Can I mark all as read on my phone?

Not in one step like on a computer. The phone app lets you select emails one by one; for hundreds at once, use Gmail in a browser.

Does marking as read delete anything?

No. The emails stay where they are. Only their unread status changes.

Gmail shows an Undo option straight after a bulk action. Later, search for the emails and choose Mark as unread.

Can new emails be marked as read automatically?

Yes. Create a filter for the sender or subject and choose Mark as read, so matching emails never show as unread.

Gmail guide

How to mark all emails as read in Gmail

22 October 2026 · 1 min task · Tested

By Elias Brandt

Elias Brandt writes about marketing, email and analytics tools for Appcyclopedia, working on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 and a Galaxy S25.

Short answer

On a computer, type is:unread in the Gmail search box and press Enter. Tick the select-all box above the list, then click Select all conversations that match this search. Click Mark as read. Every unread email turns read, however many pages there are.

The tick box alone is not enough: it selects only the emails on the current page. The link that appears after you tick it is what selects the rest.

Below: the steps, marking only the inbox, and why this is easier on a computer than a phone.

How to clear unread emails in Gmail in one go

To mark all emails as read in Gmail, search for the unread ones first, then select them all. The steps use Gmail in a browser, where selecting everything at once is possible.

Find the unread emails

Search for is:unread

Open Gmail in a browser. In the search box at the top, type is:unread and press Enter. Gmail lists every unread conversation in your account.
Narrow it to the inbox if you want

To leave unread emails in other labels untouched, search is:unread in:inbox instead. Add category:promotions or a label name to narrow it further.
Select and mark them

Tick the select-all box above the list

Tick the box at the top left of the email list. This selects only the conversations on the current page, usually 50.
Click Select all conversations that match this search

A line appears above the list saying how many are selected, with a link to Select all conversations that match this search. Click it to select every result, on every page.
Click Mark as read

Click Mark as read, the open envelope icon above the list, or find it under More. Gmail may ask you to confirm a bulk action; select OK. All the selected emails turn read.

Back from two weeks off with 600 unread newsletters and notifications: search is:unread in:inbox, tick the select-all box, click Select all conversations that match this search and Mark as read. The unread count drops to zero in seconds.

Search first, then select all: the search makes sure you only touch the emails you mean to, and Select all reaches past the first page.

More about Gmail

Google’s free email service, included with every Google Account.

Read Gmail’s profile →

If Gmail does not mark everything as read

Only the first page was marked read: You ticked the box but did not click Select all conversations that match this search. Search again, tick the box and click the link before marking.
There is no Select all conversations link: The link appears only when there are more results than fit on one page. If everything fits, the tick box has already selected them all.
The unread count is still above zero: Large mailboxes can take a moment to update. Refresh the page. If the count persists, search is:unread again and repeat for what is left.

Useful searches before marking as read

The search decides which emails you change. These cover the common cases.

Search	Marks as read
is:unread	Every unread email in your account
is:unread in:inbox	Only unread emails in the inbox
is:unread category:promotions	Unread promotions only
is:unread older_than:30d	Unread emails more than a month old

Start with is:unread in:inbox: it clears what you see without touching labels you may still want to read.

Why this works best on a computer

Gmail in a browser has Select all conversations that match this search, which reaches every result at once. The phone apps have no equivalent, so you would have to select emails one screen at a time. For a big clear-out, a computer saves a lot of tapping.

What to do after clearing your unread emails

With the count at zero, keep it there by dealing with newsletters before they pile up: unsubscribe, block, or filter them.

Search is:unread, tick the box, click Select all conversations and Mark as read. To stop a sender filling the inbox again, the guide to blocking someone on Gmail covers it.

Marking Gmail as read: what people ask

Can I mark all as read on my phone?: Not in one step like on a computer. The phone app lets you select emails one by one; for hundreds at once, use Gmail in a browser.
Does marking as read delete anything?: No. The emails stay where they are. Only their unread status changes.
Can I undo it?: Gmail shows an Undo option straight after a bulk action. Later, search for the emails and choose Mark as unread.
Can new emails be marked as read automatically?: Yes. Create a filter for the sender or subject and choose Mark as read, so matching emails never show as unread.

Share this guide

Was this guide helpful?

Test log

Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.

Worked Every step, start to finish · Marta Kowalczyk Team 20 October 2026

I tested this

Steps performed and confirmed 20 October 2026 2 days ago

When you need this

When hundreds of unread emails clutter Gmail, search for is:unread, select every result and mark them as read at once. It works best in a browser on a computer.

Describes: Gmail in a browser on a computer
Takes: Under a minute, plus a few seconds for large mailboxes
Platforms: Web
Published: 22 October 2026
Facts checked: 10 October 2026

Steps repeated and verified by Marta Kowalczyk on 20 October 2026