How to Delete Folders in Yahoo Mail App: A Step-by-Step Guide
Anyone who does not know how to delete folders in Yahoo Mail can learn to do so with this blog. Here, we teach you why folder deletion is sometimes necessary to keep the Yahoo mail interface clean.
Moreover, ever since the new Yahoo Mail storage limits have been announced, there has been a renewed urgency among users to make their storage more precise and get rid of excess clutter that is in their Yahoo Mail accounts.
Table of Contents
Here in this blog, I cover the steps to remove folders for all the major platforms where you might use Yahoo from. Moreover, as Yahoo apps are in sync with each other, the moment you delete a folder from one location, it automatically disappears from the rest of the areas as well.
Before we start, let’s look at some of the caveats involved with deleting Yahoo folders.
Do this Before Deleting Folders in Yahoo Mail
The new Yahoo Mail has lots of minor restrictions and conditions for deleting folders.
The most important thing to know is that you can’t delete any of the built-in folders. So the Inbox, Unread, Starred, Drafts, Sent, Archive, Spam, and Deleted Items folders will stay on the Yahoo Mail app no matter what.
Another critical rule that people might not know about when they look for ways on how to delete Folders in Yahoo Mail is that only empty folders can be deleted. If you try to delete a folder that contains messages, you receive the following alert.
So you must delete all the messages. Another option is to move the messages to a different custom folder you are not deleting or to a permanent folder like Inbox/Archive/Spam, etc. Our other guide on Yahoo Mail archive vs. delete request.
Moreover, you won’t be able to delete any folder that is a container for other folders. This rule is true even if all of the child folders themselves are empty. So if you want to remove a Parent folder that contains one or more nested folders, you must delete all those nested folders first. There is no option to move the folders like you have for messages.
You can only delete one folder at a time. To clear out multiple folders, you must repeat the process. There is no Undo button to reverse the deletion decision. So be careful about what you delete.
Now that we know the key areas to watch out for, folder deletion won’t be that difficult.
Save Yahoo Folder Contents Before Deleting Content
Use the SysTools Yahoo Mail Backup Tool to store a safe copy of all of the Yahoo mail folders in an offline location.
Plus, with the delta after download feature, the tool can automate the removal of messages from their original location once a safe copy is constructed.
You can decide the format of the emails, apply a date filter to select the precise messages you want, and track all of the backup in real time. Plus, with an end report functionality, you get a clear idea of what has been saved and what’s still left on the Yahoo Mail server.
To use this tool before you delete the folders, follow these steps:
Step 1. Install the Tool and set up your account.
Step 2. Select Email Format.
Step 3. Browse a Location.
Step 4. Click on Start.
How to Delete Folders in Yahoo Mail Web App?
Step 1. Log in to Yahoo Mail.
Step 2. Click on Show if the folders are hidden.
Step 3. Check if there are any messages (you will see a small count bubble if there are any) or subfolders (there will be an arrow to extend the tree view), and clear those deletion restrictions first.
Step 4. Hover your mouse over the Folders option and click the little black arrow.
Step 5. Click on the Delete Folder option from the flyout menu.
Step 6. You will see a green folder deleted alert on your screen, which is the answer for your query on how to delete folders in Yahoo Mail.
However, if you switch to the basic Yahoo Email, then you will be able to delete folders even if they are not empty. So let’s see how it’s done.
Steps to Delete Folders in the Basic/Classic Yahoo Web Mail?
Step 1. Go to your URL and change /d/ to /b/. This switches the UI to the Yahoo Basic edition.
Step 2. Now, check the left side menu pane. There is an Edit option next to the Folders section. Click on it.
Step 3. On the Edit folders page, find the folder you want to get rid of and click on its delete button.
Step 4. Your browser will reload, and you will see a confirmation box. Confirm folder deletion by clicking on OK.
Step 5. You will be taken back to the Edit folders page, where you can see that the folder you deleted has vanished from view.
Now you know the secret way of how to delete folders in Yahoo Mail app directly from the browser. However, the web isn’t the only way people use Yahoo Mail. Yahoo has dedicated apps for both Android and iOS platforms, and the steps to delete folders there are a bit different from what we did on the web version. Let’s cover both platforms one by one, starting off with Apple devices.
Steps to Delete Yahoo folders on iPhone or iPad
Step 1. Launch the Yahoo Mail app on your Apple device.
Step 2. Tap the Inbox icon (little purple icon).
Step 3. Press and hold the folder/subfolder for a few seconds.
Step 4. A Delete pop-up appears; tap on it.
Step 5. Tap OK to confirm.
After this, you might want to know how to delete folders in Yahoo Mail for Android. For the Android app, the steps are slightly different.
How to Delete Folders in Yahoo Mail Android App?
Step 1. Launch the Yahoo Mail app on your mobile.
Step 2. Click on your profile icon.
Step 3. Swipe down until you see the Folders and tap on it.
Step 4. Press and hold the folder/subfolder for a few seconds.
Step 5. A Delete pop-up appears; tap on it.
Step 6. Tap OK to confirm.
Conclusion
Here we saw the various ways of how to delete folders in Yahoo Mail app. From the default Web app to the Basic UI and even the mobile apps (both iOS and Android). Overall, deleting folders is not a difficult process. There are just a few conditions that a user must meet before they start removing them. Plus, if you want to preserve the data within the Yahoo folders, use the automated utility described here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is there a maximum limit on the number of folders I can have in Yahoo before I have to start deleting them?
No, Yahoo does not have a limit on the number of folders you can make. However, it is recommended that you have just enough folders that help you segregate the data efficiently; any more is a waste of space. So, before you face visual glitches and slow UI response, delete the extra folders.
Q. Does deleting folders in Yahoo have any impact on the amount of storage used/available?
No, Folders are just containers; they don’t occupy storage themselves. Their role is to make the Inbox less cluttered by splitting the emails. However, if you also delete the underlying emails with the folders, then of course, you will free up some extra space.
Q. How to Delete Multiple Folders in Yahoo Mail at once?
It is not possible as Yahoo folders have no multi-selection option. Plus, the deletion tab is designed in such a way that only one folder can be removed at a time.
Q. I deleted the wrong Yahoo folder by mistake. Can I reverse the removal?
No, folder removal is permanent. However, it is possible to restore the messages if you are fast enough. Folders, on the other hand, must be recreated from scratch.