[JCSato]

I'm the same way. I've gotten used to using a Mac for work; there are the few things I need to know how to run, and I've more or less figured those out. Even after that, though, I was utterly useless last week trying to send an email for my mom on her iPhone.

[fastball]

1. Open Mail

2. Click compose button

How could that possibly be difficult of all things?

[julianz]

I've never been able to understand why mail apps insist on the word Compose. Is it an American thing? I've never wanted to compose a piece of text, and never heard the word used in that way.

[rabboRubble]

It's from the older phrase "compose a letter". Since letters were replaced with email, the phrase became "compose an email".

[smogcutter]

It's the word gmail uses as well.

[kkarakk]

no the word gmail uses is "+"

[badwolf]

https://imgur.com/a/dFx48CV

[kkarakk]

I do see a "+" front and center though,which is not the case on apple devices. even if I don't know what compose means, I do know that + probably means creating a email

[toasterlovin]

To be clear: whatever the button is called, it doesn't have any text on iOS (which, as far as I can tell, is what OP was talking about). It's just an icon of a pencil writing on paper.

[dkonofalski]

To be even clearer: It's literally one of only 4 buttons on the main Mail screen (the others being Back, Edit, and Filter). If you just go to Mail and don't even attempt a guess, that's on you.

[saagarjha]

What word would you use to describe the action of creating a new message?

[jpindar]

write or create or new

[mixmastamyk]

Sounds a bit grandiose from here in California.

[tk75x]

Compose is defined as putting together many pieces into one coherent work. Most people associate it with music, where composers put together notes until they make up a piece of music. In the mail app context it also makes perfect sense as you are composing a larger piece of work (your letter) from smaller individual elements (words).

TL;DR - Compose is the correct word to use.