Pinch-to-Zoom and Adjusting Email Text Size in Airmail for iOS

Many Airmail users have asked whether it is possible to enlarge the text of an email message after opening it, in particular through the familiar pinch-to-zoom gesture used elsewhere on iOS. This article summarises the current behaviour, the available alternatives, and the status of pinch-to-zoom support in Airmail for iOS.

Current behaviour

At present, Airmail for iOS does not support a true pinch-to-zoom gesture inside the body of a received email message. The reading view renders messages at the size determined by the message itself (HTML/CSS) and by the global Dynamic Type and font preferences configured in the application. Pinching inside the message area will therefore not progressively scale the text in the same way it does in Safari or in the iOS Mail app.

How to make text larger today

While native pinch-to-zoom is not yet available, you have several options to improve readability:

1. Increase the font size in Airmail. Open Airmail, tap the menu icon, then go to Settings (the gear icon) and select Appearance. Adjust the font size sliders for the message list and the message body to your preferred size. Changes apply immediately.
2. Enable Dynamic Type. Airmail respects the Dynamic Type setting in iOS. Go to the iOS Settings app, then Display & Brightness, then Text Size, and increase the slider. You can also enable Larger Accessibility Sizes under Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size for a wider range.
3. Use the Zoom accessibility feature. iOS provides a system-wide zoom that works inside any application, including Airmail. Enable it under Settings > Accessibility > Zoom. Once turned on, you can magnify the screen with a three-finger double-tap and pan with three fingers.
4. Open the message in an external browser. For complex newsletters or messages with images, you can tap the share icon and choose Open in Safari, where pinch-to-zoom works natively.

Feature request status

Native pinch-to-zoom inside the message body is one of the most frequently requested improvements for Airmail for iOS. The feedback has been forwarded to our development team and is currently under evaluation. We are unable to commit to a specific release date at this time, but we are tracking customer interest carefully and will share an update through our release notes once any progress is made.

If you would like to share additional context about how pinch-to-zoom would help your workflow, please reply to your support conversation or write to support@airmailapp.com. Real-world use cases are extremely valuable when prioritising new features.

Thank you for your continued support of Airmail.

Updated on: 05/08/2026