That unread count isn’t going to clear itself. Whether you’re staring down 847 unread emails or just want a clean slate, here’s exactly how to mark all emails as read in Gmail — on desktop, iPhone, and Android.
- Desktop — search
is:unread, select all, click the mark as read icon - Gmail app (iPhone & Android) — tap the sender's profile image, select all, mark as read
- Apple Mail (iPhone) — tap Edit → Mark All → Mark as Read
- Automatically — set up a Gmail filter to mark incoming emails as read
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- How to Mark All Emails as Read in Gmail on Desktop
- How to Mark All Emails as Read in the Gmail App
- How to Automatically Mark Emails as Read in Gmail
- How to Mark a Single or Multiple Emails as Read
Sounds good? Then let’s dive in.
How to Mark All Emails as Read in Gmail on Desktop
Using the Search Bar
The fastest and most reliable method. Works for any number of emails.
- Open Gmail in your browser.
- In the search bar, type
is:unreadand press Enter.
- Click the Select All checkbox in the top-left of the email list.
- Click Select all conversations that match this search — the blue link that appears above your email list.
- Click the Mark as read button (the open envelope icon in the toolbar). If you don’t see the envelope icon, click the three vertical dots in the toolbar and select Mark as read from the dropdown.
And voilà — all your unread emails are now marked as read.
Using the Select Dropdown
If the search method doesn’t work for you, here’s an alternative using Gmail’s select dropdown.
- Click the downward arrow next to the checkbox below the Gmail search bar.
- Select Unread.
- Click Mark as read.
All done.
How to Mark All Emails as Read in the Gmail App
The Gmail app supports marking emails as read in bulk on both iPhone and Android.
On iPhone
- Open the Gmail app on your iPhone.
- Tap the sender’s profile image on the left of a message to select it.
- At the top left, tap the box next to Select all.
- Tap Mark as read at the top right.
On Android
- Open the Gmail app on your Android device.
- Tap the sender’s profile image on the left of a message to select it.
- At the top left, tap the box next to Select all.
- Tap Mark as read at the top right.
Using Apple Mail
If your Gmail account is connected to Apple Mail:
- Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
- Go to your inbox or the folder with unread emails.
- Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
- Tap Mark All at the bottom-left of the screen.
- Select Mark as Read.
And voilà. Apple Mail syncs the changes back to Gmail automatically via IMAP — so your unread count clears in Gmail too.
How to Automatically Mark Emails as Read in Gmail
Don’t want to repeat this process every time? Set up a Gmail filter to automatically mark certain incoming emails as read — useful for newsletters, notifications, or any recurring messages you don’t need to actively track.
- Open Gmail and click the Show search options icon in the search bar.
- In the To field, enter your email address (to catch all incoming mail), or use the From field to target a specific sender.
- Click Create filter.
- Check Mark as read.
- Click Create filter.
From now on, any email matching that criteria will arrive already marked as read.
How to Mark a Single or Multiple Emails as Read
Mark a Single Email as Read
- In your inbox, select the email by checking the box next to it.
- Click the Mark as read icon (open envelope) in the toolbar.
And voilà — the email is marked as read without opening it.
Mark Multiple Emails as Read (Up to 50)
- Check the boxes next to the emails you want to mark as read.
- Click Mark as read in the toolbar.
This marks up to 50 emails at once — one full page. For more, use the “select all conversations” method described at the top of this guide.
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FAQs
How Do I Mark All Emails as Read in Gmail?
On desktop: search is:unread, select all, click Select all conversations that match this search, then click the mark as read icon. On mobile: tap the sender’s profile image in the Gmail app to select it, tap Select all, then tap Mark as read.
How Do I Mark All Emails as Read in the Gmail App on iPhone?
Open the Gmail app, tap the sender’s profile image to select a message, tap Select all at the top left, then tap Mark as read at the top right. Alternatively, if your Gmail is connected to Apple Mail, open the Mail app, tap Edit → Mark All → Mark as Read — changes sync back to Gmail automatically.
How Do I Mark All Emails as Read in Gmail on Android?
Open the Gmail app, tap the sender’s profile image to select a message, then tap Select all at the top left. Tap Mark as read at the top right. For very large inboxes, switch to desktop Gmail for faster batch processing.
Can I Mark More Than 1,000 Emails as Read in Gmail?
Yes. On desktop, search is:unread, select all visible emails, then click Select all conversations that match this search — this selects your entire unread inbox regardless of size. Gmail processes the batch in the background and may take a minute or two for very large inboxes.
Does Marking Emails as Read Delete Them?
No. Marking emails as read only removes the unread status. Emails stay exactly where they are — nothing is deleted, archived, or moved.
How Do I Mark All Emails as Read in a Specific Gmail Folder?
Search label:promotions is:unread (replacing “promotions” with your label name), then select all and mark as read. This targets only that folder without affecting the rest of your inbox. See our guide on how Gmail folders and labels work
Can I Automatically Mark Emails as Read in Gmail?
Yes. Set up a Gmail filter: click Show search options, enter your criteria, click Create filter, check Mark as read, and click Create filter again. Any matching email will arrive pre-read.
How Do I Find All My Unread Emails in Gmail?
Type is:unread in the Gmail search bar and press Enter. Gmail shows every unread email across your entire inbox. See our guide on how to find unread emails in Gmail for more ways to filter them.
How Do I Mark Emails as Unread Again in Gmail?
Select the emails you want to mark as unread, then click the Mark as unread icon (closed envelope) in the toolbar. On mobile, tap the sender’s profile image to select, then choose Mark as unread from the menu.
What’s the Difference Between Marking as Read and Archiving?
Marking as read removes the unread status but leaves the email in your inbox. Archiving removes it from your inbox entirely (but keeps it in All Mail). For a clean inbox, combining both is most effective — see our guide on how to select all emails in Gmail to do both in bulk.
