How to Bring Unread Messages to the Top of Gmail

Google's Gmail lists email based on a search and filter interface, rather than standard sorting. To sort emails differently than the default date order, you must enter search criteria. Although that may seem counterintuitive, it is actually quite powerful. To bring your unread messages to the top of Gmail, tell it to display only unread messages, which lists them by date and excludes any read messages.

Instructions

1. Log into your Gmail account.

2. Click within the "Search Mail" box at the top of the screen. Type "is:unread" without the quotes and press "Enter" to display only unread messages that appear anywhere in your archives.

3. Type "is:unread in:inbox" and press "Enter" to display only unread messages that reside in your inbox.