Stop Outlook from automatically marking Emails as read
April 2nd, 2008I like Outlook 2007′s reading pane. It makes it easier and more convenient to go through email, but I can not stand that by default it marks emails as read when you change the selection. I just think the assumption that because I went to another email I must have read the current one is ridiculous, and I find myself constantly re-marking emails as "unread". Luckily there is a setting for this, however it is a bit buried. Here’s how to do it:
Click "Tools" and "Options…" 
A new window will open. Click on the "Other" tab. 
Click on the "Reading Pane" button. 
Uncheck "Mark items as read when viewed in the Reading Pane. 
That’s it! Now Outlook will only mark messages as read when you double-click on them, forward or replay to them, or manually mark them as read.
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THANK YOU!!! I have missed one too many emails at work by them automatically opening.
Ah, thank you. This was the one thing I couldn’t stand about Outlook.
CHEERS!
If you view the email in the reading pane and go to another one, it will still be marked as read, with these instructions.
uncheck “Mark item as read when selection changes” to prevent this.
Yay!! This will make my life so much easier!!
Fantastic!!! We were getting a bit behind at work, missing emails because they were “already”
read – Thank you so much
this is awesome. thought I was the only one with this issue.