Changing the mailbox layout
Put the reading pane on the right or below, fold the folders to icons, resize the list and read with nothing else on screen.
Updated 18 October 2026
Why this exists
Everyone reads mail differently, and a layout that suits a big screen can feel cramped on an iPad. You can move the reading pane, fold the folders, make the list compact and read one long thread with nothing else on screen. The mailbox then fits the way you work rather than the other way round.
The mailbox fills the whole window and you can arrange it the way you like. Your choices are saved on this device.
Change the layout
- Open Mail.
- Press the Layout button at the top of the list.
- Under Reading pane, choose On the right or Below the list.
- Under List, choose Comfortable or Compact rows.
- Under Columns, choose Fold folders to icons (or Show folder names) and Focus reading.
- Reset the layout puts everything back as it started.
Resize the list
Drag the line between the list and the reading pane. With the keyboard, focus the line and use the arrow keys, Home and End.
Focus reading
Focus reading hides the folders and the list while a conversation is open, so you can read a long thread without distractions. Press Shift + F to turn it on or off.
Good to know
- Press [ to fold the folders to icons, or show them again. The icons still show unread counts.
- On a phone or narrow screen you see one pane at a time: the list, then the conversation with a Back button.
- Open in a new window opens the conversation in focus reading on its own page.