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iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
#56785 11/05/20 10:32 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Unlike nice desktop, iphone in MAIL, my inner folders I create are expanded, not collapsed.

On the Desktop, 10 main folders for an email account, and in there say each has 20 inside. On desktop by default they collapse.-- hunky dory.

I asked Apple rep while back why iphone not collapse, just said way it is.

Is there a solution, 3rd party app to collapse Mail folders on IOS?

As it TOTALLY UNUSABLE / impossible to scroll though my hundreds of expanded folder to find things on iphone IOS Mail app. Thanks

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #56792 11/06/20 04:50 PM
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You might try Airmail 4. There are versions for MacOS, iOS, and WatchOS. it is far more configurable and flexible than Apple Mail.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
joemikeb #56794 11/06/20 05:11 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Thanks Joe, I was not looking to leave Apple Mail, just like the folders collapsed. Have you noticed that, all folders per force expanded?

But who knows actually if just iphone and syncs fine with others...and does that.. So I'll send email to developer if I can...

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #56796 11/06/20 05:47 PM
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Since Mail is bundled with iOS you send feedback here.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57132 11/30/20 06:41 PM
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I just updated my iOS to 14.2. I don't know if it was always there or just arrived with this update, but after my email address in iOS Mail there is a blue disclosure arrow/semi-triangle. Clicking on it expands or collapses all folders for that email address.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57134 11/30/20 07:17 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Ira! Wow, can you send screenshot?

The most annoying feature by far of Apple Mail on iphone.

I actually tried Airmail, which Joe pointed out, but too convoluted to test so gave up, just doing Mail again.

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57142 12/01/20 06:52 PM
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Here is a before and after screen shot of a collapsed iOS Mail account. In the after shot there is nothing below the grayed out email address.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57144 12/01/20 10:52 PM
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Ira , no screenshot.

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57156 12/02/20 07:27 PM
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If I click on the link in my post (on the word "Here") it takes me to imgur.com and the screen shot.

Last edited by Ira L; 12/02/20 07:27 PM.

On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57160 12/02/20 08:28 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Thanks Ira, did not see there was live link there. Small one word text hard to see..

Don't' understand, says something about 3"?

I'm on 14.2.. is that current or need to upgrade IOS? And then wont be crazy expanded?

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57164 12/03/20 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by kevs
Thanks Ira, did not see there was live link there. Small one word text hard to see..

Don't' understand, says something about 3"?

I'm on 14.2.. is that current or need to upgrade IOS? And then wont be crazy expanded?

I mention the "3" as a marker for comparing the before and after. In the before image there are 3 messages in the Inbox and you see all the other mail folders below. In the after image you still see the "3" indicating the messages in the Inbox, but there is nothing shown below; all the other folders are hidden.

I am seeing and doing all of this on iOS 14.2, so you should see what I see.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57166 12/03/20 07:22 PM
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Ira thanks, I think we are talking about different things. So below archive at bottom, thats where my several hundred folders start and they are all forced expanded open without any option to collapse.

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57178 12/04/20 07:01 PM
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Hmm. In my case all folders collapse, including ones I have created. It may be a function of your email provider that user created folders will always display?? confused


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57179 12/04/20 07:10 PM
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Ira thanks, well email provider, Fastmail, I'll now ask them about this, if they are culprit. I assumed was ios issue.

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57266 12/10/20 09:02 PM
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Ok Ira, finally got answer from company that does my Mail, Fastmail:

Hi Kevs!
Thanks for getting back to me.
I see you're using your phone's native mail client. This is something I'm afraid we do not have control over appearance-wise, as this is designed by Apple. I do not believe it's possible to collapse folders on the iOS mail client, sadly.
I do recommend submitting this as a feature request with Apple, though, as their support team would be able to share your feedback with Apple developers.
If I can help with anything else, please let me know!
Cheers,
this is the screenshot I sent thiem: any ideas?

https://imgur.com/K2dJUkJ

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57277 12/11/20 07:23 PM
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The response from Fastmail was not 100% clear: "I do not believe it's possible to collapse folders on the iOS mail client…". I think they are saying what I said, specifically, custom user-created folders in the Fastmail account cannot be collapsed. Judging by your screen shot, that is what they appear to be.

