You can finally make a third-party app handle email on your iPhone

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Apple has released the public build of iOS 14 and one of the biggest changes is that you can now set third-party apps as defaults. Yes, you can finally get away from having all of your email handled by the clunky Mail app, isn’t that great?

I mean, even when other apps have let you open third-party apps before, the workflow was clunky and cumbersome. Now, all you have to do is set your favorite third-party mail app to default, and get to sending emails.

Before you start, you need to have updated to iOS 14 on your device, otherwise, this won’t work. You also need a third-party email app that has updated their app to work with iOS 14. As of this writing, the list of compatible apps is pretty small, but we’re sure that will grow over time as developers update their apps.

Here’s how to set third-party email apps as default on iOS 14

Okay, the first thing you need is another email app. We’ve tested Outlook and that works, Hey also is compatible, as is Spark Mail. If your email app of choice isn’t one of these three, you can still test to see if it’s compatible with being set as default, if the Default Mail App doesn’t show up, you’ll have to wait until the developer updates the app and gets Apple to approve it.

1. Open your Settings app and scroll down to your email app of choice
   

   Image: KnowTechie

2. Tap on the app name
3. Tap on Default Mail App and select the app you want to use
   

   Image: KnowTechie

Now the first time you try to send an email from the Contacts app, you’ll get a pop-up asking you to let iOS open email in whichever third-party app you chose earlier. Say Open, then you’ll never have to confirm that ever again. Enjoy your favorite third-party email app, because we all know the default Apple app is terrible.

What do you think? Plan on changing your default email client on iOS 14? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.