The Kanmail Blog
Notes on email
& getting it done.
Guides, comparisons, and opinions on email, kanban, and getting your inbox under control, from the team behind Kanmail.
SPF, DKIM and DMARC Explained for Humans
What SPF, DKIM and DMARC actually check, with annotated DNS records, the Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook sender rules, and a safe path from p=none to p=reject.
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10 Gmail Filters Worth Copying Today
Ten Gmail filters to copy and paste: newsletters, receipts, bills, deliveries, calendar replies and VIPs, with the exact criteria, actions and an import file.
Why Unread Email Counts Make You Anxious
Unread email anxiety, explained: what the research says about open loops, red badges and checking, and how to make your unread count mean something again.
Best Email Clients for Windows in 2026
The best email clients for Windows in 2026, honestly compared: new and classic Outlook, Thunderbird, eM Client, Mailbird, Spark, plus a kanban option.
Per My Last Email: A Field Guide to Passive-Aggressive Email
What 'per my last email' really means, plus a dozen more passive-aggressive email phrases decoded, when each is fair, and warmer alternatives that still work.
The Great Reply-All Storms, and Why They Happen
From Microsoft's Bedlam DL3 to the NHS's 500 million emails in 75 minutes: the great reply-all storms, why they snowball, and what finally stopped them.
How to Spot a Phishing Email in 2026 (Take the Test)
AI fixed the typos, so the old phishing tells are dead. The ones that still work in 2026, with real cases and a 10-question test to check yourself.
How to Mass Unsubscribe and Declutter Your Inbox
How to mass unsubscribe safely: what one-click unsubscribe actually does, when clicking is a bad idea, and why 'free' unsubscribe services aren't free.
How to Block Email Tracking Pixels
Most marketing email reports back the moment you open it. How tracking pixels work, what they leak, and how to block email tracking in every major client.
Email Triage Methods: Seven Systems, Ranked
Inbox zero, GTD, the 4 Ds, Yesterbox, touch-it-once, batching and kanban. Seven email triage methods compared, with a verdict on which survive a real inbox.
How to Manage Multiple Email Accounts
Work Gmail, personal Outlook, an old iCloud address. Three tabs, three logins, three places to miss things. Here's how to run them as one.
The Inbox Zero Alternative: A Kanban Board
Inbox zero optimises the wrong number. The real history of Merlin Mann's idea, and a board-based alternative that tracks work instead of unread counts.
How to Organize Your Outlook Inbox
Tame an Outlook inbox with rules, folders, categories and Sweep, with steps for both new and classic Outlook, and see where built-in organization stops.
How to Organize Gmail with Labels and Filters
A practical system for Gmail labels, filters and multiple inboxes — the real limits (5,000 labels, 1,000 filters) and where Gmail's own tools run out.
Kanban vs. Inbox Zero: Which Method Fits You?
Kanban vs inbox zero, compared properly: what Merlin Mann actually meant, what kanban borrows from Toyota, and how to pick the method for your workload.
Kanban for Email: The Definitive Guide
Your inbox is a to-do list pretending to be a filing cabinet. The complete guide to kanban for email: the columns, the workflows, and how to actually do it.
Running a Shared Team Inbox with Kanban
How to run a shared team inbox like support@ or hello@ as a kanban board on plain IMAP, what that honestly can't do, and when to buy a proper helpdesk instead.
IMAP vs the Gmail API: Why Clients Break Labels
Some Gmail clients mangle your labels. Others refuse to sell anything but a subscription. Both trace back to the same engineering choice: IMAP or the Gmail API.
Best Email Clients for Linux in 2026
The best Linux email clients in 2026, honestly compared: Thunderbird, Betterbird, Evolution, KMail, Geary and Claws Mail, plus the only kanban-board client on Linux.
The Case Against Subscription Email
Renting an email client means paying forever to read your own mail — and losing the app the day you stop paying. The case for buying your email software once.