As my earlier posts indicate, it is possible to collapse all other mail folders in iOS.

The only other thought would be to use Fastmail's iOS app (if they have one; they do for Macs) and see if that makes a difference. You would then possibly trade one inconvenience for another. crazy

Last edited by Ira L; 12/11/20 07:24 PM.

On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57278 12/11/20 08:03 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Thanks Ira.

Ok, I have no interest in using another ios app but maybe I should try that?

Still totally lost.

You are saying despite that email of which they (this one guy) put all the blame onto Apple for these hundred of folders being ridiculously expanded per force.

So fastmail is wrong, not Apple doing that it's Fastmail, even though that guys reply says Apple is the culprit?

There is one guy there I trust more at Fastmail, I'll see if I can get him into the picture.

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57279 12/11/20 10:43 PM
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The ability to collapse folders is a function of the email client (Mail) not the email host (Fastmail). Viewed in that light Fastmail's response seems perfectly clear. Fastmail does offer an email client for iOS, but I have no idea if it supports collapsing user created folders or not.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
joemikeb #57280 12/11/20 10:59 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Thanks Joe for c!earity Do you find it odd then Apple Mail IOS. you have hundreds of folders on iphone all expanded as default? Pretty crazy to me. Make is usable, cant get to anything!

(just unusable finding things in those folders; seeing/ answering incoming mail is fine)

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57282 12/12/20 06:09 PM
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Originally Posted by kevs
Thanks Ira.

You are saying despite that email of which they (this one guy) put all the blame onto Apple for these hundred of folders being ridiculously expanded per force.

So fastmail is wrong, not Apple doing that it's Fastmail, even though that guys reply says Apple is the culprit?

No, that is not what I was saying. I agree with Fastmail that it is an Apple problem (from my very limited developer experience). I was saying that the problem seems to exist only for folders/mailboxes that are created by the user outside of Apple Mail. But I can see how Apple could say we can't control mailboxes created outside of our app and developers could say we can't control mailboxes in Apple's app.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
Ira L #57283 12/12/20 07:13 PM
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kevs Offline OP
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Ira,

I creat all these FOLDER inside Apple Mail, I'm in Apple Mail, I click new folder, where else would I be creating these??

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57288 12/12/20 09:26 PM
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Assuming it is an IMAP account, Mail physically creates those folders on the Fastmail IMAP server. Which is why they are present no matter where or how you view the account. The problem is not how the folders are created, or where they physically reside, it is how they are displayed. On the Mac, Mail can collapse the folder display by taking advantage of functionality found in Finder, but since Finder does not exist per. se. in iOS or iPadOS, that functionality is not available to Mail, in those venues and no available functionality to collapse the display.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
kevs #57293 12/13/20 05:34 PM
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iPhone AND iPad II.


The MAIL app on the iPad II (dinosaur, I know) does the same thing, The default is to expand all folders.

The OTHER annoying thing, I recently discovered, is that if a new folder is added, it cannot later be deleted. Its contents can be deleted (or moved to another folder), but the now empty folder remains . . . forever, it seems.

Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
MG2009 #57294 12/13/20 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by MG2009
The OTHER annoying thing, I recently discovered, is that if a new folder is added, it cannot later be deleted. Its contents can be deleted (or moved to another folder), but the now empty folder remains . . . forever, it seems.
If it is an IMAP account, the folder is created on the host IMAP server and can be deleted from Mail on the Mac or from the host's internet webmail portal which effectively removes it on all devices.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: iphone folder hell MAIL - expanded folders
joemikeb #57298 12/13/20 06:08 PM
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O-o-o-o. I actually understood what you meant. (Pat myself on the back.)


That "stubborn" folder only shows up in MAIL on the iPad II and not in MAIL on my desktop iMac. Will check out the directions you offered. Thanks.


UPDATE: Checked the server. The "stubborn" folder does not show up there, either. It seems only to be stuck in MAIL on the iPad II. Any other ideas?

Last edited by MG2009; 12/13/20 06:12 PM. Reason: Update
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