Apple announced at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June that it will release iOS 26 this fall. That update will bring a new Liquid Glass design, call screening and more to your iPhone. But when Apple released iOS 18.2 in December, it introduced a new feature in your Mail app that sorts your incoming emails into different categories for you that's called Categories.
"The Mail app automatically sorts your email messages into categories to help you find and manage messages quicker," Apple wrote online. But if you don't like how Categories work in Mail, no worries. Apple gives you a few options to either ignore Categories or revert your app to look like it did before the iOS 18.2 update.
Here's what you need to know about Mail Categories and how to turn the feature off so your app looks like it did before the update.
What are Mail Categories?
Mail Categories are similar to categories you would find in Gmail. The app filters your emails into one of four categories: Primary, Transactions, Updates and Promotions.
Emails with receipts, as well as order and delivery information, fill the Transactions category, and news, social and other subscription emails go to Updates. Emails with special offers and deals go to Promotions, as you might imagine.
I ignore most of the deals I get emailed, but that coffee subscription is tempting. Apple/Screenshot by CNET
The Primary category is more difficult to pin down. Apple says in the app that Primary is for "Messages that matter most." I've used the redesigned app since it launched in beta, and during that time my Primary category was filled with emails from my wife, customer service and even refund information. It's a little bit of a catch-all category.
Can I change an email's category?
You can for most messages but not all. Here's how.
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