How to get rid of the new Apple Mail redesign
Users can revert the disliked Apple Mail iOS 18 redesign.

The recent Apple Mail app redesign included in iOS 18 separates emails into categories like Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions and adds contact photos for each sender. This overhaul is met with widespread dislike, as users find it visually unappealing and challenging to navigate, and some report missing important messages more frequently.
Criticism is rampant on social media, with iOS users labeling the update 'completely unreliable' and 'so ugly.' However, these unwanted changes can be reversed. To do this, users can select 'List View' instead of 'Categories' in their Mail app and toggle off 'Show Contact Photos' in the Message List section of the iPhone's Settings app.
Changing these settings restores previous configurations, minimizing visual clutter despite remaining promotional emails. Although icons may still categorize emails imprecisely, disabling contact photos aids in decluttering. Users are also encouraged to unsubscribe from mailing lists for a further streamlined inbox experience.