Tired of constantly switching between inbox categories in Apple Mail just to make sure you don’t miss an important message? Wish you could see all your new emails in one simple view without the extra hassle? Find out here how to quickly see all emails across inbox categories in Apple Mail on your Mac (plus how to set up a handy keyboard shortcut to toggle categories with elegant ease).
First, People Cannot Buy
“People cannot buy,” reasoned the good folks at a local drug store, “what they cannot see. So we’ll make them see! Let’s put our products in the best possible light.”
So (and it is me putting these thoughts into their heads, of course), they decided to install strips of light along the shelves. Unfortunately, their precision was less pronounced than their conviction, or maybe either was just off: they positioned the extra bright and pointy LED strips so that they shone directly in your eyes as you approached the shelves to pick a product…
Now, as poor shoppers in the background awkwardly turn the other way, blindly grabbing something—anything—from the toothpaste aisle (?), struggling to see anything at all—you can clearly see everything if you like:
How to Quickly See All Emails Across Inbox Categories in Apple Mail for Mac
See All Mail in the Inbox with Inbox Categories Active and Visible
Time needed: 1 minute
To get a quick overview of all your emails irrespective of their categories in your Apple Mail for macOS inbox on a Mac.
- Open the Inbox folder in Apple Mail for Mac.
Here’s why: Apple Mail categories only appear in the inbox folder.
- Position the cursor over the tab headers showing the inbox categories.
Here’s where: With inbox categories enabled, you will see icons for the various categories across the top of the inbox’s message list.
- Swipe to the left on the trackpad.
Here’s why: This instantly takes you to the All Mail tab (which is usually hidden) from any other inbox category.
Using a mouse: Using a mouse, click the currently active category header.
Example: Click Transactions if you are currently in the transaction category.
- Swipe to the right or click the All Mail header to return to the previously active inbox category.
Wish categories were smarter? How to Categorize a Sender in Apple Mail for Mac
Temporarily Hide Inbox Categories and See a Universal Inbox
To turn off inbox categories altogether (if only temporarily) in Apple Mail for Mac and see all messages in the inbox folder:
- Select View | Show Mail Categories from the menu.
“Show Mail Categories” grayed out: The menu item can only be toggled in the inbox folder.
Mail keyboard shortcut: You can set up a keyboard shortcut for toggling inbox categories; see below.
There are more folders to Mail than the inbox: Add Shortcuts to Favorite Folders in Apple Mail for Mac
How to Quickly See All Emails Across Inbox Categories in Apple Mail for Mac: FAQ
Can I set up a keyboard shortcut to see all mail across inbox categories?
Yes and no.
No, there is no keyboard shortcut for switching to the All Mail category, and you cannot easily add one either.
Yes, you can set up a keyboard shortcut for toggling display of inbox categories in Apple Mail for Mac altogether:
- Set up a custom macOS keyboard shortcut in macOS for the Mail app using the menu item Show Mail Categories.
Example: You can use Command Shift A, for example.
- Press your set keyboard shortcut in the Apple Mail inbox folder to toggle the display of inbox categories.
(How to quickly see all emails across inbox categories in Apple Mail for Mac tested with macOS Sequoia 15.4; first published May 2025)