How to set "Unread" as the default inbox filter in Outlook, and still be able to view Read messages

Anonymous
2022-10-26T16:51:20+00:00

Another article describes setting the default filter in Outlook to Unread under View Settings. I did this and found that after doing so, I was no longer able to view Read messages, they just didn't appear in the inbox after setting the Inbox filter to All.

What I'm looking for is a setting that will make Unread the default filter setting, but still allow me to see Read messages when switching the filter to All or Read. Does this setting exist?

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-01-23T19:42:29+00:00

    I've read only the first page of folks' responses. We all seem to agree the lack of an Unread view by default in Outlook is, as one person put it, #annoying. I cannot stress how important Unread is to my workflow. It needs to be the first thing I see when I open Outlook every time. I will not double click into Filter and Unread for every new session. I will not create a Favorites/Unread and select Unread every time. I need it as a default.

    You have rich qualitative evidence of how deeply frustrating and painful this is for users (Todd_Maddex, you can imagine pounding at the keyboard, "I WISH THERE WAS A WAY TO START HERE," for example, or Chad Cedotal, who says, "I wonder if our pleas for help are being heard?"). Perhaps the immense volume of qualitative evidence is not enough. Let's quantify. Let's say I check my email twice every hour in a workday. Then, I have about 15 sessions a day (a modest estimate), that's 30 clicks per day. That's 150 clicks per week. I need it to be 0.

    Please prioritize this feature.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-10-17T21:31:02+00:00

    This is a must. Why improve a product when you take away a simple yet very useful feature like a default to see unread emails only ? Please fix this!

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-23T15:29:26+00:00

    As of December 2023:

    In Webmail...

    1. Scroll down folder list to Create Search Folders
    2. Right click and choose Create new search folder
    3. Under Select a search folder, choose Unread Mail
    4. Name it Unread mail
    5. Right Click the new Unread Mail folder, and choose Add to Favorites
    6. I WISH THERE WAS A WAY TO START HERE but at least it's quicker than going to filter and selecting unread.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-11-28T16:48:46+00:00

    Expanding under my email name, I see all the default folders as well as other folders I have created.

    I see a Search folder, right click and "Create new search folder"

    Choose Unread mail and give it a name.

    After that, right click on new search folder and "Add to Favorites. Mine says Remove because I've already added it.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-07-28T22:51:18+00:00

    Microsoft, please fix this. It is available in Windows. Why not in Mac?

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