August 18, 2025, 05:06 PM
vthokyApple / Mac users: are you using the built-in email app?
Yessir, that’s what I’ve got.
The blue dot indicates read/unread status, right?
If I select a message on the left, so as to see its preview on the right, the dot goes away (presumably indicating it’s been read).
I’d like to not have to go back and mark each previewed message as unread (and maybe that’s just because I’m used to not having to already).
August 19, 2025, 07:42 AM
joel9507quote:
Originally posted by vthoky:
quote:
Originally posted by joel9507:
b) set it up not to mark email as read automatically.
This is exactly the setting I’m looking for, and haven’t yet found.
My google-fu found nothing other than
a post from 2012 indicating that, at that time, there was no option in Apple mail to do this. Your search would suggest it's still not there.
You may be looking at ditching the built in app.
August 19, 2025, 11:19 AM
straightshooter01Just FYI To easily re-mark it as unread, right click mouse and click on unread. Just two simple clicks
August 19, 2025, 08:28 PM
vthokyquote:
Originally posted by joel9507:
You may be looking at ditching the built in app.
Possibly.

And thank you for the link.
quote:
Originally posted by straightshooter01:
Just FYI To easily re-mark it as unread, right click mouse and click on unread. Just two simple clicks
Yessir, it’s not difficult, I acknowledge that. I’m just used to not
having to do it with other programs. I’ll have a look at Thunderbird in a bit and see if it works on Mac the way it does on PC.
August 20, 2025, 11:36 PM
kkinaAccording to AI, in the current version of Apple Mail there isn't a direct setting to disable the automatic marking of emails as "read" upon preview.
You can disable the Preview pane completely, but then of course you can't preview messages at all.
User Feedback: "Many users find this behavior inconvenient, especially those who use the unread status as a to-do list management system."August 21, 2025, 05:08 PM
vthokyquote:
Originally posted by kkina:
User Feedback: "Many users find this behavior inconvenient, especially those who use the unread status as a to-do list management system."
Exactly!
