Apple mail mark as read after seconds

The eternal quest for a clutter-free inbox!

To mark emails as read after a few seconds in Apple Mail, you can use a third-party plugin or a workaround. Here are a few options:

Option 1: Use a third-party plugin

1. Install the "Mark as Read" plugin from the Mac App Store.
2. Once installed, go to Mail > Preferences > General and select the plugin from the "Mark as Read" dropdown menu.
3. Configure the plugin to mark emails as read after a specified time interval (e.g., 5 seconds).

Option 2: Use a script

1. Open the AppleScript Editor (located in Applications/Utilities) and create a new script.
2. Paste the following code:

   tell application "Mail"
    set theSelection to selection
    repeat with theMessage in theSelection
        set theMessage's read status to true
    end repeat
   end tell

3. Save the script as an application (e.g., "Mark as Read.app").
4. Open the script and go to File > Get Info. In the "Open with" dropdown menu, select "Automator".
5. Configure the script to run after a specified time interval (e.g., 5 seconds) using the "Delay" action in Automator.

Option 3: Use a workflow

1. Open Automator (located in Applications/Utilities) and create a new workflow.
2. Add a "Get Mail Messages" action and configure it to select the emails you want to mark as read.
3. Add a "Mark as Read" action and configure it to mark the selected emails as read.
4. Add a "Delay" action and set the delay time to the desired interval (e.g., 5 seconds).
5. Save the workflow as an application (e.g., "Mark as Read.workflow").
6. Open the workflow and go to File > Get Info. In the "Open with" dropdown menu, select "Automator".

Workaround

If you don't want to install a plugin or create a script, you can use a workaround:

1. Open Apple Mail and select the emails you want to mark as read.
2. Press the "Command + Shift + R" keys to mark all selected emails as read.
3. Set a timer for the desired interval (e.g., 5 seconds) using a third-party app like Timer or Alarm Clock.
4. When the timer goes off, go back to Apple Mail and select the emails again. Press "Command + Shift + R" to mark them as read.

Please note that these options may have limitations or quirks, and you should test them thoroughly before relying on them.