Adjust Mail’s list view on your iPhone and iPad

You can adjust the way Mail’s list views look on your iPhone and iPad! Just change the number of lines of “preview” shown in message lists such as the Inbox or Sent. It’s all personal preference, but as long as we’re given the option, let’s make it look the way we want it. Here’s how you adjust Mail’s list view.

The screenshots in this tutorial are from an iPhone 8 Plus but the instructions are exactly the same for any iPhone or iPad.

By default, Mail’s message lists show the sender’s name in bold on top, then the subject line under that, then two lines of the message content under that. It looks like this:

You can fit more messages onto the screen by reducing the number of preview lines. Or, increase the number of preview lines to show fewer messages but more of their content. It’s all up to you!

Seeing more content might allow you to delete more messages without opening them since you’ll know more completely what they’re about. On the other hand, seeing less content but more messages per screen cuts down on scrolling, letting you quickly find messages visually. One can make arguments for adjusting Mail to show more preview lines, and for adjusting Mail to show fewer preview lines. It’s something you have to try for yourself.

You adjust Mail’s list view in the Settings:

Here’s how it looks for “None,” “1 Line,” and “2 lines.”

And here’s how it looks for “3 Lines,” “4 Lines,” and “5 Lines.”

It’s all up to you, and of course the text size is a consideration as well. Experiment with this setting and find what’s best for you.

Looking for more iOS Mail tips? Check out My Ten Best iOS Mail Tips: Shortcuts, Swipes, and Taps.