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How To Delete Folders In Gmail? An Ultimate Guide To Deleting Folders

How To Delete Folders In Gmail: Pro Tips for Inbox Cleanup

By Stuart HernyPublished about a year ago 6 min read
How To Delete Folders In Gmail

In order to organize the Gmail inbox it is good practice to clean up the unnecessary folders once in a while. In Gmail, what many users commonly call as folders are labels which are used mainly for sorting the emails. Every year these categories can compose and at some point you may discover that you do not require some of the categories anymore. This article will explain to you How To Delete Folders In Gmail thus enabling you to organize your inbox space effectively.

Understanding Folders In Gmail

Conflicting to other e-mail platforms, Gmail does not have a feature referred to as folders but rather employs labels that work in a similar manner. They are crucial since they enable the categorization of your emails hence making it easier for you to sort your emails.

In distinction to the standard folders one can assign several tags to the same e-mail and it will be simultaneously seen in each view associated with the certain tag as well as in the main inbox. However, the more emails you send, there are possibilities that you end up with too many labels that clutter the interface. Easy Unused Delete folders in Gmail is another feature that you can use to make your Gmail neat and only leave important categories.

Why to Delete Folders in Gmail

Deleting folders in Gmail can also improve the effectiveness in handling of e-mail in a great way. This means that you may have developed project, event or tasks categories that are not relevant today.

By keeping off such folders their presence makes it very hard to locate the appropriate emails and that’s why deleting them is essential to eliminate clutter. An uncluttered inbox also assists you in managing your time better because you are able to separate the currently relevant and important from the old categories that can easily distract you.

How to Delete Gmail Folders

It is important to understand that when you delete folders in Gmail, you are not actually deleting the messages. Rather, it will simply delete the label for any mails that match it, and the mails will remain in your inbox. If you want to delete your messages, you will have to learn about how to mass delete emails in Gmail.

Delete Gmail Folders on the Web

If you use this mail service through your web browser, you can quickly delete folders in Gmail by following these steps:

  1. Go to https://mail.google.com/ and log in to your email account.
  2. Scroll down on the left side to Labels.
  3. Find the folder you want to delete and hover over it.
  4. When three vertical dots appear, click them.
  5. Select "Remove Label."
  6. You will then be asked if you wish to remove the label. Select Delete.

Remember: When you delete a folder (label) in Gmail, the label is removed from all associated emails, including new ones. However, the emails will stay in your inbox; they will just lose the label. To completely remove these emails, you’ll need to delete them manually. Before doing so, it's important to take a backup of the specific folder offline to ensure you don’t lose any critical information. This backup step is crucial for organizing your Gmail while safeguarding your important messages.

How To Delete Folders In Gmail on iPhone

If you use Gmail on your iPhone or iPad, you may also delete labels using the iOS Gmail app. Here's how.

  1. Launch the application on your iPhone.
  2. Tap the three vertical lines (hamburger menu).
  3. Scroll down the menu, choose Settings, and then select the appropriate email account.
  4. Scroll down to Inbox Customizations.
  5. Tap Labels. From here, select the folder (label) you want to delete.
  6. Tap Delete [Folder Name].
  7. You'll be asked to confirm. To complete the process, simply select Delete.

How to delete a whole folder in Gmail on an Android phone

According to Google, there is presently no way to delete Gmail folders from the Android app. Instead, follow the steps How To Delete Folders In Gmail on the web. You can accomplish this with Chrome on your Android device.

If you want to remove Gmail labels from your Android device, simply:

  1. Navigate to mail.google.com with Chrome.
  2. Tap on the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines).
  3. At the bottom, look for View Gmail In and choose Desktop.
  4. Locate Labels on the left side menu, then select Edit Labels.
  5. Select any labels you want to delete and press Remove.

Note: This version will not ask you to confirm your changes, so double-check that you are pushing Remove on the proper item before proceeding. Otherwise, you risk deleting an unintended folder.

Secure Your Data Before Delete Folders in Gmail

When in the process of cleaning up your Gmail inbox by deleting folders (labels), it's crucial to ensure that your valuable data is not lost in the shuffle. This is where the SysTools Gmail Email Backup tool becomes indispensable. By using this tool, you can create a secure backup of all your Gmail emails, including attachments, before making any changes. Moreover, the tool's "Delete After Download" feature helps you manage your inbox efficiently by clearing space on the server once the backup is completed.

It allows you to save your data in various formats like PST, MBOX, EML, and PDF, ensuring that you have access to your important emails even after deleting labels.This not only protects your data but also helps in maintaining a streamlined and clutter-free Gmail account. Using Automated Gmail Backup is a smart way to manage your emails while ensuring that nothing important is lost during the cleanup process.

Important Consideration When Delete folders in Gmail

It is important to know that when you remove a folder in the Gmail account, it only removes the link to the emails in the folder, but the emails remain in the system. The emails will remain in your inbox or in archive and you can locate them through search or by using filters.

This is because in case you realize that there was a deleted folder which you still need, it is not a challenge to create a new one, but you need to arrange the emails individually. It also suggested to perform the cleaning process by organizing the emails and deleting the folders which are no longer needed on the inbox.

Conclusion

Now you will get the answer of How To Delete Folders In Gmail, In reality, the process of deleting folders in Gmail is quite easy and efficient to improve your email management. This means that users can be able to organize their inbox by eliminating the old or unnecessary categories, hence keeping their inbox well-organized.

This you are able to avoid going through numerous emails in the folder trying to find a certain one. The arrangement of folders prevents Gmail account owners from experiencing undue fatigue or frustration when searching for emails hence making it easier to work.

FAQ

Q1. Can I delete the All Mail folder in Gmail?

A1. Gmail only lets users delete folders they have added themselves. This means you cannot delete All Mail (inbox), Sent, Drafts, or Trash. However, you can delete the messages in each of these folders.

Q2. How To Delete Folders In Gmail on Android?

A2. Unfortunately, the Gmail Android app does not support Delete folders in Gmail or labels at this time. Instead, you must login to the webmail inbox to do this.

Q3. How to remove a folder from Gmail on Mac?

A3. All you have to get to the Labels section inside your inbox, find the label you wish to delete and click on it.

Q4. Are Gmail labels equivalent to folders?

A4. Thus, Gmail labels operate slightly differently compared to the more traditional folder structure used by most email applications. But if you want, you can delete them at any time if you learn the process of how to delete folders in Gmail.

Q5. How do I edit my folders in Gmail?

A5. To edit folders (labels), click on the gear icon, then choose "See all settings". In the "Labels" tab, you can edit or remove existing labels.

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About the Creator

Stuart Herny

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