How to Delete Labels in Gmail: Step-by-Step Guide

To delete Gmail labels and folders, go to the Settings page for labels. You can delete anything you want there. The process is pretty much the same
Credit: Pulse Ghana

To delete Gmail labels and folders, go to the Settings page for labels. You can delete anything you want there. The process is pretty much the same on both phones and computers. Let’s go over this step by step…

How To Delete Gmail Labels

#1. Access Your Gmail Account

Enter “www.gmail.com” into the address bar at the top of your browser and hit the Enter or Return keys on your keyboard. This will open the Gmail login page in your browser.

#2. Navigate to the Screen’s Left Side

Your custom labels will be located at the bottom. These are useful tools that let you arrange your emails according to different criteria, such as the sender, subject, or body content.

Similar to folders in other email clients, labels in Gmail allow emails to be stored in multiple folders rather than just one.

All of your labels might not be visible at once, though. A ‘More’ button will appear if you have more labels than the screen’s allotted space can hold. Selecting ‘More’ will cause this section to enlarge and show all of your labels.

#3. Move Your Cursor Over the Label You Wish to Delete

When you select the ‘More’ icon, a drop-down menu opens.

The label name will have a three-dot icon appear to the right of it as you hover over it. The “More” or “Menu” icon is the term used to describe this trio of vertically arranged dots.

When you click on this ‘More’ icon, a drop-down menu containing several label management options opens. Then select “Delete label.”

Recall that removing a label only eliminates the label itself; any emails connected to the label are left intact.

#4. You’ll See a Pop-up Window Confirming Your Selection

A small window that appears on your screen and is referred to as a pop-up window happens when you choose the “Remove label” option. This pop-up window is a confirmation dialogue box, which is a typical feature of a lot of websites and software programs. By asking you to confirm your action before moving forward, it is intended to help prevent accidental deletions or changes.

It functions as the last stop in the process, allowing you to reconsider your choice and confirm that you really do wish to remove the label. This is particularly helpful when you might have accidentally chosen the incorrect label or decide to remove it for some reason.

How to Delete Gmail Labels and Folders on Android and iOS Devices

In the Gmail app on your phone, tap the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner to remove labels. Next, choose Settings.

  • To remove the labels from an email address, tap on it.
  • Now, keep scrolling down until Labels > Label Settings appear.
  • Now, a list of your labels will appear. Tap the blue arrow on the far right of the item you wish to remove.
  • Now, a red delete link will appear. Select it to remove the label.

How to Delete Folders and Labels from Gmail on a Desktop

The desktop approach is far simpler and faster. Navigate to Labels in the Settings app by scrolling down.

On the right-hand side, delete links will be visible. To delete a label, click the remove link for that label.

How to Edit Gmail Labels

#1. Edit a Label Name and Location

  • Hover your cursor over the label you want to change in Google Mail and select the drop-down menu by clicking on it.
  • Click on the drop-down menu and choose “Edit.” It should show the “Edit label” window.
  • Enter the new name in the “Label name:” field to modify the label’s name.
  • Check the “Nest label under:” box and select the label you want the sublabel to be under from the drop-down menu to turn the label into a sublabel.

#2. Edit the Label’s Color

  • Hover your cursor over the label you want to change in Google Mail’s left sidebar, then select it with the drop-down arrow.
  • Click on the drop-down menu and choose “Label color.” There should be a palette of colors.
  • Select the color you want for your label by clicking on it in the color palette. To modify the color of the label text or to see more color options, select “Add custom color.”

Identifying Unnecessary Labels

Before embarking on label deletion, take a moment to assess the relevance of each label in your Gmail inbox. Consider the following questions:

  • Do I still actively use this label to filter or organize my emails?
  • Has this label become outdated or irrelevant to my current workflow?
  • Are there other labels that effectively serve the same purpose as this one?

By critically evaluating the usefulness of each label, you can identify those that are no longer essential and can be safely removed.

Benefits of Label Removal

Decluttering your Gmail inbox by removing unnecessary labels offers several benefits:

  • Improved Organization: A streamlined label structure enhances the organization of your inbox, making it easier to find specific emails.
  • Reduced Clutter: Eliminating unused labels contributes to a cleaner and less cluttered inbox, minimizing distractions and improving visual clarity.
  • Enhanced Efficiency: A well-organized inbox promotes a more efficient workflow, allowing you to quickly locate and manage important messages.

Can I use Gmail to Colour-code my labels?

In Gmail, you can categorize your labels by color. To color-code a label, simply hover your cursor over it, select “Label color” by clicking the three dots that appear next to it. After that, you can choose the color you want.

Is it possible to get a deleted label back in Gmail?

In Gmail, once a label is deleted, it cannot be restored and is permanently gone. The emails connected to that label, though, will still be in your account; they will just no longer have that label attached to them.

Can an email in Gmail have more than one label?

In Gmail, an email can indeed have multiple labels. This gives you the option to group your emails in different ways. You may, for instance, have an email labeled “Work,” “Important,” and “Read later.”

Conclusion

By regularly reviewing and removing unused labels, you can maintain a clutter-free and organized Gmail inbox. This simple yet effective practice enhances your email management skills, promotes productivity, and ensures that your inbox remains a valuable tool for communication and collaboration.

References

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