Removing the [Gmail] folder

If you use Gmail, and like me, you have an iPod Touch or an iPhone, then this trick might be useful for you.

Gmail on the iPod Touch uses the IMAP protocol. Fancy name. Basically boils down to the fact that you can sync your read and deleted messages across locations (delete it on your iPod, it’s deleted on the Gmail web interface). However, with IMAP Gmail adds this pesky [Gmail] folder which you can’t click to your list of folders. Any folders that show up on your iPod correspond to labels in your Gmail account, except, of course, for Inbox, Sent, Trash, etc.

To get rid of this [Gmail] folder, do the following.

1.) Rename all of your labels to “[Gmail]/LabelName” (i.e. [Gmail]/Danielle) MAKE SURE you put the “/” in between [Gmail] and the label name

2.) On your iPod go to Settings -> Mail, Contacts, Calendars -> Gmail Account -> Advanced. At the bottom of this screen, change the IMAP Path Prefix to “[Gmail]”.

3.) Reload your Account. I usually just turn it off in Settings and then turn it on again.

Voila! That pesky [Gmail] folder is gone! I know it’s not optimal, since in the web interface all your labels show up with longer names than normal, but for me it was worth it. If it helps someone else out, that’s cool too.

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