diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml
index 2654778d84c..9900e8049f2 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml
@@ -196,10 +196,11 @@
 
             <div class="oe_msg_center">
                 <div class='oe_msg_icons'>
-                    <span class='oe_read' t-if="widget.options.show_read"><a title="Read" class="oe_e">X</a></span>
-                    <span class='oe_unread' t-if="widget.options.show_unread"><a title="Set back to unread" class="oe_e">v</a></span>
+                    <span class='oe_read' t-if="widget.options.show_read"><a title="Done" class="oe_e">X</a></span>
+                    <span class='oe_unread' t-if="widget.is_favorite and widget.options.show_unread"><a title="Set back to Todo" class="oe_e">v</a></span>
+                    <span class='oe_unread' t-if="!widget.is_favorite and widget.options.show_unread"><a title="Set back to Inbox" class="oe_e">v</a></span>
                     <span class='oe_reply' t-if="widget.options.show_reply_button"><a title="Reply" class="oe_e">(</a></span>
-                    <span t-attf-class="oe_star #{widget.is_favorite?'oe_starred':''}"><a title="Add To Favorites" class="oe_e">7</a></span>
+                    <span t-attf-class="oe_star #{widget.is_favorite?'oe_starred':''}"><a title="Mark as Todo" class="oe_e">7</a></span>
                 </div>
                 <!-- message itself -->
                 <div class="oe_msg_content">