Custom Split Inbox

⚡ TL;DR 

Create Custom Split Inboxes to organize your inbox and prioritize important emails first. 

  • Desktop: Click Settings ⚙️ → Split Inbox Library then click Build Your Own to create your own Split Inbox. To add to a Split Inbox, hit Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) → Add to Split. 
  • Mobile: Two-finger tap then type Split Inbox Library to build your own Split Inbox. To add to a Split Inbox, two-finger tap, then type Add to Split.
  • You can build Split Inboxes using Search criteria or Auto Labels.  
  • To help you reach Inbox Zero, the total number of conversations appears beside each Split Inbox. 
  • When setting up Split Inboxes, aim for no more than seven for optimal productivity. 

Table of Contents 

Overview

Split Inboxes are intentional sections at the top of your inbox designed to enhance focus. They help you prioritize important emails and batch process similar messages.

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To help you reach Inbox Zero, the total number of conversations appear beside each Split Inbox. If you've reached Inbox Zero in a Split Inbox or if the total exceeds 999, the count will not be displayed.

To navigate between Split Inboxes on Desktop, hit Tab to move right and Shift+Tab to move left. On Mobile, simply tap the Split Inbox name.

Create a Custom Split Inbox

In addition to default Split Inboxes, you can create a custom Split Inbox to better organize your inbox and stay focused. 

Desktop

You can create your own Split Inbox through the Split Inbox Library.

  1. Click Settings ⚙️ → Split Inbox Library.
  2. Click Build Your Own.
  3. Enter the Name of your new Split Inbox.
  4. For the Split Inbox Definition, enter Search criteria like From:, To:, Subject:, Bcc:, Cc:. You can combine multiple criteria with the keywords OR and AND.
  5. Under Auto Labels, you can define Split Inboxes based on built-in or custom Auto Labels. You can use Auto Labels in addition to or instead of traditional Definitions.
  6. Hit Create to add your new Split Inbox to the top of your inbox.

💡 Tip: Name your Split Inboxes with an emoji to save space and add color! Just hit : then type the emoji name. For example, :clipboard = 📋 

Mobile

  1. Pull down from the top of the inbox for Superhuman Command, then swipe right — like you're making an "L."
  2. Type Split Inbox Library. 
  3. Under Build your own, tap how you'd like to define your Split Inbox (Choose between the email address, domain, label, subject, or Auto Label).
  4. With the Auto Label criteria, you can define your Split Inbox based on built-in or custom Auto Labels. 
  5. Tap Split to add your new Split Inbox to the top of your inbox. 

Edit Split Inbox

You can edit, hide, turn off, delete, or reorder any of your custom Split Inboxes.

Desktop

To edit, hide, turn off, or delete a Split Inbox:

  1. Click Settings ⚙️ → Split Inbox.
  2. Click on a Split Inbox to make edits.
  • To hide a Split Inbox, check the box beside Hide this Split Inbox when empty. This will hide the Split Inbox when it has no emails in it.

Note: You cannot hide Inbox, Important, or Other.

  • To turn off a Split Inbox entirely, click Turn off Split Inboxes.

Note: If you turn off a Split Inbox, its conversations move back to Inbox, Important, or Other, and the Split Inbox moves to the Inactive tab.

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  • To delete a Split Inbox, click Delete Split Inbox.

Note: You must first turn off a Split Inbox to delete it.

To reorder your Split Inboxes, click and drag the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines).

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Mobile

To edit, hide, turn off, or delete a Split Inbox:

  1. Pull down from the top of the inbox for Superhuman Command, then swipe right — like you're making an "L."
  2. Type Split Inbox Settings.
  3. Select the account where you want to edit, hide, or turn off the Split Inbox.
  4. Tap the Split Inbox you want to edit.
  • To hide a Split Inbox, turn on Hide this Split Inbox when empty. This hides the Split Inbox when it's empty.

Note: You cannot hide Inbox, Important, or Other.

  • To turn off a Split Inbox entirely, tap Turn Off Split Inbox.

Note: If you turn off a Split Inbox, its conversations move back to Inbox, Important, or Other, and the Split Inbox moves to the Inactive tab.

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  • To delete a Split Inbox, tap Delete Split Inbox.

Note: You must first turn off a Split Inbox to delete it.

  • To have messages duplicate in this Split Inbox and Important or Other, turn on Also show in Important.

To reorder your Split Inboxes, tap Edit in the top right corner, then tap and drag the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines).

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Add to Split Inbox

You can add multiple criteria to a custom Split Inbox.

Desktop

  1. Select the conversation you would like to add to an existing Split Inbox.
  2. Hit Cmd+K or Ctrl+K → Add to Split Inbox.
  3. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to select a definition. (Choose between the full email address, domain, recipient, subject, label, or Auto Label).
  4. Hit Enter on your selection, then select which Split Inbox you'd like to add to.

Those emails will now be sorted into the Split Inbox you chose!

Mobile

  1. Tap the message you would like to add to a Split Inbox.
  2. Pull down from the top of the inbox, then type Add to Split Inbox.
  3. Select whether you'd like to add the full email address or the domain.
  4. Tap the Split Inbox you'd like to add to.

FAQs

I want my messages to appear in its Split Inbox and Important/Other.

To have messages duplicate in Important/Other, click Settings ⚙️ → Split Inbox then click ⚙️ next to the Split Inbox. Check the box beside Also show conversations that match this Split Inbox in Important or Other.

How many Split Inboxes can I create? 

Though there isn't a limit to how many Split Inboxes you can create, we recommend no more than seven for optimal productivity. Having more than that can slow you down as it creates more places to check. 

Can I create a Split Inbox based on keywords? 

There isn't a way to create a Split Inbox based on keywords in the body; however, if you have a Gmail account, you can set up a filter to label these emails, then create a Split Inbox based on this label. 

  1. Hit Cmd+K or Ctrl+K → Open Filter Settings.
  2. At the bottom, click Create Filter. 
  3. In the has the words: field, enter the keywords.
  4. Click Create Filter.
  5. Check the box next to Apply the Label and create a label.
  6. Click Create Filter. 

Then, in Superhuman Mail: 

  1. Hit / to start a Search. 
  2. Type in label:label name and hit Enter. 
  3. Hit Cmd+K or Ctrl+K → Split Inbox and name your Split Inbox. 

Are Split Inboxes like folders? 

No. Split Inboxes should contain emails that still require action. Folders, on the other hand, are best for storing messages you've already actioned.

Can my Split Inboxes reflect the unread count instead of the total count? 

There isn't a way to change the total count to show unread only, however, you can filter unread conversations by hitting Cmd+K or Ctrl+K → Filter Conversations. 

I can't find one of my Split Inboxes. Where did it go?

If a Split Inbox is set to "Hide when empty" and has no messages, it disappears from your Split Inbox bar. You can still access it by hitting Cmd+K or Ctrl+K → go to [Split Inbox Name]. When you navigate away from it, it will hide again automatically.

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