How to remove Category icons in iOS 18.2 Mail?

Thank you very much for that info. I was pretty put off by the look, colors, and pointlessness of the icons in the new mail app (along with many other users, apparently) but couldn't get any useful info from Siri on how to either change their color or get rid of them altogether. I assumed that the "show contact photos" button had something to do with the photos of folks in your contacts list being visible when you get emails from them. I never would have guessed that was the way to get rid of those annoying icons! Thanks again👍

While at it, can you completely revert to the old system? I hate having the 3 dots on the outside where you used to hit “select” to mass delete emails by selecting a bunch at once. Now I’m constantly hitting the dumb “categories” option. Who on God’s green earth is their UI/UX designer at Apple anyway?

This bites. I like having the icons of people / businesses I know and have in my contacts. Now I have to get rid of those just because Apple made these dumb categories? Categories should be an option IF you want the annoying thing. Don’t screw with my mailbox where I’m going to miss emails because THEY think this is a great and useful idea. Hardly the case.

Thank you!! Despite the actual setting making no sense whatsoever!!! Apple your woeful…how would the action turn off contact photos remove the silly prissy category icons!?!?!? Oh of course it makes sense. NOT. Thank you for posting this tip, hugely appreciated. Unlike the awful UI in this iOS release. Progressive deceleration of evolution..😱😂

Thanks! What a numbskull idea. Does Apple think its users are such nitwits we can’t even figure out what kinds of emails we get unless they give us cute little icons? Unbelievable…. just focus on the functionality (and pricing ) please and thank you.

Exactly. I’m so sick of Apple controlling my phone. Like you I don’t want any “categories” and having to work out which category Apple have decided my mail should go in. Agree why can’t I keep my personal icons for my main contacts and just remove these dumb symbols. Does anyone actually find them helpful?!

The first problem with the category icons is the very limited number of categories and therefore a very crude allocation which serves no purpose. If it distinguished between an unwanted promotion and confirmation of a delivery timetable for example that would be helpful. And showing photographs where there is an actual image and or where the sender is in your contacts would also be helpful. This would make for a slightly irregular layout with some messages having an icon and some not but that would help you sift the important one.

This looks like the most basic application of AI and whoever allowed this to be released in this ultra simplistic and meaningless format Should be told off (not wishing to resort to hyperbole in public discussion)

Thank you, Rose. Following your instructions I was able to turn to turn off Contact list on my iphone 14 and return to the clean Apple Mail screen I like so much. Thank you Apple Support Community for your help on various issues over time.

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.

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?

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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.

BSBTuba wrote:

At the risk of getting threatened again by the powers-that-be for doing nothing more than telling it like it is, unfortunately it’s pretty clear they don’t care. If they did, a good deal of what they broke or otherwise ruined in 18.x & that millions of people have complained about wouldn’t have happened they’d have been reverted, but until that attitude changes expect more of the same.

Where did you get “millions” I’ve only seen complaints from a few hundred who didn’t read the release notes, out of roughly 500 million who either like the new features or don’t care.

Bertmadison wrote:

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.

Try reading the thread.

It would be one thing if the icons meant anything. But there doesn't seem to be any consistency of how they are applied. Same with categories, they aren't very useful to me. Maybe if we could assign the correct icon to the sender ourselves. But as it is now, it's just useless clutter.

wdvittori wrote:

Should be an option to add, not default. Btw, the categories that were chosen made absolutely no sense at all.

Interesting. They are the same categories gmail forces on you, with no way to opt out.

In general, when Apple adds new features they default them to on, otherwise the 99% of users who never read release notes won’t know those features have been added.