Viewing, Composing, and Sending Email
See the steps below to view, compose and send an email message, and to reply to and forward an email message.
Viewing a Message
- Click Inbox to view your email.
Note: The folders in this tab appear in the folder tree on the left side of the window. By default, the Inbox is selected. You can click any folder to view email in that folder. If you cannot see the folder tree, click View on the upper right, and then click Folder view.
- Locate and click on an email to view it. The content of the email displays in the area on the right by default.
Note: To change the Inbox layout, click View, and then click Compact, Horizontal, or List.
Composing and Sending a Message
- Click Compose.
Result: The Compose window displays.
- In the To field, enter the email address to which you want to send the email message. For example, anyone@cox.net. The To field automatically adds the email address if you enter the name of a contact that is already saved to your address book.
Note: You can also enter email addresses in the Copy (CC) and Blind copy (BCC) fields.
- Press Enter.
Note: To add additional email addresses, repeat steps 2 and 3.
- In the Subject field, enter the subject of the email message.
- Compose your message in the text entry field.
- Click Options to select the message priority or attach a vCard.
- Click Attachments to add an attachment to the message.
Note: You may also drag and drop an attachment from your device into the editor.
- Click Send to send the message.
Notes:- Click Save to save a draft of your email message without sending.
- If you exit Cox Email while composing an email, it is automatically saved as an email draft. On your next visit, the draft can be restored and edited.
- Click Discard to delete the email message.
Creating Email Templates
To save a new email template that you can use as a starting point for emails in the future, use the following steps.
- Click Compose.
- From the Compose window, complete the following fields as needed for your new email template.
- To, CC, or BCC fields
- Subject line
- Message body
- Options such as priority or adding a vCard
- Attachments
- Click Save.
- From your Inbox, click on the Drafts folder.
- Place a check in the box next to your new saved draft.
- Click Edit Copy.
Result: A copy of the selected email draft is created and opens in a new Compose window for you to edit and send as needed.
Replying to a Message
- Select the email to which you are replying.
- You have the following options when replying.
- Click Quick Reply to reply only to the sender by opening a compose dialog box in the reading pane.
- Click Reply All to reply to all recipients by opening the Compose window.
- Click the More actions icon, then click Reply to reply only to the sender by opening the Compose window.
- Compose your message in the text entry field.
- Click Options to select the message priority or attach a vCard.
- Click Attachments to add an attachment to the message. You can also drag and drop an attachment from your device into the editor.
- Click Send to send the message.
Notes:- Click Save to save a draft of your email message without sending it.
- Click Discard to delete the email message.
Forwarding a Message
- Select the email you are forwarding.
- Click Forward.
- In the To field, enter the email address to which you want to send the email message. For example, anyone@cox.net.
Note: You can also enter email addresses in the CC and BCC fields.
- Press Enter.
Note: To add additional email addresses, repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Compose your message in the text entry field.
Note: The original message displays in the message body. You can edit this message.
- Click Options to select the message priority or attach a vCard.
- Click Attachments to add an attachment to the message. You can also drag and drop an attachment from your device into the editor.
- Click Send to send the message.
Notes:- Click Save to save a draft of your email message without sending it.
- Click Discard to delete the email message.
Searching for Email
Learn how to search for email.
Note: If your search bar does not display in the upper left hand corner of your Inbox, click View, then Enable Folder View.
- In the Search... field, enter a search term.
- Press Enter.
Deleting Email
Learn how to delete an email message.
Deleting a Single Message
- Click on the email that you want to delete.
- Click on the Trash icon in between the Forward and Set color icons, or press Delete on your keyboard.
Deleting Multiple Messages
- Select the email you want to delete by using the Shift key to select a block of messages or the Ctrl key to select multiple individual email.
- Click on the Trash icon in between the Forward and Set color icons, or press Delete on your keyboard.
Viewing and Saving Attachments
Learn how to view and save a file attached to your email message.
Viewing an Attachment
- Select the email that contains the attachment.
Note: Email messages with attachments show an attachments icon
to the left of the subject line in your Inbox.
- Use one of the following options to see the attachment list.
- Click View to see a slideshow of one or more attachments.
- Click the arrow to the left of the paperclip, then click on the single attachment you want to view.
Note: Some file types are not able to be previewed at this time. Refer to Saving an Attachment below.
Saving an Attachment
- Select the email that contains the attachment.
- Use one of the following options to download one or more attachments.
- Click Download to download all attachments into a Zip file.
- Click the arrow to the left of the paperclip, then click on the single attachment you want to save.
Result: A window to save the attachment displays or the file downloads automatically to your Downloads folder on your computer.
- If applicable, click Save File and then click OK.
Sorting Email
Learn how to sort your email messages in your folders.
- Click on the Sort by icon at the top of your email message list.
- Select one of the following fields to sort your emails.
- Date
- From
- Label
- Subject
- Size
- Ascending
- Descending
- Unread only
Moving and Copying Email
Learn how to move and copy email messages to another folder.
Moving an Email
- Select the email that you want to move.
- Click the More actions icon located next to the Archive icon.
- Click Move.
Result: The Move window displays.
- Click the folder to which you are moving the email or click Create Folder, and then click Move.
Result: The email is moved to your selected folder.
Copying an Email
- Select the email that you want to copy.
- Click More.
- Click Copy.
Result: The Copy window displays.
- Click on the folder to which you are moving the email or click Create Folder, and then click Copy.
Viewing the Email Source
Learn how to view the email source for email messages. The email source contains all the contents of an email message and includes the email header data.
- Select the email of which you want to view the source.
- Click More.
- Click View source.
Result: The Mail source window displays.
- Click Close.
Printing Email
Learn how to print email messages.
- Select the email you want to print.
- Click More.
- Click Print.
Result: The Print window displays.
- Click OK.
Saving Email
Learn how to save an email message as a text file. The text file is saved with the file extension .eml.
- Select the email you want to save.
- Click the More icon that resembles three horizontal bars.
- Click Save as file.
Emptying the Trash Folder
Learn how to empty the Trash folder.
- On the left side of the window, click on Trash.
- From the Trash folder, click on the hamburger settings icon that resembles three horizontal bars.
- From the drop-down menu, click Empty trash.
Note: If the Trash folder displays email after clicking Empty trash, click Empty trash multiple times to clear the folder.
Archiving Email
Learn how to move an email message into an archive folder.
- Select the email you want to archive.
- Click the Archive icon that resembles a file folder storage box.
- To view the email in the Archive folder, click on the Archive folder.

- Click on the folder titled with the year that email was sent.

Note: Archiving email automatically creates new folders in your folder tree depending on when the email was sent. For example, an email sent to you in March 2017 would be moved to a 2017 folder automatically. You can add, edit, or delete folders in your Archive as needed.
Checking Mail Quota
Use the sample image below to see where your email storage capacity displays when you access your inbox from your desktop computer.
Note: Mobile device browsers do not display mail quota information.

Blocking Senders
Learn how to block a sender from sending you email.
- Select an email from the sender you want to block.
- Click the More icon that resembles three horizontal bars.
- Click Block sender.
Adding an External (Non-Cox) Email Address
With Cox Email, you have the option to view all of your non-Cox email in your Inbox. Learn how to sync additional email addresses to your Cox Email.
- Click Add External Account.
- Enter the email address and password of the email account you want to sync.
Note: You can manually enter the Account and Server settings by clicking Manual.
- Click Add.