How to Delete a List in Trello

You are struggling right now, I get it. Multiple lists and don’t know how to get rid of them.

Apps these days don’t let you use the simple delete button anymore it can get pretty frustrating.

Don’t feel like reading all this? Answer you’re looking for is in the next section.

Learn how to delete an entire list from your Trello workspace

How to Delete a List in Trello.

On the both desktop and mobile move the lists you don’t want to a new board and then close the board to delete it along with Trello cards. 

Desktop: 

Deleting a list using the Trello desktop app only takes a few simple steps:

1. Create a new board in Trello. An unnecessary one.
2. Move the lists you don’t want to the new board you’ve just created.
3. Open your Trello board and click the “Show Menu” icon in the top-right corner of the board you want to delete (it looks like three dots).
4. In the dropdown menu that appears, click “Close board”. This will delete the entire board.
5. A pop-up will ask you to confirm closing the board. Click “Close” to proceed.

You can delete unnecessary lists to keep your Trello workflow uncluttered. Becareful hitting the delete button though. 

Mobile:

On the mobile version it’s a little different. You can just as easily manage lists right from the Trello mobile app:

1. Open the Trello app and create a new board. This will contain all the lists you want to delete.
2. Tap the three dots in the upper right-hand corner of the list you want to delete
3. Select “Move list” and move it to the new board you’ve created.
4. On the new board click the three dots in the top right corner to open the Board Menu.
5. There is another set of three dots. Click that. 
6. Scroll to the bottom and hit “Close Board”.
7. You can now choose “Delete” or “Reopen”. 

With just a few taps, you can delete a list from anywhere using the Trello mobile app for iOS or Android. 

When Should You Delete a Trello List?

Here are some common reasons you may want to delete a list in Trello:

• You have too many lists on your board. Keeping your Trello board simple and clean improves usability. If you have lots of cards, deleting a few unnecessary lists can declutter the board view.
• The list is obsolete. Over time, you may find certain lists are no longer relevant for your current team members or business processes. Deleting old lists helps focus on active workflows.
• You want to archive old data. On boards you don’t use regularly anymore, deleting or archiving lists clears out inactive data while still preserving it for future reference.
• You’re deleting a whole board. When you delete an entire Trello board, all its associated lists and cards are also deleted.
• You created a list accidentally. It’s easy to create a list by mistake. Deleting it cleans up your board.
• A list has too many cards. Lists with hundreds of cards can get disorganized. Moving cards to new lists and then deleting the original may have a similar effect as decluttering.

In general, any list that is distracting, outdated, or unnecessary can be deleted to simplify your Trello boards. Just be careful not to delete lists with important cards and data you still need.

Alternative Options to Deleting Trello Lists

If you don’t want to delete a list entirely, archiving may be a good solution:

• Closed lists remain visible on your board but cannot have new cards added.
• Archived lists are removed from the main board view but can be accessed if needed.
• Lists can be reopened or unarchived later if necessary.

To Archive: 

1. Click the three dots in the top-right corner of the list to view the list menu.

2. Select “Archive this list” to archive lists

3. Click the same three dots to view the archived cards and archived lists.

What Happens When You Delete a Trello List?

When you archive or delete a Trello list, here is what happens to its contents:

• All cards within the list are deleted and removed from the system entirely. 
• Any due dates, checklists, attachments, comments, and other information on those cards is deleted.
• Any labels or members assigned to the deleted cards are removed.
• If the list is archived, it can be restored to reopen the cards.
• But deleting a list permanently erases all of its card data from Trello.

So be very careful when deleting lists with important card information! 

However, keep in mind Trello does have several recovery and backup options:

• Closed lists offer a safety net before permanent deletion.
• The undo button lets you restore just-deleted items.

Tips for Deleting Lists in Trello

Here are some best practices for effectively deleting lists in Trello:

• Review cards before deleting lists to ensure you don’t need the information. Move important cards to other lists first.
• Archive first instead of permanent deletion so you have a backup if needed.
• Take screenshots of lists before deleting them as a precaution.
• Double-check check you are deleting the correct list before confirming.
• Warn team members if deleting a list they use so they aren’t surprised. 
• Delete lists in batches rather than one by one so the board doesn’t get disorganized. 
• Remove members who no longer need access before deleting their lists.

With just a few clicks, you can quickly delete unnecessary Trello lists by closing and then permanently erasing them.

Make sure to archive important data before deletion and be careful not to remove lists you still need. 

Keeping your Trello boards clutter-free improves your team’s workflow and productivity.

But proceed cautiously, as deleted lists cannot easily be recovered.

You can keep your Trello system running smoothly with smart list management and regular backups.