Why do more people still not use Apple Mail, even though it has been improved?

Apple Mail keeps getting new tricks, but it never fully solves the problems that made you leave in the first place. Apple Mail is always missing the little things that many people depend on.

 

8. Apple Mail offers an inconsistent experience

While many people prefer to avoid using email on their smartphones and tablets, sometimes it's unavoidable. So for the rare times they do need to use these tools, people want a consistent experience across their computers and mobile devices. Apple Mail, however, doesn't offer that.

 

While Apple Mail is usable on iOS, many people don't like the desktop app at all. It feels clunky and reminds you of trying to access iCloud in 2012. Gmail and Proton Mail both offer a better experience across multiple devices.

7. There are more problems with Apple Mail

Apple Mail used to be the email app that many people used when they first got their Apple devices, but they stopped using it because of the problems. While those problems have been improved, they still happen all too often. For example, sometimes your email still doesn't sync across all your devices in real time.

When using Apple Mail, you get logged out unnecessarily more times than you do with Gmail and other apps. While it's acceptable if it happens occasionally (no app is perfect, after all), it's unacceptable to have to experience it every few weeks.

 

6. Other more intuitive applications

Even if Apple Mail didn't crash or have real-time email sync issues, many people still wouldn't choose it as their email app. The app's user experience (UX) is much better than it used to be, but it's still not as intuitive as other tools.

 

If you use Apple Mail enough, you'll find it pretty easy to navigate, but every time you use it, your primary thought will still be "let's be real - Gmail is much better."

5. Apple Mail's customizations seem more difficult to use

You can customize the Apple Mail app on Mac and iPhone in many ways, such as changing the toolbar and layout. However, these features are more difficult to use than other email apps.

 

The door is still open for Apple Mail if they can improve the customization and make it easier to use, but for now, I don't see any reason to switch from whatever other email app you're using.

4. Write more annoying emails in Apple Mail

The purpose of an email app is to make it easy to read, organize, and send emails. No one wants to use an email app that's hard to type on. Unfortunately, that's exactly how many people feel about Apple Mail.

Even with Apple Mail extensions, writing emails in this app is not fun compared to almost any other email app.

 

3. No devices using Mail's Apple Intelligence features

Apple Intelligence has added a few new features to the Mail app, like the ability to create quicker responses and email summaries. That sounds great, as long as you have a device that works with Apple Intelligence.

Even though you'll eventually upgrade your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, there's no reason to do so now. You don't need to upgrade just for Apple's intelligence, especially when you can use AI for similar features in other apps. For example, you can use AI to summarize and compose emails in Gmail.

2. Apple Mail is slower than other email apps

In addition to taking longer to send emails, Apple Mail just feels bloated overall. It takes longer to load than some alternatives, which can be frustrating when you just want to check if someone has sent you something.

Many people have tried everything to speed things up. Updating the software, clearing the cache, and fixing the internet connection have all failed. Changing various iPhone Mail settings hasn't helped much either. The problem lies with the tool itself.

The moment Apple Mail loads, you always feel like you could just go straight to another email app.

1. Other apps segment important emails better

Apple Mail now has segmentation tools that make it easy to see important emails and browse through different categories when needed. While this option is great to have, you won't find the Mail app as good as other tools for doing this.

Gmail seems to be better at sorting through emails, figuring out what should and shouldn't get your attention, and it feels like the app is getting smarter about what you do and don't want to see. Apple Mail isn't in the same league, though that may change with future iterations.