# How to mark all as read?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [December 16, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187 "2021-12-16T23:24:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187/1 "2021-12-16T23:24:42Z")

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Maybe I am missing something screamingly obvious, but how do I “mark as read?” I like to come to a forum only seeing what is new from my last visit?

Do we have a “what’s new” option or a “mark as read?”

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**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187/2 "2021-12-16T23:33:38Z")

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There’s no real way to mark all as read. Discourse allows you to set each forum, subforum, and thread to Watching, Normal, or Muted. Mute anything that you never want to see. Set Normal when you only want to be informed when there are new replies to you. Set Watching to be informed whenever there is a change to the thread, including all new replies.

For your notifications and anything listed under New, there is a Dismiss All button you can use.

Also, you can set some threads to automatically be Watched. Go to Profile \>\> Preferences \>\> Notifications and set the first four boxes to reflect your preferences. Then scroll down and save your changes.

Under Discourse, the “What’s New” functionality will be unique to each user. You can use the Latest and Top features on the main forums page to simulate that somewhat.

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**Author:** ![Ranch\_Dip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranch_dip/32/5238_2.png) [@Ranch\_Dip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranch_Dip)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187/3 "2021-12-17T00:42:37Z")

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Ok, thank you.

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187/4 "2021-12-18T12:30:16Z")

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I did not know any of this, thanks!

(watching this thread) 🙂

mmm

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**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-mark-all-as-read/956187/5 "2021-12-19T02:46:35Z")

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I don’t often have occasion to do that. So when I do, I just scroll quickly down through the whole thread, and it’s done!