iOS 10 Mail delete all function?

I Have just installed the new ios10 update and for some reason have lost the delete/trash all function in the mail app.

The delete button is greyed out and when you select all, you can only flag a post of mark as read/unread.


Am I missing something?

iPhone 6, iOS 10

Posted on Sep 13, 2016 12:50 PM

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Posted on Nov 18, 2017 6:07 AM

Hi, I assume you found a way to solve this but I had same problem and found this solution .. just in case anyone else is looking ..


- go to inbox

- click on edit

- select the top message only

- select the MOVE button at the bottom and hold it

- unselect the top message

- all messages will go into one and open in a fresh window - it will tell you how many there are - then click on the trash can below it .. all mail in that inbox will be deleted

204 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 18, 2017 6:07 AM in response to Alisonlowe76

Hi, I assume you found a way to solve this but I had same problem and found this solution .. just in case anyone else is looking ..


- go to inbox

- click on edit

- select the top message only

- select the MOVE button at the bottom and hold it

- unselect the top message

- all messages will go into one and open in a fresh window - it will tell you how many there are - then click on the trash can below it .. all mail in that inbox will be deleted

Sep 22, 2017 4:13 PM in response to Alisonlowe76

I found this feature via

Ask Different from Stack Exchange,

answered by

gruberb in 2014

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/138612/how-can-i-delete-all-from-inbox -or-sent-mail-folder-in-ios#138620


  1. Go to your Sent folder
  2. Tap on the "Edit"-Button on the top right
  3. Select the first email in your list
  4. Hold down the "Move" button
  5. While you are still holding the "Move"-Button, deselect the first E-Mail
  6. Put away all your fingers from the screen and wait a few seconds
  7. Now Mail asks you where to move ALL of your emails
  8. Select the Trash-Folder
  9. Inside the Trahs-Folder, you can delete all items at once

Sep 2, 2017 11:01 PM in response to L422y

Im not sure whats more ridiculous,

1) that the feature was removed in the first place supposedly because people were accidentally deleting mail

2) that apple catered to peoples stupidity by removing the feature

3) the workaround thats been offered as a solution

4) and that solution not catering in the slightest to re-enabling the productivity of the original feature


Well done for jumping 10 years backwards

Sep 9, 2017 12:38 PM in response to debnovel

because have a specific inbox or email folder that requires a workaround in order to merely "empty" it via your iphone is ridiculous and not remotely productive in the first place. Yes we can take it further and state productivity on any scale of having to move, delete or sort e-mails is counter productive on a manual scale but, let's not.


The inability to search through e-mails, for something specific, select those specific e-mails, and then move, delete or sort ONLY those e-mails is, there just aren't enough words. There is no justifiable reason to have such a feature removed, and idiocy isn't a valid reason, especially idiocy that requires a multi step mistake to bring about such policy. It's like people crossing a road without looking and getting run over and the solution, we build walls alongside every road. Great.


Let's all walk into walls.

Jan 27, 2017 1:35 AM in response to Alisonlowe76

hurray!!! This works perfect!!! (I found it in another site)


Workaround to Delete ALL eMail in iOS 10

Another workaround allows deleting all emails in iOS 10 as well, but it should be stressed this is indeed a workaround and it is nonspecific in that literally every single email will be deleted from the iPhone or iPad in the process.

Do not attempt this without a backup or unless you are absolutely certain you never want those emails again, every single email will be deleted from the device whether it is read or unread:

  1. Open the inbox and then tap on “Edit”
  2. Tap on any message on screen so the checkbox appears next to it
  3. Now press and hold the “Move” button with one finger, and while holding the “Move” button, uncheck the message you previously checked
  4. Now release the “Move” button
  5. You’ll now be at the Inbox selection screen, at the top of the screen will show how many emails are selected, choose the “Trash” icon to move them all to trash and permanently delete them

This is an old workaround to delete every single email from Mail from long ago that continues to work with iOS 10 on iPhone and iPad. It is unforgiving and literally deletes every email from every account on the iPhone so be certain you wish to do that.

Jan 1, 2017 12:27 PM in response to i_rina

I have been going round in circles since IOS update thinking it's something I'd turned off! Ahhhhh!

I have sent in a message via the feedback to apple link posted earlier but judging buy the date this thread was started and today's date I'm not holding up much hope.


The workaround does work for me though (5S) even if it is a faff - thank you Marc!


Please all report this as an issue directly to apple, complain to them upstairs! We might then actually be listened too!


Sorry for not posting the link to give feed back but I'm old, this phone is tiny and my eyesights getting **** being 42 and I'm tired.

I can however quite clearly see the greyed out mark all words that are teasing me on the screen not allowing me to access it.


Meh

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iOS 10 Mail delete all function?

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