How to See Unread Outlook Messages on Windows & Mac

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A quick and easy guide to finding unread messages in Outlook

Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: September 26, 2024 Fact Checked

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Outlook on the Web & New Outlook

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Outlook Classic

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Outlook for Mac

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Outlook 2016

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Outlook 2013

Do you want to see all your unread emails in Outlook quickly? This wikiHow article shows you how to see unread emails in Outlook for Windows, Mac, and on the web. By default, all the unread emails in your inbox have bold text to indicate they haven't been read, and you can easily filter your inbox to show only the messages you haven't read yet.

Quick Steps

Open Outlook or go to https://outlook.com.
Click filter icon and select Unread.
If you don’t see a filter icon, click the Unread tab or select All > Unread Mail.
Click Unread.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Outlook on the Web & New Outlook

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1
Log in to Outlook on the Web or open New Outlook. If you're using Outlook on the web, log in to your account at https://www.outlook.com. If you use New Outlook on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, open it now.
- To find out if you're using New Outlook, open the Outlook app for Windows. If you see "Try the new Outlook" and a toggle switch at the top-right corner, you are using the classic version of Outlook and should use the Outlook Classic method instead.
If you want to see unread Outlook messages in your inbox, click Inbox at the upper-right corner. Otherwise, you can select any folder under "Folders."

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You will see this above the list of messages—look for a funnel-shaped icon made of three horizontal lines.
This filters your Outlook inbox to show only the messages you haven't read yet.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Outlook Classic

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1
Open Outlook Classic for Windows. If you're using Windows 10 or 11, press the Windows key and type outlook. If you see "Outlook Classic," click to select it. If you don't see this option, just click Outlook.
- To make sure you're using the correct version for this method, look at the top-right corner of Outlook when it opens. If you see "Try the new Outlook" and a toggle switch at the top-right corner, you are classic Outlook. If not, see the New Outlook method.
You'll see it above your inbox. This filters your inbox to display messages you haven't read yet.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Outlook for Mac

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This opens a menu containing several options.
2
Go to Filter By and select Unread. When you move your cursor to "Filter By," another menu will open. This displays your unread messages in Microsoft Outlook.
- Alternatively, press Shift + Cmd + O to use a keyboard shortcut to see your unread mail.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Outlook 2016

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1
Open Outlook 2016. If you have Outlook 2016 installed, open it now. This takes you to your inbox.
- To find out if you have Outlook 2016, press the Windows key on your keyboard and type outlook. If you see "Outlook 2016", use this method.
It's above your list of messages. A menu will expand.
This filters the messages in your inbox to show only those which are unread.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Outlook 2013

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1
Open Outlook 2013. If you have Outlook 2013 installed, open it now. This takes you to your inbox.
- To find out if you have Outlook 2013, press the Windows key on your keyboard and type outlook. If you see "Outlook 2013," use this method.
This menu is in the "Find" group on the ribbon at the top of Outlook. A menu will expand.
This filters the messages in your inbox to show only those which are unread.