How to Delete a Folder in Outlook Mail at Outlook.com

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by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated September 17, 2018

You can delete folders that have served their purpose in Outlook.com and Outlook Mail.

The Power to Create, the Power to Destroy

If you have the power to create, the power to annihilate is not a necessary consequence; it is a very useful one, though.

Since you can create folders to organize your messages in Outlook Mail on the Web or Outlook.com (and before in Windows Live Hotmail), you can also get rid of them when you no longer need them. It is easy.

Delete a Folder in Outlook Mail on the web (at Outlook.com)

To delete a folder you have added to Outlook Mail on the web:

  1. Click on the folder you wish to delete with the right mouse button.

  2. Select Delete from the context menu that has appeared.

  3. Click OK in the Delete Folder dialog.

Outlook Mail will move the folder to the Deleted Items folder. It will be permanently deleted after a certain time in that folder, like other items. The deleted folder appears as a sub-folder of Deleted Items, and you can recover any messages from there.

Delete a Folder in Outlook.com

To delete a custom Outlook.com folder:

  1. With the right mouse button, click on the folder you want to remove.

  2. Select Delete from the menu that has shown.

  3. Click Delete under Delete this folder.

Delete a Folder in Windows Live Hotmail

To delete a custom Windows Live Hotmail folder:

  1. Move the mouse over Folders in Windows Live Hotmail's left navigation bar.

  2. Click the gear that appears to the right of Folders.

  3. Select Manage folders from the menu that appears.

  4. Make sure the folder or the folders you want to delete are checked.

  5. Click Delete.

  6. Now click OK.

The folder does not have to be empty for you to delete it. If there are still messages in it, Windows Live Hotmail will move them to the Deleted folder automatically.

(Tested with Windows Live Hotmail, Outlook.com and Outlook Mail on the web)