only, and does not constitute Apple's recommendation or endorsement. Please contact the vendor for additional information.