We heard you loud and clear - you’ve been missing a few tools from Spark Classic, so we’ve been hard at work to bring them back to Spark for Desktop!
We’ve listened to your feedback and want to empower you to use the inbox that works best for you. So we’re reintroducing two beloved inboxes, repackaged with new names for clarity. The three inbox views now available are Focused List, Unread Cards, and Simple List.
We’re also introducing multi-window support to improve the adaptability of how you can view your emails. So you can now view your inbox in whatever way suits you, whether that's for focused work or multitasking.
Three ways to organize your inbox
With this update, you can choose the inbox that fits the way you work. Whether you want a quick glance at your most recent emails or prefer to tackle unread messages in batches, Spark gives you the flexibility to choose what’s right for you. Let’s take a look at the options available:
Focus on what’s important with Focused List
If your inbox is always overflowing, the
Focused List is our go-to option for organizing your inbox. Emails are prioritized by
Personal, Newsletter and Notifications categories to help focus your attention. It puts your most important emails front and center, so you’re not wasting time digging through the clutter.
Want to customize it to your needs? Go to your Inbox settings. From there, you can adjust your email groups, set priority senders, and fine-tune your Gatekeeper settings to control what gets through.
Stay on top with Unread Cards
If you’re looking for a simpler way to stay focused on unread emails,
Unread Cards might be for you. It organizes all your unread emails into clear, easy-to-scan sections like
People, Notifications, and Newsletters. No more endless scrolling to dig out the emails you missed.
You’re in control of how it’s organized. In your Inbox settings, you can customize which email types show up, set priority senders, and adjust your Gatekeeper settings to filter unwanted emails. You can even choose how emails are grouped - that's whether you prefer seeing everything from all your accounts in one view, or separated by account.
Each section - like Shared Drafts, Pins, or Seen - can be tailored too. Decide how many emails to display per category, and which accounts appear where. If you need to take action quickly, you can also customize your card actions, like choosing whether the action archives or deletes an email.
Avoid the fuss with Simple List
If you prefer a no-fuss way to check your emails, the
Simple List - formerly known as Spark Classic Inbox - might be your choice. It shows all your emails in one clean,
chronological list, sorted by most recent. It’s the simplest way to catch up on your inbox as a whole without switching between categories or tabs.
There are no settings to tweak here - with the Simple List, we keep things simple. Just open your inbox and scroll.
With the inbox toggle, you can always easily switch between these different inbox views on the fly. Opt for the Simple List for a chronological feed or Unread Cards to group unread emails by category. It’s all about helping you stay focused and in control, no matter how busy your inbox gets.
Multitask with multiple windows
One of the most requested tools from Spark Classic is finally here, as we introduce multi-windows support to Spark for Desktop! This update allows you to approach your inbox with more flexibility. You can open separate windows to draft an email, pop out emails to reference other threads, or keep important messages in view while you work on something else.
When composing an email, you can click the “Open in a new window” icon in the Composer to pop it out, or use the shortcut Ctrl + Option + N on Mac / Ctrl + Alt + N on Windows.
In the Split View inbox layout, when you’re viewing a specific email, you can double-click it to pop the window out or use the same shortcuts mentioned above.
Alternatively, you can always open the Command Center via Cmd + K and search for “ Open in a new window” — it works for both composing and viewing particular emails.
If you want to make this your default setup, you can set Spark to always open emails and drafts in new windows. Just head to:
Settings > General > Always open the thread viewer in a new window.
Settings > Composer > Always open the composer in a new window.
So whether you’re juggling conversations or just want to keep an email in view, multiple windows can help you stay organized and efficient.
With these updates, we’ve brought your favorite tools from Spark Classic into Spark for Desktop, making it a more adaptable and personalized experience for managing your emails, calendar, and meeting notes. Download Spark for Desktop to try these updates today.
Want to dive deeper? Get more tips about working with Spark using multiple windows.
The Readdle Team 
