Apple Intelligence is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

IOS iPad email

What is the icon at the bottom of the “All Inboxes” window(overlapping squares)?



iPad Pro 11-inch Wi-Fi, Cellular

Posted on Sep 24, 2021 9:05 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 27, 2021 5:12 AM

The icon that you describe mere triggers display of the Mail Shelf (the Shelf being a new feature of iPadOS multitasking environment). Tapping the icon summons the shelf view - which will show you a thumbnail image of all the running instances of the Mail App. Where multiple instances are running, a simple tap of a thumbnail will instantly switch to that view.


The iPadOS multitasking environment permits you to run multiple “instances” of the same App, such as Mail - with each instance, perhaps having a different open inbox.


For example, if you have three running instances of Mail, tapping the icon you describe will open the shelf with three thumbnails - each corresponding to each running instance of Mail. Simply tapping a thumbnail will switch directly to that running instance of the Mail App.


This article from Appleinsider has a useful explanation of this new feature along with many of the updates to multitasking:

https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/08/12/how-to-master-multitasking-on-ipad-and-ipad-pro-in-ipados-15


The iPad User Guide is also a rich source of frequently overlooked information. The Guide is available both online using a web browser (such as Safari), or as an Apple Books download:

iPad User Guide - Apple Support

https://books.apple.com/book/id1567104892



6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 27, 2021 5:12 AM in response to jcasey555

The icon that you describe mere triggers display of the Mail Shelf (the Shelf being a new feature of iPadOS multitasking environment). Tapping the icon summons the shelf view - which will show you a thumbnail image of all the running instances of the Mail App. Where multiple instances are running, a simple tap of a thumbnail will instantly switch to that view.


The iPadOS multitasking environment permits you to run multiple “instances” of the same App, such as Mail - with each instance, perhaps having a different open inbox.


For example, if you have three running instances of Mail, tapping the icon you describe will open the shelf with three thumbnails - each corresponding to each running instance of Mail. Simply tapping a thumbnail will switch directly to that running instance of the Mail App.


This article from Appleinsider has a useful explanation of this new feature along with many of the updates to multitasking:

https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/08/12/how-to-master-multitasking-on-ipad-and-ipad-pro-in-ipados-15


The iPad User Guide is also a rich source of frequently overlooked information. The Guide is available both online using a web browser (such as Safari), or as an Apple Books download:

iPad User Guide - Apple Support

https://books.apple.com/book/id1567104892



IOS iPad email

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.