Learn how to select all emails in the Apple Mail app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac if you have updated to the latest iOS/macOS version and can’t seem to locate the usual “Select All” button.
The main reason you don’t see the ‘Select All’ button in the Mail app on iOS 18 and iOS 26 is due to the categorization feature. After updating to these recent iOS versions, you may have inadvertently asked the app to categorize your emails into four separate categories, namely: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions.
While these categories certainly help segregate and organize your emails, rather than bundling them all in one inbox view, this convenience comes at the cost of the ‘Select All’ button, which doesn’t appear in these categories. However, if you need to mark all emails, you can still do so in the ‘All Mail’ section or the old list view inbox style, as described below.
How to use the Select All button in the Apple Mail app to mark all emails
1) Open the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad and select a specific inbox or go to All Inboxes.
2) If you’ve switched to Categories view, swipe left on the categories tab until you get to the All Mail section. Alternatively, you can tap the three-dot menu icon at the top right and switch to List View.
3) Once you’re in ‘All Mail’ or ‘List View,’ tap the three dots menu button and hit Select.
4) You’ll now see a ‘Select All’ button in the upper left corner of the screen. Tap it to mark all emails. After that, scroll down to ensure all emails are indeed selected. Then, tap the flag, folder, or trash icons to take the necessary action, such as marking them all as read or deleting them.
In case you don’t need to select everything but rather multiple emails quickly, use the two-finger drag method instead of tapping each message individually.
If you’re on Mac
Unlike the iOS Mail app, the macOS version allows you to select all emails, even when you’re in the Primary, Transactions, Updates, or Promotions categories. Just click to select one of the emails in the inbox, and then press the Command + A keys or click Edit > Select All from the top menu bar.
For more, check out our guide that lists over 40 tips to make the most of the Apple Mail app on iOS and macOS.