Want a quick way to mark emails unread on your iPhone or prefer simpler swiping menus with fewer choices? Find out here how to customize the swipe actions for iPhone Mail ⤓.
First, Wipe-Out
It was getting cold, and flurries of sleet, then wet snow hurried in. The driver had opened a window to get at least a faint chance of a glance ahead at what was facing them — other than a wind-bent wall of snow.
There must be a better way, thought Mary Anderson. The Alabama visitor began sketching her solution — goes the story — right there on that wintry New York streetcar. On November 10, 1903 she secured US patent 743801 for her Window-Cleaning Device, wiper arms of wood and rubber worked by handle from inside to sweep away rain, sleet, and snow.
Now, might your iPhone Mail swipes clear clutter just as handily?
How to Customize iPhone Mail Swipe Actions
Time needed: 3 minutes
To change what swiping actions will accomplish and reveal in iOS Mail on an iPhone:
- Open the Settings app on iPhone.
- Go to the Mail app options.
Here’s how: Choose Apps, then open Mail.
- Select Swipe Options under Message List.
- Pick what you want to happen for a long swipe right.
Here’s how: Tap Swipe Right, then choose from the available actions.
Delete or archive: If you choose Archive, long swipes right will will delete for accounts (notably Gmail) that have archiving set as the default action for left swipes.
Move: The Move Message action will open the moving sheet.
Disable: To turn off long swipes to the right altogether, choose None. - Choose what item should appear as the middle choice in the menu that appears for left swipes.
Here’s how: Select Swipe Left, then choose the desired action.
Flag or read: Both flagging and marking as read toggle the respective characteristic — Flag turns into Unflag for a flagged email, for example.
Turn off: You can remove the middle item from the left swipe menu by choosing None.
Their word: Apple include information on Mail options in the iPhone User Guide.
Left swipe now the right move?
Tips help fuel these email and tech how-tos.
How to Customize iPhone Mail Swipe Actions: FAQ
Can I change what happens for a long swipe left in iPhone Mail?
No.
A long swipe left always deletes or archives messages (depending on the account’s default action for removing an email).
Where are the swiping actions used in iPhone Mail?
You can bring up swiping actions in two places with iPhone Mail:
- Swiping over an email in a message list (in a folder, for example, in priority inbox, or search results)
- Swping over the message content while viewing an email
Both swipes bring up the same menus.
(Tested with iOS 26; first published December 2025)