Company
Mailbird
INDUSTRY
Email client
MY ROLE
Lead Designer
PROJECT TIMELINE
2020 - 2022
COMPANY SIZE
Bootstrapped startup
THE CHALLENGE
Modernising a legacy Windows product without breaking what users loved
This wasn’t about creating a macOS version. It was about redesigning the entire Mailbird experience to serve the next decade of growth. We set out to create a unified, modern product experience that would work across Windows, macOS, and eventually Linux, all from a single codebase.
But the cross-platform vision came with real friction. The company chose to stick with .NET as the core tech stack, building the UI in Avalonia, a promising but immature open-source framework. From day one, we were working around missing components, unstable tooling, and performance limitations.
Previous version of Mailbird Inbox
At the same time, much of the product direction was focused on rebuilding every piece of legacy functionality from the old Windows version, regardless of usage or user value. That slowed us down and made it harder to prioritize what really mattered. The real challenge wasn’t technical — it was strategic: making space to rethink, not just recreate.
new inbox in light and dark mode
THE ROLE & APPROACH
Owning cross-platform UX from research to handoff
I led design for Mailbird’s cross-platform transition, working in a tight team with the CTO, product manager, lead engineer, and another designer. I was responsible for the full UX process and built the first component library to support macOS, Windows, and Linux.
From the start, I kicked off 20 exploratory user interviews and gathered internal assumptions to align design goals with user needs, technical limits, and business goals. This layered perspective is how I start every project.
We didn’t just copy the old Windows version. I focused on building strong foundations for a modern email client that could run reliably across all platforms with consistent quality and room to grow.
After early research, we iterated quickly on low-fidelity mockups. I tested these designs with internal stakeholders and the users I had recruited, using their feedback to sharpen the experience before committing to final UI work.
THE OUTCOME
The redesign unlocked Mailbird’s cross-platform bright future
I delivered a reimagined Mailbird experience that felt native on macOS, retained the familiarity of the Windows version, and laid solid foundations for future expansion to Linux and mobile. It wasn’t just a redesign. It was a strategic rebuild of the entire user experience and design architecture.
While I left shortly before the full release, the early results spoke for themselves:
Top-rated by users on Trustpilot
Over 2,000 verified reviews and the highest score in category, proving users not only love it—they trust it.
Great launch on Product Hunt
Ranked #4 on launch day with 370+ upvotes, putting it among the most popular releases—and giving the product a meaningful visibility boost.
Mailbird
Strong sales momentum
The redesign unlocked positive reviews and rapid adoption across key segments—especially new users.
testimonial
Paweł Majda
Product manager at Mailbird