Do you want to manage your email accounts on your Apple Watch without reaching out for your iPhone all the time? You can use the Mail app to do just that.
How to Use Mail on Apple Watch
The native Mail app lets you complete a number of email related tasks on your Apple Watch independent of your iPhone.
You’re able to:
- Select inboxes.
- Check emails on specific accounts.
- Respond to emails.
- Mark messages as read or unread.
- Delete or trash messages.
- Flag and unflag emails.
- Modify email alerts.
- Reduce your message list.
- Load images.
1. Select Inboxes
By default, Mail shows emails from all your inboxes for all the accounts you’ve added to your Apple devices. To choose a specific inbox:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Select Mail under My Watch.
- Select the Include Mail option.
- Check Mirror my Phone.
- Tap Include Mail.
- Select the email accounts you want to access on your Apple Watch.
2. Check Emails on Specific Accounts
You have the option to view emails from all the accounts accessible to your Apple Watch by tapping the “All Inboxes”. Or, you can check emails on a specific account by following the steps below:
- Press the Digital Crown.
- Open Mail app.
- Select one of the accounts or mailboxes to view content.
3. Respond to Emails
To respond to an email directly on your Apple Watch:
- Open Mail app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap a message.
- Firmly hold down the screen.
- Tap the reply icon.
- Type, dictate, or scribble your reply, or respond with an emoji if you are busy or have nothing to say.
4. Mark Messages as Read or Unread
To mark an email as read or unread:
- Open Mail app on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll, find, and tap a message.
- Firmly hold down the screen.
- Tap Read or Unread.
Alternatively, swipe right on a message on the messages list and tap the Mark as Read or Mark as Unread icon.
5. Delete or Trash Messages
You can delete a message(s) you no longer want to keep in your email accounts directly on your Apple Watch, even if you don’t have your iPhone with you.
- Open Mail app on your smartwatch.
- Find and tap a message.
- Firmly hold down the screen.
- Tap Trash to delete a message.
Alternatively, swipe left on a message on the messages list. Then tap the Trash or Delete icon.
6. Flag and Unflag Emails
To flag and unflag emails:
- Open Mail app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap an email you would like to flag.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Flag.
- To undo the action, simply tap Unflag.
Alternatively, swipe left on a mail message on the messages list on your Apple Watch and tap the flag icon.
7. Modify Mail App Email Notifications
To customize email alerts on your Apple Watch:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Select Mail under My Watch tab.
- Tap Custom and select Allow Notifications.
- Choose email accounts for which you would like to allow custom notifications.
- Turn Sound and Haptic on/off.
Then, enable the option to get email notifications on your Apple Watch, so you stay in the know of important messages, even if you’ve not connected the watch to you iPhone. To do this:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap Mail under My Watch tab.
- Select “When Not Connected to iPhone”.
- Turn on Email Notifications.
8. Reduce Your Message List
You can shorten the number of preview text lines for each message to make your mail list more compact and easy to read.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap Mail under My Watch tab.
- Open Mail.
- Select the Message Preview.
- Choose 1 line, 2 lines, or None.
9. Load Images in Mail App
Someone might send you an email containing a link that opens an image. But you first have to enable the Load Remote Images features to view the image.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap Mail under My Watch tab.
- Tap Custom.
- Enable Load Remote Images.
What is the Best Mail App Alternatives for Apple Watch?
The other Apple Watch apps you can use for emails are Microsoft Outlook and Zoho Mail. These apps allow you to manage your emails the same way you would with Mail.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook lets you focus on the most important messages first – and everything else later. The app features reminders and calendar events, making it a comprehensive tool for anyone who relies on the Outlook’s ecosystem for productivity.
You can use Microsoft Outlook on your Apple Watch to:
- Preview Notifications: Tap the notification displayed on your Apple Watch to see a preview of the email.
- Read Emails: See a summary of the message on your Apple Watch and read the full email on your iPhone if it’s important.
- Reply to Emails: Respond to an email via the notification preview on the screen or open any email in your inbox to send a response.
- Manage Your Inbox: Flag, archive, and delete messages directly on your Apple Watch.
Zoho Mail
Zoho Mail integration with Apple Watch ensures you get a good email experience right on your wrist. You can use Zoho Mail to:
- Mirror email notifications from Zoho on your iPhone to your Apple Watch.
- Tap the notification to open the email and then read a snippet of the message.
- Respond to the email with predefined replies or voice dictation.
- Delete sensitive emails or emails that you no longer find useful directly on your wrist.
At this time, Zoho Mail does not allow you to move emails to folders on your Apple Watch. This function is available only on iPhone.
Can I Get Gmail on Apple Watch?
No, you can’t get Gmail on Apple Watch because Google hasn’t developed a watchOS version of its email client.
The only sensible way to access Gmail on the smartwatch is to use Safari browser, Mail app, or an alternative third-party app that allows you to connect your Gmail account to your Apple Watch.
Alternatively, you can mirror Gmail notifications from your iPhone to your Apple Watch, so you get an alert on your wrist whenever your iPhone sends you a notification from the Gmail app.
