Outlook (365) - mark item as read only AFTER I OPEN the item.

Anonymous
2023-08-23T23:38:26+00:00

PLEASE!!! Only answer this if you have completely UNDERSTOOD my question. I've seen countless threads here where people are asking the same question, but the reply they get is NOT the answer to their question.

Pay Attention!!

Microsoft 365 - Outlook (desktop or web) (NOTE: Not regular Outlook (which was wonderful and powerful), but the %^%$## product from M...365 which looks like it was written for little kids writing to their BFFs or for grandmas).

Mark an item as read ONLY AFTER YOU OPEN IT. Not previewed, but opened. Not replied to, but opened!

Do NOT try to tell me how to keep it from marking it read when I view it in the reading pane, or move selection, or after 5 seconds. I DON"T NEED THAT! Pay Attention!

I need a button (in microsoft 365 outlook) that says to mark as read when item is opened just like I had in the original program (that my office has forced me to get rid of in favor of this mess).

BTW - I tried to post a screenshot (as suggested above) but it doesn't work (surprise!!)

moved from: Outlook / Outlook.com / Settings

Outlook | Web | Outlook on the web for business | Settings

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-03T05:41:15+00:00

    This is extremely frustrating having moved to new Outlook and not able to do this. It is really a basic function and I have no idea why this is no longer available.

    I only want the message to be marked as read once I have opened it. It makes no sense to have a 5 second timer or when you click on the item without opening. If a message is marked as read you will normally not come back to that, unless you have set a follow up task, or marked as unread because you have not completed the task.

    Really frustrating step backwards

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-08-28T18:29:51+00:00

    I gave up on the first day and went back to original Outlook.

    Waiting to either get forced to switch to new one, or for solution to be released.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-08-28T18:00:39+00:00

    OP here.

    Yeah, I've been "settling" for the workaround of Not Marked as Read. The funny thing is that I am using my account on 2 different devices. One of them lets me use the actual Outlook program and the other I have to use the web browser.

    In the regular program, it works exactly as I have always been used to (can read in the viewing pane without it being marked as read, and then marks as read if I double-click it open). The browser version I have set to Not Marked so that I can preview, but if I double-click it, it still doesn't mark as read (which is the annoying part) unless I manually mark it OR if I do a reply.

    It's just annoying that they both can't be set to work the same way.

    Terry (OP)

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-08-28T17:53:41+00:00

    I'm not hopeful on any resolution to the original request... I've switched to New outlook because my old one was performing poorly, so I've adjusted how I mark emails read:

    1. Use the option "Don't automatically mark items as read"
    2. Click on the new email in my inbox
    3. Read it in the Reading pane
    4. Click the thin blue rectangle to the left of the message in the inbox, to mark it read

    This has been working ok for me.

    I have a few other gripes with new oultook functionality now that I've been using it consistently, but I'll be searching the forum for answers on those...

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-08-28T17:36:58+00:00

    I am with the OP. I want Microsoft to put Outlook back to the way it was = Mark an item as read only AFTER I OPEN the item. Or at least provide an option to get us back to the way it was.

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