Feature request: Delete labels

LexGear commented

2026-02-20 01:00:42 +01:00

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Would like the ability to delete labels. Currently if a label is used, then deleted, it still remains in your labels list forever. This is causing lots of issues for me at the moment when trying to filter "high priority" issues and "High Priority" issues.

### Comment Would like the ability to delete labels. Currently if a label is used, then deleted, it still remains in your labels list forever. This is causing lots of issues for me at the moment when trying to filter "high priority" issues and "High Priority" issues.

Screenshot from 2026-02-20 11-00-31.png

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mahlzahn commented

2026-02-20 09:14:31 +01:00

Member

Hi @LexGear, I wasn't able to reproduce the issue on the next developer version of Forgejo: https://v15.next.forgejo.org/mahlzahn2/test-delete-labels/labels, here removing the help wanted label:

issue before	label list before	label list after deletion	issue after

Hi @LexGear, I wasn't able to reproduce the issue on the next developer version of Forgejo: https://v15.next.forgejo.org/mahlzahn2/test-delete-labels/labels, here removing the `help wanted` label: issue before|label list before|label list after deletion|issue after ---|---|---|--- ![Screenshot_20260220-090714](/attachments/c865f2a2-8fce-49b6-857e-80db07c02dcb)|![Screenshot_20260220-090733](/attachments/95be9111-a11a-4fcf-ba46-9d04475ec73c)|![Screenshot_20260220-090753](/attachments/fb644687-8976-4e7e-a26a-ed6e1890eaac)|![Screenshot_20260220-090808](/attachments/9dd17cfe-8144-49b3-a124-2c39374a23de)

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LexGear commented

2026-02-20 10:52:46 +01:00

Author

For a moment I was puzzled. But then I remembered an extra step that is probably required to help replicate.

If you add the label that is to be deleted to an issue. And then even if the issue is closed or the label is removed from the issue, then, and only then should the label be undeletedable. I think its because the label is still referenced in the issues update history.

For a moment I was puzzled. But then I remembered an extra step that is probably required to help replicate. If you add the label that is to be deleted to an issue. And then even if the issue is closed or the label is removed from the issue, then, and only then should the label be undeletedable. I think its because the label is still referenced in the issues update history.

mahlzahn commented

2026-02-20 10:58:57 +01:00

Member

I tried also as you suggested, but again I could delete the label won't fix

issue before label deletion	issue after label deletion

I tried also as you suggested, but again I could delete the label `won't fix` issue before label deletion|issue after label deletion ---|--- ![Screenshot_20260220-105649](/attachments/605cdcbd-7376-4ff0-b743-0407248304cb)|![Screenshot_20260220-105726](/attachments/d087df18-bea8-4316-a10e-4a87051e2f40)

Screenshot_20260220-105649.png

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LexGear commented

2026-02-21 02:35:40 +01:00

Author

Interesting... is my migrated (gitlab) repo simply bugged or something?

mahlzahn commented

2026-02-21 08:23:03 +01:00

Member

Maybe? But we'd need some reproducer to tackle the issue.

To your original problem: Can you at least archive the label? Then it also shouldn't show up in the label selectors.

Maybe? But we'd need some reproducer to tackle the issue. To your original problem: Can you at least archive the label? Then it also shouldn't show up in the label selectors.

LexGear commented

2026-02-23 00:33:38 +01:00

Author

How does one archive a label?

mahlzahn commented

2026-02-23 09:37:52 +01:00

Member

Please find all instructions concerning labels here: https://forgejo.org/docs/latest/user/labels/

LexGear commented

2026-02-24 05:56:23 +01:00

Author

Interesting. Yes, this is what I did initially, though instead of Archive I "Deleted" which gave me the message that it would remove the label from all issues. It didn't remove the label from the issues but it did remove the label from the label list under the settings menu and now the label is "undeletable".

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Feature request: Delete labels #2394

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