The Inbox is a place where e-mail messages are received in an e-mail client or online e-mail account. The Inbox is the default location for all incoming mail, unless rules are set up to forward messages to another e-mail address, folder, or program. The picture is an example of the Inbox folder being selected in the navigation area of a Gmail account.

All e-mail clients, like Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird, and online e-mail accounts, like Gmail and Outlook.com, have an Inbox folder. In the navigation area, where the e-mail folders are listed, the Inbox is usually found near the top of the list. When you open an e-mail client or log in to an online e-mail account, the Inbox is selected by default.

How to view e-mails in the Inbox

To view messages in the Inbox, if not already selected, click the Inbox folder in the navigation area, usually on the left side of the e-mail client or online e-mail account. Once selected, e-mails in the Inbox are displayed and available to click or double-click to view them. Quick actions like deleting or forwarding e-mails are also usually made available from this screen.

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