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If you prefer to read emails without opening each one individually, the Reading Pane (also called Preview Pane) is for you.
It lets you view messages alongside your inbox—making it easier to scan, read, and manage emails more efficiently.
🕒 Adjust the “Mark as Read” Timing
🕒 Adjust the “Mark as Read” Timing
By default, Gmail marks a message as “read” when viewed in the Reading Pane. You can customize how quickly this happens.
Click the ⚙️ Gear icon → “See all settings.”
Go to the General tab.
Scroll down to Preview Pane.
Under “Mark conversation as read,” choose a delay time (e.g., immediately, after 1 second, after 3 seconds).
Click Save Changes.
⚙️ Enable the Reading Pane
⚙️ Enable the Reading Pane
Click the ⚙️ Gear icon and select “See all settings.”
Go to the Inbox tab.
Check the box next to “Enable reading pane.”
Choose your preferred layout:
Right of inbox – Splits your inbox and email side-by-side.
Below inbox – Displays the message under your email list.
Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.
Once enabled, you’ll see a new toggle icon (two small rectangles) appear near the top-right of your inbox—you can use this to quickly switch the Reading Pane on or off at any time.
💬 Pro Tip: If you like to use your inbox as a to-do list, set “Mark as read” to a few seconds or manual so you can easily see which messages still need attention.
💬 Pro Tip: Combine the Reading Pane with the “Unread first” inbox type (found under the Inbox tab) for the ultimate productivity view—new messages appear at the top, ready to preview instantly.
💬 Pro Tip: You can toggle the Reading Pane quickly using the rectangle icon on the top right of your inbox—no need to dig through settings every time.
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