Mobile and desktop differences
MailDesk Pro uses one mail client that adapts its layout to the screen. There is no separate mobile app and no separate mobile address — the same MailDesk reshapes itself for a phone and for a desktop. This page explains what the mobile layout does differently, which gestures and controls exist only on phones, and how the layout is chosen.
MailDesk Pro uses one mail client that adapts its layout to the screen. There is no separate mobile app and no separate mobile address — the same MailDesk reshapes itself for a phone and for a desktop. This page explains what the mobile layout does differently, which gestures and controls exist only on phones, and how the layout is chosen.
Available in: Pro. The adaptive mobile layout, the touch gestures, and the mobile navigation are part of the Pro module. Basic always uses the standard desktop layout.
What it does
When you open MailDesk on a phone (or a narrow browser window), Pro switches to a layout built for touch and small screens:
- A bottom navigation bar puts the main destinations in the thumb zone.
- The folder list moves into a slide-in drawer so the message list gets the full width.
- Opening an email slides in a full-screen reading view, and an on-screen Back (←) arrow returns you to the list.
- Common per-row actions are available by swiping a message or by tapping a small menu on the row, which opens a bottom sheet.
- Action menus and pickers appear as bottom sheets instead of centred dialogs.
On a desktop or a wide window, MailDesk uses its standard side-by-side layout: the folder list, the message list, and the reading pane are all visible at once, and none of the touch gestures below are needed.
Why it matters
- One product, two shapes. You do not learn a different app on your phone — it is the same MailDesk, the same mailboxes, the same data, laid out for the screen you are on.
- Touch-first on phones. Swipe, long-press, and a thumb-reachable navigation bar make triage fast on a small screen.
- No setup. The layout is chosen automatically. There is nothing for an administrator to configure.
Requirements
- MailDesk Pro installed and active.
- A touch device or a narrow browser window triggers the mobile layout automatically; a desktop with a mouse keeps the standard layout.
- MailDesk works on Odoo 17, 18, or 19 — the behaviour is the same on each.
Permissions required
None beyond access to the MailDesk mail client. The layout choice is a personal preference stored in your browser; it does not affect the database or other users.
How the mobile layout is chosen
MailDesk decides the layout from your device and window — it is automatic, with nothing to switch by hand:
- MailDesk uses the mobile layout when it detects a touch device (a screen without a mouse pointer) or a very narrow window (about a phone's width). Otherwise it uses the desktop layout.
- The choice is live: rotating a phone or resizing a window across the phone-width threshold re-evaluates the layout automatically, without a page reload.
Expected result
MailDesk reshapes to the layout that matches your device and window. Rotating a phone or resizing a window across the phone-width threshold re-evaluates the layout automatically.
What is phone-only
These behaviours exist only in the mobile layout. On the desktop layout they are not needed, because everything is visible at once and you use the mouse and keyboard instead.
Bottom navigation bar
A fixed bar along the bottom of the screen with the main destinations: Menu (the Odoo apps menu), Folders (opens the folder drawer), AI, Activities, and — when those apps are installed — Calendar and Contacts. The Activities entry shows a count badge when there are pending activities.
Folder drawer
On a phone the folder and account list is hidden by default to give the message list the full width. Tap Folders in the bottom navigation bar to slide it in from the left; tap the dimmed background, or press Esc, to close it. On the desktop the folder list is always shown on the left, so there is no drawer.
Full-screen reading view with an on-screen Back arrow
On a phone, tapping a message opens it as a full-screen view that slides in over the list. An on-screen Back (←) arrow in the view's header closes it and returns you to the list. On the desktop the message simply opens in the reading pane beside the list — there is no overlay and no Back arrow involved.
Swipe a message to archive or delete
On a phone you can swipe a message row sideways to act on it without opening a menu. A clear, deliberate horizontal swipe is required so an accidental brush or a vertical scroll does not trigger it. On the desktop you use the row's hover buttons or the toolbar instead.
Long-press to select several messages
On a phone, press and hold a message for a moment to enter multi-select mode: the held message is selected, a bulk-action bar appears at the top, and tapping other rows adds or removes them from the selection. The bulk-action bar carries the same actions as the row menu (such as delete, archive, mark read, move, and tags). On the desktop you use the row checkboxes and the action bar instead.
Row menu and bottom sheets
On a phone, a small menu on a message row, and the More menu in the reading view, open a bottom sheet — a panel that slides up from the bottom of the screen — listing the available actions. Pickers such as move-to-folder, link-to-record, and the template and signature pickers also open as bottom sheets on a phone. On the desktop these are the row's hover buttons, the right-click menu, and centred dialogs.
Compose on a phone
On a phone the composer opens full-screen. You start a new email from the pencil action in the branded mobile header (and from the standard Odoo toolbar). The composer fields and editor fill the screen instead of opening as a floating window.
What is the same on phone and desktop
The mobile layout changes how things are arranged and how you reach them — it does not change what MailDesk is:
- The same mailboxes, folders, messages, drafts, and tags.
- The same sync (your mail is the same on every device).
- The same AI features (where AI is configured and allowed for the mailbox).
- The same dark theme choice — see Dark mode. The theme and the layout are independent: you can run dark on the desktop layout and light on a phone, or any combination, per device.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No bottom bar, no swipe, no drawer on any device | You are running Basic, not Pro | The adaptive mobile layout is a Pro feature — confirm Pro is installed and active |
| Desktop browser shows the mobile (touch) layout | The window is narrower than the phone threshold | Widen the window past the phone threshold |
| Phone shows the wide desktop layout | The browser reports a precise pointer, so MailDesk treats the device as a desktop | Use the device in touch mode, or narrow the window below the phone threshold |
| A swipe scrolls the list instead of archiving/deleting | The swipe was too vertical or too slow to register as a sideways swipe | Swipe more deliberately and horizontally; a clear sideways motion is required |
| Long-press does not start multi-select | The finger moved too much, or the hold was too short | Hold steadily for a moment without sliding, then tap other rows to add them |