Revert Apple Mail Redesign: How to Get the Old Look Back

The Latest Apple Mail Redesign: A User Response

Certain occurrences are unavoidable: mortality, taxation, and alterations to tech platform designs that garner widespread disapproval. The newest instance of this trend involves the Apple Mail application, which received a substantial redesign with the release of iOS 18. This update is also being implemented on iPad and MacBook devices.

The revamped Apple Mail interface categorizes emails into distinct sections, including Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. Furthermore, it incorporates contact photographs alongside each sender, aligning with the company's evolving branding initiatives for businesses throughout the iOS environment.

User Reactions to the Changes

While a segment of users perceive the redesign as aesthetically displeasing and challenging to navigate, a more significant concern is the increased likelihood of overlooking crucial messages – a clearly undesirable outcome.

Disgruntled iOS users have taken to social media platforms to express their dissatisfaction, labeling the update as “completely unreliable,” “indecipherable,” and “visually unappealing.” Some have even voiced extreme frustration with the app’s user experience designers.

Fortunately, a method exists to disable these updates, averting the need for such colorful expressions of discontent.

Reverting to the Previous Mail View

To revert to a more familiar inbox layout, follow these steps:

• First, launch the Mail application on your iOS 18 device.
• Locate the three-dot menu situated in the upper-right corner of the screen.
• Select “List View” as your preferred display option, rather than “Categories.”

Although this restores your inbox to its prior configuration, some visual clutter persists due to the continued display of contact photos. This feature may be beneficial within the Messages app, where you likely have established contact images for friends and family.

However, within your email inbox, the presence of a small yellow shopping bag next to every message from a retailer offers limited utility – particularly when multiple technology blogs and newsletters are assigned the same icon as retailers like H&M or Anthropologie.

Removing Contact Photos from Mail

To eliminate contact photos from your iOS Mail application, proceed as follows:

• Open the Settings application on your iPhone.
• Scroll to the bottom of the screen to access the Apps section.
• Within the Apps menu, locate the Mail application (or utilize the search bar to expedite the process).
• Under the Message List section, disable the “Show Contact Photos” option.

With these adjustments, your Mail application is now free from unnecessary clutter – aside from the promotional emails from H&M and Anthropologie that often go unread. Perhaps it’s an opportune moment to unsubscribe from numerous mailing lists?