How to remove Category icons in iOS 18.2 Mail?

Ok I found a way around it. My iPhone was set to German language then you will not see the above explained option. You have to set your phone to English toggle off “show contact photos” and then back to German and those icons will disappear.

MrIVXX wrote:

Thank you for this solution.

Apple PLEASE stop introducing “features” I do not want. If anything, let people “opt in” to them instead of enabling them by default and forcing all users to scramble to disable. Please.

The problem with that is if Apple didn’t default new features to ON only the 1% of users who read the release notes would know they were there. At least you CAN turn them on or off, unlike Gmail where thy are always on.

I’m NOT a fan of the new category icons. I did like having my contacts photos/avatars in my correspondence; it’s a shame Apple had to go and mess this all up. Maybe they will fix it in the next update? Doubt it, but we can hope.

2tattered wrote:

Thank you so much! I hated those stupid icons.

Oh, the Irony! Users have complained for years that Apple dictates how everything should work, and doesn’t give users the option of customization. So with iOS 18 Apple added customization options to a bunch of apps, and now people complain that options are bad. You just can’t win.

Why do these companies insist on putting “features” that nobody asked for into apps?

Desperate to keep relevance and change for the sake of change.

Companies need to realize apps are just tools. The apps become irritating and non functional if the interface and controls keep changing.

Microsoft also likes added features we didn’t ask like forcing Copilot onto Outlook and there is no way to get rid of it.

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.

MrIVXX wrote:

Apple PLEASE stop introducing “features” I do not want. If anything, let people “opt in” to them instead of enabling them by default and forcing all users to scramble to disable. Please.

Has it occurred to you that they may be features that other people want or like? That your needs are not the only ones that Apple considers?

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. If you want them to know your thoughts, you can use the feedback page:

Product Feedback - Apple

Indeed. And no off button is simply bad UI and UX…most of iOS update sucks and takes so long to reload and reminded it’s just painfully bloated crap with zingy icons from TikTok. Meh.

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

I hate the new color icons before my emails. How can I get rid of them without loosing the photo I have in my contacts?

I HATE the new icons. I want to remove them BUT I DONT WANT TO LOSS MY PHOTOS. I worked hard to get photos in my contacts. Any one know how to loose the icons without loosing the photos.

I want to remove those new icons in mail. NOT needed. VERY annoying

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.

Thanks. What’s waste if screen real estate on a little a phone screen. Wish they’d stop trying to “improve” things!