---
title: Organize mail
description: Star, archive, delete, restore, mute and mark messages as read or unread, one at a time or in bulk.
---
The toolbar above an open message holds the everyday actions. Most of them also have a keyboard shortcut, and several work on many messages at once.
:::note
Starring, archiving, deleting and marking read change the message at your mail provider, so everyone who shares the mailbox sees the change. **Mute** and **Read later** are personal: only you see them.
:::
## Star a message
Click the star on the message row, click **Star** in the toolbar, or press **m** then **x**. The toolbar button changes to **Starred**. Click it again to remove the star.
Starred messages appear in the **Starred** folder and on the **Starred** tab.
## Archive a message
Click **Archive** in the toolbar, or press **m** then **e**. The message moves to the **Archive** folder and leaves your Inbox.
## Delete a message
Click **Delete** in the toolbar. In the **Delete this email?** dialog, click **Delete**. The message moves to **Trash**, and you can restore it later.
:::warning
The shortcut **m** then **#** deletes the open message right away, without asking first. The message still goes to **Trash**, so you can restore it.
:::
## Restore a message from Trash
1. Open **Trash** and click the message.
2. Click **Restore** in the toolbar. It takes the place of **Archive** in Trash.
The message moves back to your Inbox.
How long messages stay in Trash depends on your provider. Gmail, Outlook and Zoho Mail delete them for good after 30 days. Other mail servers decide for themselves.
## Mute a conversation
Click **Mute** in the toolbar. The conversation is hidden from your Inbox. It still shows in other folders, such as **Archive** or **Sent**.
To undo it, find the conversation in another folder, open it and click **Unmute**.
Muting is personal and stays in place after you reload the page.
## Mark as read or unread
Opening a message marks it as read. To change it back, press **m** then **u** while the message is open. Press it again to mark it read.
## Work on many messages at once
1. Tick the checkbox on each message row you want. A bar replaces the tabs and shows how many are selected, for example **2 selected**.
2. Click an action:
- **Read** marks them as read.
- **Unread** marks them as unread.
- **Label** gives them all the same label. See [Labels](/guide/mail/labels).
- **Delete** moves them to Trash. A dialog asks you to confirm and reminds you that you can restore them from the Trash folder.
3. Click the **X** in the bar (**Clear selection**) to stop selecting.
