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how do I mark a read message as unread again? or mark it manually if auto toggled off?

  • 14 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 317 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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I want to make some of them "unread" again to remind me to get back to them. Don't always want to Tag them with a color code.

When I turn OFF the "automatically mark msg as read" toggle in Preferences, how do I manually mark them as read?

I want to make some of them "unread" again to remind me to get back to them. Don't always want to Tag them with a color code. When I turn OFF the "automatically mark msg as read" toggle in Preferences, how do I manually mark them as read?

Chosen solution

You hovered over the column header button and indeed indeed the pop-up tells you what that button does.

Any of the actual icons next to an icon may also have an action too. So you can toggle read status, or the junk status. You can collapse and expand threads.

For heaven's sake, explore, experiment. Try right-click too.

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All Replies (14)

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OK found it under "Other Actions" which is obscured by being in small type, only on the message itself, and not surrounded by the usual "box" which indicates a clickable link.

Its REALLY REALLY ANNOYING that controls are scattered all over my screen instead of all being in the Menu Bar.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for: other actions / mark as unread

and if not how do I use the KeyConfig add-on to create one? I'd like to make TB use the same keys as I have used for over 20 years in Eudora. The logic of the use of ">" is not obvious

And how do I "move" the "mark as unread" action into being a button on the Menu Bar ?

Modified by VerizonSucks

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in the e-mail list (e.g. inbox) you could mark an e-mail as unread by simply clicking on the dot next to the subject of an e-mail. This will mark the e-mail as read or unread. If you can't see the dot I mentioned , your columns may be arranged differently that mine and have to be customized. see also this within the e-mail itself you may press keys in the following order. Unfortunately I've only german menu language on the TB. So these charakters will be definatly different with english localisation alt+n , m , u the first will open the menu, the second the mark submenu and the third will mark the highlighted message as unread a quick internet search resulted in alt + m , k , the third one I don`t know (maybe also u). But I`m sure you'll find that out your self. At first this sounds complicated, but really, you would hit only 3 key and you probaly get a routine (especially if you can type fast on the keyboard)

of course a direct shortcut would be the quickest ways, but unfortunately I can't help on that.

Modified by hermann-san

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>you could mark an e-mail as unread by simply clicking on the dot next to the subject of an e-mail. >

Sorry I cannot identify any column as having that function. Each column pops up a description of its function when I hover the pointer over it. None have the function of toggling read/unread.

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There is a read/unread column on every version of TB I have ever used.

You can toggle read/unread status by clicking the dot alongside the message. Here all are read except the sole green dotted message.

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Ways to mark as unread:

unopened or opened:

  • right click on email in list and select : Mark > as Unread

on opened email:

  • click on 'Other Actions' > 'mark as unread'
  • Message > Mark > As Unread

Shortcut key on English version:

  • select email in list or if alreadu opened: click on M key

click M key again to mark as read - like a toggle read/unread

I also had one folder which did not display the column as described by Zenos. You can enable this.

right click on far right header column icon, and select 'Reset columns to default'. This should show the column. See image:

  • then click on small dot icon adjacent to the email.

Modified by Toad-Hall

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>then click on small dot icon adjacent to the email.

No, that will simply SORT the index by read/unread.

OK this works, thanks. (Odd choice of key, why not T for toggle etc...) : >Shortcut key on English version: >select email in list or if alreadu opened: click on M key

So TB has commands that don't require invocation via Cmd- or Ctrl- or Alt-  ???

Using the "don't mark read until (time) elapsed" won't work either because when you exit one email, TB always brings up the next one; which would mark THAT message instead.

I have a trackpad so "right" or "middle" clicking is not applicable. Tapping & double tapping are doable, or Gestures. TB seems not to have much design for trackpads yet.

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re: >then click on small dot icon adjacent to the email. No, that will simply SORT the index by read/unread.

To Sort by unread, you have to click on the column header, which looks like a pair of sunglasses. Clicking on the individual email dot does not sort.

re Trackpad. It is not Thunderbird, you need to set up the options in Trackpad. Try this info it may help :)

Modified by Toad-Hall

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>then click on small dot icon adjacent to the email. No, that will simply SORT the index by read/unread.

Ahem!

Did you even try this? You appear to have decided what the outcome "will" be, whereas I actually USE this and I know what it does.

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When the instructions I see on the screen differ -- that this column is for SORTING -- I'm not going to click on it. I am still learning this app and I don't want to get completely lost by doing something I don't want to do and maybe don't know how to un-do. I do that enough accidentally already.

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Chosen Solution

You hovered over the column header button and indeed indeed the pop-up tells you what that button does.

Any of the actual icons next to an icon may also have an action too. So you can toggle read status, or the junk status. You can collapse and expand threads.

For heaven's sake, explore, experiment. Try right-click too.

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Any of the columns in the list of messages for a mailbox can be removed, permanently, in a customization mode (right-click any column header). And there are lots more kinds of columns that can be added. And the columns can be moved (dragged) to change their order. And the column widths can be changed by dragging.

But, unfortunately, if you want such changes done identically for a large subset of the mailboxes, there is no way to automate this (unless you want to try using a macro program to record and playback your mouse clicks in each mailbox display). And there is no known way to make such properties inherit, or be global.

It might be possible to edit the properties (preferences) file and copy the properties from one mailbox to others, but that is beyond my knowledge.

Hope this helps the person who could not find the "dot" column. It was probably removed manually by a user.

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Thanks for the hints people. Riddle me this: in the Mac trackpad Prefs, it has terms I don't understand:

SECONDARY CLICK and SECONDARY TAP

How do I translate that into what I do on my keyboard: Cmd-Click Option-Click Ctrl-Click

And which of these terms are synonymous with Mouse-Speak phrases: Left Click Right Click Middle Click

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As I understand it: Pressing once or one tap on the tackpad is the same as a mouse Left Click. If you do the above but hold down 'Ctrl', then it is like a Right Click.

You can also use the Secondary click or tap to set up the same as a Right Click. There are different ways to do this.

But you should find all the info at these links.