When you set up the built-in Mail app on your Mac, your emails are categorized under default mailboxes like Inbox, Sent, and Flagged. While these mailboxes are helpful, sometimes you need more control over how your emails are sorted.

Thankfully, you can create mailboxes to navigate emails in Apple Mail easier. You can also rename and delete them if you wish. In this guide, we’ll show you how to do all three—create, rename, and delete mailboxes in Apple Mail on your Mac.

Creating a Mailbox in Apple Mail on a Mac

You can create a mailbox in Mail for emails about something—like technology, for example—or you can create a mailbox for emails to or from somebody. Here’s how.

  1. Open the Mail app on your Mac.
  2. Click on Mailbox in the menu bar or Control-click any mailbox in the sidebar, then select New Mailbox.
  3. In the pop-up menu, choose a location for the mailbox. If you choose On My Mac, you can only access the mailbox on your Mac. If you choose an account, like Google or Yahoo, you can access the mailbox on any device that also uses the account. You can also choose an existing mailbox, like Drafts or Trash.
  4. Enter a name for the mailbox, and then click OK.
Screenshot of Mail on macOS

After creating your mailbox, you can then move emails into it by doing the following:

  1. Select the email or emails you want to move, then press Control-click. You can also right-click on a Mac with the right hardware or settings.
  2. Select Move to, and then select the mailbox you created.
Screenshot of Mail on macOS

Alternatively, you can drag and drop the selected emails into your newly created mailbox in the sidebar.

Creating a mailbox is a great way to keep your email organized. However, one downside is that you must manually move your emails into the mailbox. If you’re looking for a way to sort your emails into mailboxes automatically, consider using the Smart Mailboxes feature in the Mail app instead.

Renaming a Mailbox in Apple Mail on a Mac

Want to rename a mailbox in Mail to something cooler, more fun, or something that accurately captures what it’s for? Here’s how.

  1. Open the Mail app on your Mac and click on a mailbox in the sidebar.
  2. Now, click on it again to edit its name. You can also Control-click or right-click it and select Rename Mailbox.
  3. Enter a name for the mailbox.

You can rename any mailbox you create in Mail, but you can’t rename all mailboxes in the app. Default folders can’t be renamed except for Flagged.

Screenshot of Mail on macOS

Deleting a Mailbox in Apple Mail on a Mac

Deleting a mailbox in Mail is a straightforward process. So, follow these simple steps:

  1. Open the Mail app on your Mac and select a mailbox.
  2. Click on Mailbox in your Mac’s menu bar, then select Delete Mailbox. Alternatively, you can Control-click or right-click on a mailbox in the sidebar.
  3. In the pop-up asking you to confirm your choice, click Delete.
Screenshot of Apple Mail in macOS

If you delete a regular mailbox permanently, you’ll lose the mailbox and the contents of the mailbox, including its sub-mailboxes, if any. You cannot undo this action.

If you delete a Smart Mailbox, however, you’ll lose the mailbox but not its contents. As such, you’ll be able to see the emails that were in your Smart Mailbox in their original mailboxes.

Keep Your Emails Organized With Mailboxes

Creating mailboxes for your emails can help you keep your emails organized. You can then categorize your emails by sender or topic to help you locate them easily. Save your work-related emails under a Work mailbox or your party planning-related emails under a Party Planning mailbox.

If you don’t want to create regular mailboxes, you can opt for Smart Mailboxes instead. You won’t have to worry about manually sorting emails again because Smart Mailboxes will do the job for you.