How to search for email in Mail on iPad

You can search for email messages using different criteria.

Mail searches the address fields, the subject, the email body, plus documents and links, and the most relevant messages appear in Top Hits. You can narrow a search with a keyword, search by timeframe, or search by email attributes, like flagged or unread. And you can quickly find travel booking confirmations for flights and hotels with the three-letter airport code or the city name.

Here’s how to search for email in Mail on iPad.

Quick tip: Mail can give you search results based on what you mean, not only the words you type. For example, a search for “NYC business trip” brings up emails about your itinerary, travel details, and event locations, plus other relevant messages.

Search for text in an email

1. Go to the Mail app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Search button to reveal the search field. Then type the text you’re looking for.
3. Choose between searching all mailboxes or the current mailbox above the results list.
4. Tap a message in the results list to read it.

When you search, Mail looks through the address fields, the subject, the email body, documents, and links. Top Hits shows the most relevant messages above the search suggestions as you type.

Quick tip: Enter the three-letter airport code or the city name to quickly find travel booking confirmations for flights and hotels.

Search by timeframe

1. Open the Mail app on your iPad.
2. Tap the search field of a mailbox list.
3. Enter a timeframe, like “September” and then tap the calendar suggestion button to see all emails from that timeframe.

   To narrow the search, tap the search field again, then enter a keyword, like “meeting.”

Quick tip: The Date, Before, and After options above the message list let you refine your search by timeframe.

Search by email attributes

1. Open the Mail app on your iPad.
2. In a mailbox, tap the search field.

   Before you begin typing, you may see suggested recent searches, recent documents, and links listed.

3. Enter your search criteria. Then tap one of the listed items, or do any of the following:
   • Find all flagged messages: Enter “flag” in the search field. Tap “Message is flagged” below Suggestions.
   • Find all unread messages: Enter “unread” in the search field, then tap “Message is unread” below Suggestions.
   • Find all messages with attachments: Enter “attachment” in the search field. Tap “Messages with attachments” below Suggestions.

See also

• Automatically categorize incoming emails in Mail on iPad
• Set email notifications on iPad
• Organize email in mailboxes on iPad