If your Gmail inbox is overflowing with unread messages, you’re not alone. Thousands of people struggle with cluttered inboxes filled with newsletters, notifications, and random updates. But here’s the good news — you can mark all those unread emails as read in just a few clicks. In this quick tutorial, I’ll show you how to clear your inbox fast and feel instantly more organized.

Even if you have hundreds or thousands of unread emails, Gmail has built-in tools that make the cleanup process effortless.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. Open Gmail on Desktop
Go to mail.google.com and log into your account.

2. Use the Search Filter
In the search bar, type is:unread and press Enter. This filters your inbox to show only unread messages.

3. Select All Emails on the Page
Click the small checkbox at the top left of your email list.

4. Select All Conversations
Gmail will show a message saying: “Select all conversations that match this search.” Click that link to include every unread message, not just the ones on the current page.

5. Click the “Mark as Read” Icon
You’ll see a small envelope icon near the top of the page. Click it, and Gmail will instantly mark all selected emails as read.

6. Wait a Few Moments
If you have thousands of emails, it may take a minute or two to process.

Pro Tips:

  • To truly declutter, combine this with Gmail’s Archive option to remove emails from your main inbox.

  • Use filters to automatically label or skip certain types of emails in the future.

  • If you regret marking everything as read, use Undo right after clicking the icon.

Bonus Idea:
To prevent future overload, unsubscribe from low-value senders using the built-in Gmail unsubscribe link.

Marking all emails as read feels incredibly satisfying. In under a minute, you can transform a cluttered inbox into a clean, focused workspace — and start fresh with a clear mind.