# Mark threads a read **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2019, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266 "2019-08-26T14:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/1 "2019-08-26T14:58:02Z")
I’m putting this in GQ instead of ATMB because I don’t think my question is specific to this message board. I’m using a new Apple MacBook Pro running macOSMojave version 10.14.5 and Safari 12.11. On my older computer, thread links are changed from blue to grey when I read a thread. On this computer, they remain blue so that I cannot see at a glance whether 've read a thread. How to I set my computer to indicate links have been read? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/2 "2019-08-26T15:17:17Z")
This probably isn’t a computer or OS thing. It’s most likely a browser thing. What browser are you using? Safari? Firefox? In Firefox, for example, you can choose the color of visited links by going to Options \> General \> Language and Appearance and then clicking on the Colors button. Are you browsing in any sort of private mode, or incognito mode? Because your browser will only distinguish between visited and unvisited links if you allow it to. Private or incognito modes are designed to forget where you’ve been, so they might not distinguish between visited and unvisited links. Forgot to ask: does this ONLY happen on the Dope, or on all websites? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/3 "2019-08-26T15:25:26Z")
I’m using Safari version 12.11. I went to Preferences, but didn’t see anything I can turn on so I didn’t change anything. Now my links are showing as read. Weird. Anyway, it looks like it’s ‘fixed’. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/4 "2019-08-26T15:33:24Z")
And now it’s back to not showing as read. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/5 "2019-08-26T16:07:57Z")
Safari should have an option under General for “Remove History Items.” If you have it set to clear the history daily, it won’t show your links as followed after a day. That doesn’t explain why they changed from read to unread this morning, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/6 "2019-08-26T16:17:36Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Safari should have an option under General for “Remove History Items.” If you have it set to clear the history daily, it won’t show your links as followed after a day. That doesn’t explain why they changed from read to unread this morning, though. It’s set to ‘remove after one year’. When I closed Preferences and went back to the forum, the link was grey. I navigated away and came back, and it was blue/unread. ETA: Note: The envelope icon shows as read. It’s the text of the link that does not. . ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/7 "2019-08-26T16:19:49Z")
I see that behavior when in Private mode. If you aren’t in Private mode, then I’m baffled. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/8 "2019-08-26T17:50:47Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I see that behavior when in Private mode. If you aren’t in Private mode, then I’m baffled. The only time I browse privately is when I open a New Private Window so that I can get around a paywall (_cough_ _Washington Post_ and _New York Times_). Unless there’s another way to browse privately that I don’t know about, and somehow am in it? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/9 "2019-08-26T23:10:53Z")
First of all, do you want your read/unread status to sync between machines? That requires iCloud syncing to be turned on on both computers, and Safari to be checked. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mark-threads-a-read/839266/10 "2019-08-27T16:02:50Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > First of all, do you want your read/unread status to sync between machines? I don’t think so. Just in case, how do I turn on iCloud synching?