How to show the number of unread items including subfolders in Outlook?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2025-04-14

As we know, in Outlook the number beside folder name in Navigation Pane indicates how many unread items are there in the folder as right screenshot shown. However, the number does not include the numbers of unread items in subfolders. Sometimes you just need to know the total number of unread items including subfolders, and how? Try below method:

Show the number of unread items including subfolders with Search Folder feature

Show the number of unread items including subfolders with Kutools for Outlook

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Show the number of unread items including subfolders in Outlook

This method will guide you to create a search folder to collect all unread items from the specified folder and its subfolders, and then show the total number of unread items in the search folder in Outlook.

1. Select the folder that you will show the number of unread items including the subfolders, and click "Folder" > "New Search Folder".

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2. In the New Search Folder, click to highlight the "Create a custom Search Folder" option, and click the "Choose" button.

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3. In the opening Custom Search Folder dialog box, type a name for this new search folder in the "Name" box.

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4. Click the "Criteria" button to open the Search Folder Criteria dialog box, next go to the "More Choices" tab, check the "Only items that are" option, select "unread" from right drop down list, and click the "OK" button.

5. Now you return to the Custom Search Folder dialog box. Click the "Browse" button to open the Select Folder(s) dialog box; check the specified folder and "Search subfolders" option, and click the "OK" button.

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6. Click "OK" > "OK" buttons to save the settings.

Now the new search folder is added in the Navigation Pane, and the number beside the search folder indicates the total number of unread items in the specified folder and its subfolders.

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Show the number of unread items including subfolders with Kutools for Outlook

If you have "Kutools for Outlook" installed, you can use its "Statistics" feature to quickly view the total number of unread items across all selected folders in Outlook. Additionally, it allows you to export the statistics report for further analysis.

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Step 1. Download and install Kutools for Outlook, open Outlook and click "Kutools Plus" > "Statistics".

Step 2. In the "Statistics" dialog, select the folders, and then specify the period. Click "OK".

Step 3. If no sent folders are selected, a dialog will appear asking whether to select the sent items folder. Click "Yes" to select the sent items folder, or click "No" to keep the current selection.

Now the total number of unread items in selected folders is listed.

Additionally, you can view other detailed statistics for the selected folders. Click the "Export Report" button to save the statistics as an Excel file for further analysis.

Demo: count/show the number of unread items including subfolders in Outlook

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