You sit down and log in to Gmail, and your sidebar is cluttered — folders everywhere. Holiday planning folder, receipts, miscellaneous labels that you’re not even really positive how you made them. It’s just too much.
That’s the gimmick: Gmail doesn’t really have folders like everybody else. The ones that look and act like folders are labels — a more intelligent, more friendly method of classifying mail. But here’s the gimmick, folks: it’s as simple to remove them as it is to remove folders.
Here in this 2025 guide, we’re going to demonstrate to you how to delete Gmail folders (labels) on desktop and mobile, what you gain if you do the same, and how to clean, declutter, and organize Gmail to be peaceful.
Understand Folders vs. Labels in Gmail
You should know what Gmail “folders” actually are prior to deleting.
Folders = Gmail Labels.
You can put many labels on an email.
You can’t remove your messages by removing a label.
So when you “remove a folder” in Gmail, you’re removing its label — not your messages.
That is:
✅ Your messages are not removed.
???? Just the name of the label isn’t visible in the sidebar any longer.
???? The label tag isn’t visible on messages any longer.
Why You Might Want to Remove a Folder (Label)
Gmail labels build up. They’re duplicates, unused, or that you no longer use.
Why I delete a label:
You no longer use it to filter mail.
You’ve made copies of them.
You’re reorganizing the inbox organization.
You’ve substituted another organization.
Removing duplicate folders keeps your Gmail tidy and less time-consuming to locate what you’re trying to find.
Delete a Folder (Label) from Gmail on Desktop
Desktop Gmail familiarizes you with the easy way of deletion and removing folders.
Steps:
Open Gmail.com.
Sign in to your account.
Scroll down your sidebar and locate the folder (label) to delete on your sidebar.
Place your mouse over it — you would see that a three-dot icon (⋮) appears.
Tap the three dots.
Tap Remove label from the drop-down menu.
A confirmation pop-up appears.
Tap Delete.
The folder (label) vanishes from your sidebar immediately.
Tip: Your messages with that label aren’t removed. They’ll still appear in “All Mail” or other labels that they’re also a member of.
Delete a Folder in Gmail Settings
To see or edit more than one folder at once, use the settings feature.
Steps:
Open Gmail on your computer.
Click the Settings gear (⚙️) top-right.
Click See all settings.
Go to the Labels tab.
Scroll down to Labels category.
Find folder (label) to delete.
Click Remove in the far right column of that label row.
Click Delete.
Ta-da. That folder’s history — your inbox is now organized.
Tip: Or archive labels instead of deleting in case you might need them someday in the future.
Delete Folders using Gmail Mobile App (Android or iPhone)
Gmail mobile app don’t have total label control but delete or edit them short cut way.
Steps (Android):
Open Gmail app.
Tap top left menu icon (☰).
Tap bottom Settings and scroll down.
Tap the Gmail account to be used.
Tap Label settings or Manage labels.
Tap the folder (label) to be deleted.
Tap Delete or Remove label.
Yes, tap if prompted.
Steps (iPhone):
Open Gmail.
Tap menu icon (☰) → Settings.
Tap your account → Labels.
Click the label to be deleted.
Click Remove label.
Since your web account is synced to your Gmail app, on-phone removal will destroy it forever.
Delete Gmail Folders in Google Workspace (Work or School Accounts)
If you are using work- or school-managed Gmail, you will have work-managed or school-managed or auto-generated labels.
Steps:
Open Gmail in browser.
Go to Settings → See all settings → Labels.
You may be able to delete personal labels.
If it is read-only or grayed out, it might be admin-controlled.
If you can’t delete it yourself, contact your Google Workspace admin.
Admins may disable or remove shared labels via the Google Admin Console.
Remove Subfolders (Nested Labels)
Gmail displays nested folders (one within another) as a hierarchy — but easy to remove.
Example
Work → Clients → 2025
Removing Clients removes its subfolder 2025 but no longer nests it under Clients.
Steps:
Hover over top folder or subfolder.
Click ⋮ (three dots) → Unlabel.
To remove confirming.
Pro Tip: Delete at top level if you wish to erase entire folder tree.
What You See When You Delete a Folder
You cannot delete a Gmail folder (label) that will impact your actual messages.
What you’ll see
The label name is deleted.
The label is no-longer highlighted in the sidebar.
E-mails are still in “All Mail” or whatever else is a label.
You can again create new labels whenever you’d like.
You’re just building the building — Gmail’s not deleting the content.
Hide Folders Instead of Delete (Optional)
If you prefer it to be neater but don’t necessarily need the folder deleted, you do have a choice to hide.
Steps
Go to Gmail → Settings → See all settings → Labels.
Hide the label in “Show in label list.”
The label no longer appears within your sidebar but still does exist in Gmail.
If you may ever possibly need it again sometime:
Go there and Show alongside the name of the label.
It is also a perfect option for labels that you look at every now and then.
Additional Gmail Organization Tips With Duplicates Eliminated
With duplicates eliminated, your Gmail can once again be humming along like fine-tuned machinery.
Tips:
Top-level labels should not be over 4–6 types like Work, Family, Receipts, Travel, and Projects.
Color-tag some labels so you can spot them in two seconds flat.
Set up filters to delete spam messages for you automatically.
Archive messages and don’t get folder-crazy.
Trim labels every once in a while (every other few months).
Less labels = quicker searching, tidier sidebars, and less Gmail agony.
Quick Actions (from your guide)
| Action (Desktop) | Steps |
| Remove via sidebar | Right next to label → Click three dots (⋮) → Remove label |
| Remove via Settings | Settings → Labels tab → Find label → Remove |
| Remove on Mobile | Settings → Manage labels → Select label → Delete |
Remind
You’re not removing your mail by deleting a folder.
You can suppress the folders, but if you may ever possibly want them some day far in the future.
Clean folders = clean head and smooth flow.
Frequently Asked Questions
System folder like Inbox or Sent in Gmail can be deleted?
No. System Gmail folders Inbox, Sent, Drafts, and Trash can’t be deleted. You can delete one label at a time.
Will deleting a folder delete the mail within it?
No. They are in your account and with the label “All Mail” or another label.
Bulk deleting some folders?
No bulk deleting of labels in Gmail. You will be required to delete them individually.
How do I undo deleting a folder?
You can’t undo a label, but there is still mail. You always can re-create a label.
Is there rather the possibility to hide folders rather than deleting
Yes. Settings → Labels → Hide “Show in label list.”
