How to add unread status column in Outlook?

Have you noticed the small envelope icons before each email message disappear from the mail list in Microsoft Outlook 2013? That’s because the Read/Unread status column is hidden. Sometimes, the envelope icons may also disappear in Outlook 2007 or 2010 by accident. Here I will show you the steps about how to add the Read/Unread status columns, and restore the small envelope icons in the mail list of Microsoft Outlook.

Mail list in Outlook 2010	Mail list in Outlook 2013

To show the Read/Unread status columns and add the small envelope icons before emails in the mail list, please do as following:

Step 1: Shift to the Mail view, and open a mail folder in the Compact view with clicking the Change View > Compact on the View tab (or View > Current View > Message in Outlook 2007).

Step 2: Click the Add Columns button on the View tab.

Note: In Outlook 2007, click the View > Current View > Customize Current View, and then click the Filed button in the popping up Customize View dialog box.

Step 3: In the popping Show Columns dialog box,

(1) Make sure the Frequently-used fields is selected in the Select available columns from box;

(2) Click to highlight the Read item (or Icon in Outlook 2010 and 2007) in the Available columns box;

(3) Click the Add button;

(4) Click the OK button to exit this dialog box.

After configuring the view settings, you will go back to the mail folder. Then the small envelope icons are added in the Mails list. See screen shot below.

Notes: To remove the Read/Unread column (or small envelopes) from the mail list in Outlook 2013, you can remove the Read items (or Icon item in Outlook 2007 and 2010) from the Show these columns in this order: box in the Show Columns dialog box.

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