How to Delete a Folder in the iOS Mail App

Clean up your Mail app by removing unused folders

E-mail application on iPhone 6S Screen
  cnythzl/Getty Images 
by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated October 04, 2018

It's easy to create folders in the iOS Mail app. While they're being used, they're incredibly useful. Folders keep related emails together and can quickly de-clutter an inbox. 

However, if you no longer use a folder, it's just taking up space. It's easy to delete a folder — just make sure you move any email you want to keep out of it first.

Deleting an entire email folder permanently removes any messages that are inside. They do not go into the Trash folder and are not be recoverable.

In the Mail app, on the Mailboxes screen, each mail account is listed at the top of the screen. You may have one account or several. You might see an iCloud account, Gmail account, Yahoo account, or any other provider you've configured to work with the Mail account. Beneath the list of email providers is a separate section for each email account containing the folders for that account. When you are deleting folders, make sure you are selecting the correct folder in the correct provider's section.

How to View the Mail Inside a Folder

Before you delete a folder, open it and make sure there is no email you want to keep in the folder. To do this:

  1. Tap the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. Scroll down the Mailboxes screen until you locate the folder you want to delete in the section for the correct email provider and tap it.

  3. If you see any email you want to keep in the folder, tap Edit at the top of the screen to open circles next to each email.

  4. Tap in the circle next to the emails you want to keep.

  5. Tap Move at the bottom of the screen and select a destination for the emails you want to keep.

  6. Tap Mailboxes at the top of the screen to return to the Mailboxes screen.

How to Delete an iPhone Mail Folder

When you're sure that the folder you want to delete doesn't contain any emails you need:

  1. Tap the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. Tap Edit at the top of the Mailboxes screen.

  3. Scroll down and tap the folder you want to delete in the correct email section.

  4. Tap Delete Mailbox and confirm the deletion in the screen that opens.