Email on a phone is easier than it looks — and once you know how, you can stay connected from anywhere. Here's a step-by-step guide.
Email is one of the most useful things you can do on your phone — but it can feel confusing at first. Doctor's offices, insurance companies, banks, and family all use email. Once you know how to check it on your phone, you are always in the loop.
Which Email App Should You Use?
Most phones already have an email app built in. On an iPhone, it is called "Mail" and it has a blue envelope icon. On Android, it is often called "Gmail" and has a red M icon. Both work great — you just need to add your email address to them.
If you do not have an email address yet, Gmail (Google) is the most popular and easiest to set up. It is completely free.
How to Read Your Email (iPhone — Mail App)
- ✓Tap the blue Mail app (envelope icon) on your home screen
- ✓Your inbox will appear — this is where new messages arrive
- ✓Tap any message to open and read it
- ✓Tap the back arrow (top left) to return to your inbox
- ✓A red number badge on the icon means you have unread messages
How to Read Your Email (Android — Gmail App)
- ✓Tap the Gmail app (red M icon)
- ✓Your inbox shows all your messages — newest at the top
- ✓Tap any message to read it
- ✓Tap the back arrow to return to your inbox
- ✓Tap the three lines (top left) to see folders like Sent or Spam
How to Send an Email
On iPhone Mail: tap the square with a pencil icon (bottom right). On Gmail: tap the colorful + button (bottom right). A new message screen opens.
- ✓"To" — type the email address of the person you are writing to (example: jane@gmail.com)
- ✓"Subject" — a short description of what the email is about
- ✓The big blank area below — type your message here
- ✓When ready, tap Send (the paper airplane icon)
Not sure how to spell someone's email? Ask them to write it down for you first. One wrong letter means your message goes nowhere.
How to Reply to an Email
Open the email. Tap the Reply button — it looks like a curved arrow pointing left. Type your response in the box that appears. Tap Send. The original message stays below so the other person can see what you are responding to.
Common Questions
- ✓What is Spam? — Junk mail you did not ask for. You can ignore or delete it.
- ✓What is Sent? — Copies of emails you have sent. Useful if you want to check what you wrote.
- ✓What is Draft? — Emails you started but did not send yet. Tap to finish them.
- ✓Can I delete emails? — Yes. Swipe left on a message and tap Delete. It goes to Trash and disappears after 30 days.
Email feels complicated at first but becomes second nature quickly. At TTL workshops, we practice sending and receiving emails hands-on — so you leave feeling genuinely comfortable with it.
Want to Practice This in Person?
Join a TTL workshop — small groups, patient instructors, and your own device. In-person in Albany or online via Zoom.
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