How to Mark All Emails as Read ( Gmail & Outlook)

A cluttered inbox can make it hard to focus. Whether you’re managing work messages or personal correspondence, knowing how to mark all emails as read helps you reset your inbox without losing track of important content.

You don’t need technical expertise to clean up your email. Most platforms offer built-in tools to select multiple emails at once or apply filters.

This guide will show you how to mark all emails as read across different platforms, including Gmail and Outlook. You’ll also learn how to handle bulk emails efficiently.

How to Mark All Emails as Read on Gmail

You can mark all unread emails as read in Gmail using these steps:

On Mobile Apps or Web

1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Tap and hold an unread email to select it. Make the process faster by typing “is:unread” into the search bar to filter read messages.
3. Click the checkbox above your email list to select the first 50 emails. If you want to select more than 50 emails, scroll through the page until the “select all” box becomes clickable again. Repeat this until you grab everything.
4. Click the “Mark as read” icon (an envelope) in the toolbar.

On Desktop

It’s easier to mark all emails as read on your PC browser or using the desktop mode feature on your browser because it gives the option to select all mail in a particular category (primary, promotion, etc.)

1. Open Gmail in your browser (mail.google.com)
2. Click the Select all checkbox at the top left (this selects the first 50 emails).
3. Click “Select all conversations in Primary, Promotion, Social, Updates” (appears above the email list).
4. Click the Envelope icon (Mark as Read) at the top.

 

Tip: If the Envelope icon has a dot above it then it means the mail is unread but if it is open then it means the mail has been marked as read.

How to Mark All Emails as Read on Outlook

On Mobile

1. Open the Outlook mail
2. Tap and hold an unread email to select it
3. Tap Select All (Tap the three-dot menu (top right) and choose “Select All”) or manually select emails.
4. Again, tap the three-dot menu (top right) and choose Mark as Read.

On Desktop/Web

1. Login to your mail on the Outlook web (Outlook.live.com)
2. Tap the profile icon next to an unread email to select it.
3. A “select all” option will appear at the top left corner of the screen.
4. Click on the Envelope icon at the bottom to toggle as “Read” or “Unread”

How Do I Mark Thousands of Emails as Read?

If you have thousands of unread emails, marking them all as read depends on the platform.

1. Gmail: Use the is:unread search, select all conversations, and mark them as read.
2. Outlook: Filter by unread, select all and mark as read.
3. Bulk Selection: Some email clients limit selection to 50 or 100 at a time. Scroll down and repeat the selection process.
4. Third-Party Tools: Email cleaning apps like Clean Email, Unroll.Me, and Mailstrom can help manage large email volumes.

How Do I Mark All Emails on My iPhone as Read?

1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Tap and hold one email to select it.
3. Tap Select All.
4. Click on the Envelope icon to mark as read.

How Do I Mass Mark as Read in Outlook?

• Open Outlook.
• Click Filter > Unread.
• Click Select All
• Click Mark as Read.

How Do I Select More Than 50 Emails in Gmail?

By default, Gmail selects only 50 emails at a time. To select more:

1. Check the box above your emails to select the first 50.
2. Scroll down until new emails load.
3. Click “Select all conversations” at the top.
4. Repeat until all desired emails are selected.

Note: Gmail limits selections to 50 emails per page on mobile. Use a desktop browser for larger batches.

Using Email Cleaning Tools

For faster email management, consider using Clean Email or Mailstrom, etc.

These tools let you:

• Mark thousands of emails as read in one click.
• Automatically filter and organize messages.
• Unsubscribe from spam and unwanted newsletters, etc.

How They Work

• Connect your email account to the tool.
• Use bulk actions to delete, archive, or mark emails as read.
• Set up automation for future emails.

Some features are free, but full functionality may require a paid upgrade. Always check their terms of service before use.

Learning to mark all emails as read saves time and reduces inbox stress. Each platform has its method, but most rely on bulk selection tools or keyboard shortcuts.

For massive email volumes, consider plugins like Clean Email to automate the process. Always review third-party app permissions before granting access.