Scroll to the Top on an Email Fast in iPhone Mail

It's easy to scroll in the iPhone and iPad Mail app. Swipe up and down the screen to scroll through the list of messages in a ​mailbox, just like you scroll through individual messages to read them. However, once you scroll down, you need a trick to avoid swiping over and over to reach the top of the message or mailbox again. You don't have to swipe fast, swipe often, or swipe at all if you know the right place to tap.

One Tap to the Top of an Email or Mailbox on iPhone

To go to the top of an email or mailbox quickly in iPhone Mail:

• Tap the ​iPhone status bar in the upper-right corner, where you see the battery and signal strength indicators.
• The same process works for scrolling to the top of a folder's message list. To go to the top of your mailbox, tap the upper-right corner of the status bar.

Quick Scrolls and Jumps in iPhone Mail

Here are a few other tips for navigating your iPhone emails and inboxes:

• Return to Mailbox Message List: If you have a message open, tap the Back link that is in the upper-left corner of the screen to go back to the message list. The link may say Inbox, Mailboxes, or the name of the service provider. You'll return to the area of the screen where you opened the email rather than go to the top of the message list.
• Scroll to Next or Previous Message Using the Arrows: Use the two arrows in the upper-right corner of the screen just under the status bar to open the next message or to return to the previous message. Tap these arrows to go through your mailbox without returning to the list of messages. They are visible at the top of every email, even when you scroll down in the message.
• Return to Mailbox Message List and then Jump to Top of the Message List: If you have a message open and want to return to the message list and then jump to the top of the list, use two taps. First, tap the Back link (or whatever the link is named) in the upper-left corner below the status bar. Then, tap the status bar in the right corner to return to the top of the message list. If you have a message string open, this shortcut may not work as expected.

One Tap to the Top of an Email or Mailbox on iPad

The method to go to the top of an email or mailbox in the iPad Mail app is different from an iPhone. It works just as well—after you find it the first time.

• If you scrolled down in the list of messages and want to return to the top of the list quickly, tap the blank space immediately above Inbox at the top of the messages list.
• If you scrolled down in an individual email, tap the blank area above the email. The position is sensitive. Aim for the center point of the email's width and at the top edge of the screen to return to the top of the email.