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iPhone 101: Batch mail deletion

by Dave Caolo Jul 16th 2008 at 7:00AM

Here's a very handy feature of the iPhone 2.0 software. Previously, deleting many email messages at once was a real pain. You could either swipe across your messages one at a time (invariably selecting a few by accident), or enter edit mode and select a message, touch the Delete button and then touch the Confirmation button. Not exactly speedy.

The 2.0 software makes this much easier. First, touch the Edit button. Next, touch every message you want to delete. When you're through, touch the Delete button at the bottom of the screen.

Alternatively, you can use this method to bulk move messages.

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Here's a very handy feature of the iPhone 2.0 software. Previously, deleting many email messages at once was a real pain. You could either...
 

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danny

if you are not getting push mail to the iPhone just delete the mobile me account on the iPhone and recreate it. The iPhone has to be set up last, after all the Mac computer/s. If you add or remove or change something on the Mac's .Mac or Mobile Me preference panel you will need to recreate mobile me ok the iPhone.

July 18 2008 at 6:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marc Jones

I also can't fathom why you'd not delete emails you don't want to read?

That said, I'm using an email address I set up _just_ so people can email me on the iPhone (it's a gmail account) so I am not (so far) getting bombarded by emails.

The "delete all" option is a godsend and a great advert for the iPhone - I mean that the changes in functionality that I've enjoyed thus far with my iPhone 1.0 would only have happened with a handset upgrade before I left SE and Nokia behind.

July 16 2008 at 2:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wplate


I would prefer Batch SMS message deletion.

Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete
Swipe Delete

July 16 2008 at 2:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lon

Odd. I do not have that "delete all" choice. It just says "delete." Could this be a GMail thing?

July 16 2008 at 2:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Lon's comment
Chris Aubeck

No, he's confusing the inbox with the trashbox.

July 17 2008 at 6:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ali Daniali

Now why didn't they add this "feature" to the SMS application?

July 16 2008 at 12:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Spanky

Not having Mark All As Read is the single dumbest thing in the world of "smart" phones I've ever seen. It's the reason I jailbroke my iPhone pre-2.0. It's the reason I'll jailbreak the 2.0 when I can. It's the reason I do NOT recommend the iPhone to people that are serious about email. I keep hearing people whine and bitch about cut/paste. Give me a break. 99 emails showing up as unread, despite the fact that you've read them all, is a HORRIBLE USER EXPERIENCE and I'm shocked that no one at Apple has figured this out. NO DESIGN AWARDS FOR APPLE UNTIL THEY FIX THIS RIDICULOUS OMISSION.

(Yes, I'm fed up about this and no I don't need to get a life. I've got a life but it's being negatively impacted by not knowing whether or not I truly have unread email.)

July 16 2008 at 12:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lon

Where's the "delete all?" My Blackberry has had it for years. I don't feel like clicking on all 43 e-mails this morning that I've already read on my work computer.

July 16 2008 at 9:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Lon's comment
tys

Mine has delete all. After choosing "edit", I hadn't yet selected any messages and the red button at the bottom said "delete all", rather than delete. I tapped it and away they all went.
Thanks, BTW, for pointing out the multi-delete feature. I wasn't aware of it!

July 16 2008 at 2:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sim1

PLEASE APPLE!!!!!!!!! Add the "mark all messages as read" option. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE!!!

July 16 2008 at 9:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bill Mac

Not sure I understand the complaint above... if you don't want to open a spam email, just swipe across it from left to right, then press the delete icon. Not opened and deleted in one easy swipe...

July 16 2008 at 9:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cynthia

I like this feature and I appreciate you taking the time to explain it

July 16 2008 at 9:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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