How to remove Category icons in iOS 18.2 Mail?

Hello, _leefy!

With 18.2 introduction of category inboxes in apple mail, even when selecting list view (top three dots in mail app) to return it to the old format, you still have the annoying new icons representing the categories in front of each email. I'm selecting 'list view' because I don't want to use 'categories' at all. Can the icons be removed from list view so that I can just see a normal/clean email inbox?

If you are referring to categories, you can turn them off by going to the Inbox view in Mail, then tapping the button on the top right of the screen:

Then, choose List View.

Reference: Use categories in Mail on iPhone - Apple Support

If you are referring to the contact photos, you can do what rosefromulster said and go to Settings > Apps > Mail and go to Message List, then switch Show Contact Photos off.

I hope this helps!

EJH04 wrote:

Hate category inboxes on Apple Mail! How to get rid of it permanently or do I have find another mail service?

You don't have to choose a different email provider, just a different email app. I've never liked the Apple Mail app. I've been using Spark by Readdle for years. I suspect it wouldn't be the one for you, though, as you don't like categories. But there are lots out there. Lots of people like Outlook.

If you take a few minutes to read the thread you posted to you can learn how to customize the Mail app. A feature that has been requested for a very long time. Or just read the release notes→What’s new in iOS 18 - Apple Support

Mountain_Woman wrote:

I was commenting on a post where the writer wondered if any beta testing was being done. I’m very happy to hear that what the Apple employee told me is nonsense!! Thank you for setting the record straight. 

Back to the matter at hand… I also see no point in the annoying icons in the list view and less of a reason for the icons to be in the individual emails. And maybe in the small print somewhere it says that Apple has the right to dig around in my email, but I’m feeling like my privacy has been violated since an AI agent/program had to dig around in my emails in order to decide what stupid icon to attach to each email. 

Apple is not “digging around in your email”. The icons that appear are avatars of the contacts that sent you email or are derived by interpreting words in the subject of the message.

And, if you read the top-rated post at the top of this very page you will see how to turn off the avatars if you don’t want them.

DrBevP wrote:

My iPhone has divided my emails into categories. I am loosing important info as a result. How do I get back my emails without categories?

Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select List view.

haghop wrote:

Thanks for the useful info. That has fixed the icon issue next to each email in my inbox list.

However, when I open an email the category icons still appear next to the From: To: and Reply To: fields, do you happen to know how to disable that as well?

To turn off message categories, on any inbox tap the ⋯⃝ in the upper right, then tap List View.

I realize that with 14 pages of replies it is easy to miss the solution that has been posted dozens of times, so here it is again:

To remove the icons in the list view:

• Open Settings
• Tap Apps
• Tap Mail
• Turn off Show Contact Photos
• Optionally, turn off Summarize Message Previews

To turn off Categories:

• Open the Mail app
• Tap on an inbox
• Tap on ⋯⃝ in the upper right 
• Tap to check List View

These 2 steps will return the Mail app to the way it previously worked.

This has already been posted dozens of times in this thread, but to save you the trouble of looking for it:

To remove the icons in the list view:

• Open Settings
• Tap Apps
• Tap Mail
• Turn off Show Contact Photos (in the Message List block)
• Optionally, turn off Summarize Message Previews

To turn off Categories:

• Open the Mail app
• Tap on each Inbox
• Tap on ⋯⃝ in the upper right 
• Tap to check List View

These 2 steps will return the Mail app to the way it previously worked.

Open the Mail app like normal. Click the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner. Then click “list view”. This will remove the annoying categories.

M5mfx wrote:

There is no ‘Message List’

• Open mail
• Tap on an email account
• Look at the upper right for this: ⋯⃝
• Tap on it
• Tap on List View

Yes, you are missing something: the Top Ranking Reply at the top of every page in this thread.

Yes you do, if you look in the right place. Read rosefromulster’s post carefully.

1. Open the Settings
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Apps
3. Choose Mail.
4. Turn off Show Contact Photos
5. 
6. Under “Message List,” turn off Show Contact Photos.

Yeah me too.

"Can the icons be removed from list view so that I can just see a normal/clean email inbox?"

I have my own categorising system which works better so the icons in list view are just wasting space on my iPhone screen.

I think the Category view is a good thing for some people but for _leefy and me any new display feature like this needs to have an "off" button.

Who thinks of this stuff? Does Apple ever run Beta testing with actual people? I think not. The only vaguely positive concept with the new email categories is the choice between Primary and All Mail. But then I have to try to ignore the shopping cart, promotions and the like. I will just go back to the pre ios 18.2 view.