How Follow-Up Suggestions Work in iOS 16 Mail

Apple introduced follow-up suggestions in iOS 16 to help users manage their inboxes and ensure important outgoing emails do not go unanswered. This article explains how the Mail app identifies emails that need a response, where these reminders appear, how to interact with them, and how to manage the setting on your iPhone.

How the Detection Process Works

Follow-up suggestions rely on on-device machine learning to scan the text of your sent emails. The algorithm looks for specific context clues that indicate you are awaiting a response. These indicators typically include:

  • Direct questions asked near the end of a message.
  • Phrases requesting action or feedback, such as "let me know," "please confirm," or "thoughts?"
  • Mentioned deadlines, meetings, or time-sensitive proposals.

Because the analysis happens locally on your device, your email content is not sent to external servers for processing, preserving your privacy.

Where Follow-Up Prompts Appear

If an email meets the criteria for a follow-up and the recipient does not reply after a few days, the iOS 16 Mail app automatically resurfaces the message.

Instead of remaining buried in your Sent folder, the email moves to the top of your primary Inbox. It displays a clear "Follow Up" label alongside the date or a note indicating that no response has been received.

How to Use or Dismiss a Follow-Up Suggestion

When a suggested follow-up appears at the top of your inbox, you have two primary options:

  1. Send a Follow-Up: Tap the Follow Up button displayed on the message. Mail immediately opens a compose window pre-addressed to the recipient with the original email thread quoted below, allowing you to quickly send a reminder.
  2. Dismiss the Suggestion: If you no longer need a response or have communicated through another channel, swipe left on the email in your inbox list and choose to clear or ignore the suggestion.

How to Turn Follow-Up Suggestions On or Off

Follow-up suggestions are enabled by default in iOS 16, but you can disable them if you prefer a standard chronological inbox.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap Mail.
  3. Scroll to the Messages section.
  4. Toggle the switch next to Follow-Up Suggestions off or on.