Remove Unread Count in Gmail & IMAP - Stop the Spam!
Eliminating Unread Spam Counts in Gmail and IMAP Clients
Many Gmail users find the persistent unread message count in their Spam folder to be a source of frustration. This issue is particularly noticeable when accessing email through an IMAP client, as search folders for unread messages often return only spam entries.
A solution involves leveraging Gmail’s filter functionality to automatically designate spam messages as read. This prevents the unread count from being displayed within Gmail itself, and also resolves the problem in any connected IMAP client.
Automating Spam Marking as Read
Begin by opening Gmail and navigating to the filter creation tool. Access this by clicking the link to create a new filter.
Within the "Has the words" field, input "in:spam" (without quotation marks). Utilize the "Test search" button to verify that the filter accurately identifies only spam emails.
Proceed to the "Next Step" button, disregarding any error messages that may appear. Select the checkbox labeled "Mark as read," and then finalize the filter creation by clicking the "Create Filter" button.
Following this configuration, all subsequently received spam will be automatically marked as read. It is advisable to clear any existing spam messages from your inbox.
This approach effectively eliminates the unread count issue not only within Gmail but also in any IMAP client you may be using.
While this filter focuses on marking spam as read, it’s also possible to configure it to automatically delete all spam. However, this is not generally recommended.
It remains unclear why Gmail doesn't automatically delete some of the received spam messages.