How to Delete a Folder in the iOS Mail App

Clean up your iPhone mail by removing unused folders

E-mail application on iPhone 6S Screen

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by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated August 10, 2019

It's easy to create folders in the iOS Mail app. Folders keep related emails grouped together. However, if you no longer use a folder, it's completely safe and easy to delete it. Deleting folders in the email app on your iPhone or iPad removes the folder and the messages in the folder. It's one of the easiest ways to regain storage on the phone and to declutter your emails.

Instructions in this article apply to recent iOS versions as well as older ones such as iOS 8 and iOS 7.

How to Delete Folders in the Mail App

Make sure it's safe to delete the email messages in the folder before you delete it. Select the emails you want to keep and move the messages to a different folder.

To delete a folder:

  1. Tap Mailboxes.

    Mailboxes, Custom, mailbox screen on iOS

  2. Tap Edit, then select the folder you want to delete.

  3. Tap Delete Mailbox.

    Edit button, Custom mailbox, Delete Mailbox

  4. Tap Delete to confirm that you want to remove the folder and any messages contained within it.

  5. Select Done.