How to make Gmail automatically mark emails as read
Notifications, receipts and newsletters you never open keep the unread counter high and hide the mail that matters. A Gmail filter can mark them read the moment they arrive.
The built-in way
- Open the email, click the three-dot menu and choose Filter messages like this.
- Check the From and Subject fields Gmail filled in, then click Create filter.
- Tick Mark as read (and Also apply filter to matching conversations), then Create filter.
It works, but you repeat the dialog for every sender, and Gmail often fills in a subject that is too specific to match the next email.
The one-click way: Gmail Filter by Sender & Subject + Mark as Read
Gmail Filter by Sender & Subject + Mark as Read lets you select emails in the inbox, trim the subject to the part that repeats, and create the mark-as-read filter for that sender, or for the sender only, in one click. The filter is a normal Gmail filter, so you can edit it later in Settings.
Add to Chrome, it’s free (opens the Chrome Web Store in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
Will the filter apply to emails I already have?
Yes, if you tick “Also apply filter to matching conversations” in Gmail, existing matching emails are marked read too.
Can I mark as read and skip the inbox?
Yes. In Gmail’s filter options tick both Mark as read and Skip the Inbox (Archive it).
Where do I delete a filter later?
Settings → See all settings → Filters and Blocked Addresses.