Ever since my co-workers found out about my BlackBerry obsession, I'm constantly bombarded by questions. What is the number one question you ask? Well it's a topic that's pretty familiar to CrackBerry readers and a frequent question in the forums: how do I separate SMS and Email boxes in the messages folder? A BlackBerry can have up to 10 individual message folders and gives you the option of feeding all of them into the messages folder or separating into their own inbox.
Now while combining messages is fine for some people, it can be distracting and annoying to weed through a ton of messages, especially if you use multiple email accounts for different purposes or if you're like my boss and get hundreds a day. For instance, a co-worker couldn't find a client email because she had too many Toys R Us alerts filling up her box.
Whether you're a BES user who wants to distinguish between work and personal emails or a BIS user who wants to coordinate your accounts and texts messages, these are the different ways to separate or combine your SMS and Email inboxes on all the different BlackBerry platforms.
Earlier releases of OS 5 and all OS's 4.7 and below
On older devices and operating systems (including lower versions of OS 5) in order to separate inboxes click on your Messages icon, press the Menu button and select Options. Under General Options, scroll down to SMS and Email inboxes and you'll be presented with three options: Separate, Combined, and Theme Controlled. To separate the inboxes scroll down and select that option.
Higher versions of OS 5 and OS 6
With the release of higher versions of OS 5 and OS 6, the messages folder now comes with more control over what you can grant access to. I found this feature appeared on OS 5 when I upgraded my AT&T Bold 9700 from application v.602 to .979 and on my Bold 9000's OS 5 application v.822. Users are able to pick and choose which email accounts or other message types populate the main messages folder rather than it being an all or nothing situation. Here you can select exactly which items to include or exclude by clicking the check mark.
To save your selections click the back (escape) button and select Save or use the Menu key to access the Save feature.
Higher versions of OS 5 - Non touch devices
For non touch devices go to Messages > Options > Inbox Settings.
OS 5 Touch devices
To access, users can follow this path: Messages > Options > Main Message List Settings.
OS 6
For touch and non touch devices click on Messages > Options > Inbox Management.
There you have it, all the ways to customize your messages folder across various operating systems so you'll always be able to keep track of your emails and texts whether you use your device for work or for personal reasons.
Reader comments
How to separate and combine message folders on your BlackBerry
How can I get OS6 to stop sending me a TXT message telling me I have a voicemail? I already have a vm icon telling me I have a vm. I don't need a TXT to tell me the same thing.
That has nothing to do with the OS it's the program that's doing it. It sounds like Youmail. If its Youmail then its a setting on the website. I got sick of that and stopped using Youmail for that reason.
Its not email its just the way it is. It is kind of annoying but oh well just delete it.
The same thing a happens to me in OS 5 does anyone know how to stop this.
for me it was to have voice mail deleted. then it stopped. That was real annoying having a redundant text to say I have email, then have to go delete it before moving on. I think you can tell the provider to stop doing it. Of course means sitting on the hold line for a while.
Alicia, thank you for the information and the step by step guides.
My wish/hope is that with the higher OS' that better folder control will come. I have used BB's for more than 2 years now, so I have seen and learned from multiple articles that the single main message folder is the result of a choice to stay true to 2 core strategies that made BB a success: push email and security. I am fine with this. I only wish that since the higher level OS' have more ability to handle message rules and folder systems, that BB adds these features as choices for users and sys admins, even if BB needed to drop is big warnings that the use of these functions will significantly affect the operation of your BB. That way it is the customer who makes the choice of how they want their email.
I have related question: notifications about BBM messages and chat can be also combined, but what about notifications about new pictures and comments posted in BBM Chat? Is there an option to keep them seperate? I'm running OS6 and I can't get rid of those annoying notifications.
I have searched CB before, but can you have different notification symbols depending if it is an email or SMS?