In the new outlook the unread emails remain unread after I read them.

Question

I can remove the unread emails by reading them, hard to keep track of emails.

Answer 1

Dear @Valderrama, Wally,

I understand how inconvenient that is when unread messages stay unread and makes it hard to track what you’ve already handled. According to my research, this behavior is usually caused by a message handling setting. For reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5627117/outlook-new-emails-remain-unread-after-i-read-them

Therefore, here are some steps I recommend you check and try again:

Option 1: Change message handling settings

Step 1: Open New Outlook > Go to Settings

Step 2: Mail > Message handling > Under Mark as read, choose one of the automatic options here:

Step 3: Uncheck: Always keep items unread unless I explicitly mark them as read

Step 4: Close Settings and restart Outlook

Option 2: If Settings doesn’t apply, please run Quick Repair or Online Repair via:

Control Panel > Programs > Microsoft Office > Change > Quick Repair (or Online Repair if needed)

Or you can also perform the Office/Outlook repair directly from Windows Settings. Please try the following:

1/ Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Find Microsoft 365 (or Microsoft Office) > Click the three dots (…) next to it > Modify > Select Quick Repair and complete the process. Restart your computer and open Outlook again.

If the issue persists, you can repeat the steps and choose Online Repair instead. For reference: Repair an Office application

2/ Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Find Outlook > Click the three dots (…) next to it > Advanced options > Select Repair and complete the process. Restart your computer and open Outlook again.

If the issue still persists, could you please confirm these questions below to help me diagnose the issue more effectively: 

• Does the same behavior occur when you access your mailbox via Outlook on the web?
• Are you using a work/school account or a personal Microsoft account?
• Does this affect multiple devices, or only this specific computer?

Note: Please understand that as a forum moderator, my role is to provide general guidance and troubleshooting support. I don’t have access to internal systems or backend tools, and I appreciate your understanding of these limits.

I hope the information shared helps point you in the right direction. Please try the steps above and let me know if they work. If not, we can continue working together to narrow this down.

The first response may not always resolve the issue right away, but with your help and more details, we can work toward a solution.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'm looking forward for your reply.

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Answer 2

If unread emails in the new Outlook remain marked as unread even after you have read them, this behavior may be due to a known issue. Unfortunately, there is no specific mention in the provided context about a fix for this particular problem. However, it is advisable to ensure that your Outlook is updated to the latest version, as updates often include bug fixes and improvements that could resolve such issues.

If the problem persists, you may want to consider reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance or checking the official Microsoft forums for any updates regarding this issue.

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References:

• You can't remove a calendar item or an email message in Outlook in Microsoft 365
• Outlook Favourite name missing - Microsoft Q&A