You may want to adjust some of the standard email account settings within AltaMail. Tap on the 3 lined button in the top left of the screen to open the left side panel. Tap on the Accounts button to show all accounts and then tap on the cog button beside the account to edit the account settings.
Tap on the "Advanced" section to view the advanced settings.

Auto refresh opened folders - This setting will refresh folders when you view them. Otherwise you can drag the email list down to refresh it.

Auto check email folders - This sets the folders that you wish to be refreshed automatically, even when you are not viewing the folder.

Edit Folders - View and edit the folders for the account.

Hide folders - You can choose to hide some folders you don't want to use.

Preload email content - This will load the message summary of a new email and leave attachments for later. View

Preload whole email - This will load the message and attachment content of a new email.

Disk Usage - This enables you to set the maximum storage limit AltaMail will use on your iPad or iPhone for this particular account. Once this limit is reached, older email content will no longer be saved to local storage. Then these emails will have be reloaded from the email server when you open them.

Sync "Read" status - This will show any email that has been read in AltaMail, as being read in your other email software (and vice versa).

Sync Email Flags - Flags set in AltaMail will also show in your other email software (and vice versa). Note, some account types don't allow custom flags so those flags will be set inside AltaMail and not on the email server

Sync incoming mail - This will ensure email that has been deleted in AltaMail will be removed in other apps, and vice versa.

Delete from server (only shows if "Sync incoming mail" is off) - this enables you to set when a message in the trash will be deleted from the server.

Trash mail folder - This enables you to choose the folder that deleted emails are sent to.

Sync sent mail - This will synchronise any email that is sent from AltaMail with your other email software (and vice versa).

Save sent mail - If your email account doesn't automatically save sent email to the sent folder, turning on this setting will save your sent mail instead.

Sent mail folder - You can choose the folder that sent emails are saved in.

Spam mail folder - This folder is used by the spam rules to clean up spam emails

Sync draft emails - This will synchronise any draft email in AltaMail with your other email software (and vice versa).

Drafts mail folder - This setting will save your drafts on your email server for access in other software.