Tired of the unreal unread email count in your Gmail account? Find out here how to mark all mail as read in Gmail and catch up with your messages in one go (using Gmail on web, desktop client and mobile).
First, a Plant with 2 Leaves
In foggy corners of the Namib Desert not too far from the coast, you can find big, green leafy sheets of pasta cooked maybe a wee bit past al dente curled into not too meticulously arranged nests.
This is the famous Welwitschia mirabilis, a plant like no other. The welwitschia nest, which can reach human size, is made up entirely of two leaves that never stop growing.
We know email inboxes and archives never stop growing. Has your Gmail inbox sprouted more than two unread emails, though, and you are not quite sure where? Let’s start marking them read. It’s easy as one-two-:
How to Mark All Email as Read in Gmail
Using Gmail in a Desktop Browser
Time needed: 3 minutes
To mark all email as read using Gmail in a desktop browser:
- Go to the All Mail folder in Gmail.
Gmail Keyboard shortcut: With Gmail keyboards shortcuts enabled, you can press G followed by A.
It’s all mail: Operating on the All Mail folder will mark as read absolutely all messages in Gmail (except those in Trash and Spam). You can open a different folder, of course, to mark as read the messages only in that folder. - Click the Select checkbox (
) in the message list’s header to select all items. Keyboard shortcut: For a quick way to select all emails on the current screen in Gmail, press * A.
- Now click Select all ____ conversations in All Mail.
Just one screenful of mail: You will only see this—and need to click it—if your All Mail folder contains more than one screen full of messages or conversations.
- Click the Mark as read envelope (
) in the message list’s header toolbar. “Mark read” Gmail keyboard shortcut: With keyboard shortcuts enabled, press Shift I to mark read.
In reverse: You can also mark unread in Gmail, of course.
Mark All as Read Using an Email Program
You can also use an email program that connects to Gmail using IMAP or OAuth to mark all messages as read:
- Open the [Gmail]/All Mail folder in the email program.
- Highlight all messages.
- Mark the selected emails as read.
How to Mark All Mail as Read in Gmail: FAQ
Can I mark all in the Gmail app for iOS or Android?
No. The Gmail apps for iOS and Android offer no straightforward way to select many emails at once and no way to mark en masse.
You can, of course, mark individual emails and groups as read in the Gmail apps.
Can I use the mobile browser version of Gmail?
No. Gmail’s mobile version that opens by default in a browser does not allow you to mark all as read either.
You can open the desktop version of Gmail in your mobile browser, of course and mark using the steps above.
Can I mark in bulk using simple HTML Gmail?
No. There is, alas, no uncomplicated way to mark all read in simple HTML Gmail.
You can only select messages manually, and only one screenful at a time while applying the “mark read” action to search results does not work either.
Can I find out which emails are unread before marking them all read in Gmail?
Yes. To find all unread emails in Gmail:
- Click in the Search mail box in Gmail.
Keyboard shortcut: press / to focus the Gmail search field. - Type
is:unread. - Press Enter.
More precise searches: You can combineis:unreadwith other Gmail search operators to restrict the search results, say to a particular week.
Can I not use the “Mark all as read” command in Gmail?
You can use Gmail’s Mark all as read command to mark as read all the messages and conversations you currently see; the command will not, however, go beyond the current page and mark read all messages in the current folder or label.
To quickly mark as read all conversations you currently see in Gmail:
- Click the More menu (three dots) button in the Gmail toolbar.
Gmail keyboard shortcut: You can also press . (period) to open the menu. - Select Mark all as read from the menu that has appeared.
No selecting: You need not check or select any emails before you choose the menu item.
(How to mark all as read in Gmail tested with Gmail in a desktop browser; updated March 2024)