diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
index 5930fe383f..5608119c83 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
@@ -3011,13 +3011,19 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
         this.colorAccent = Helper.resolveColor(context, R.attr.colorAccent);
         this.textColorPrimary = Helper.resolveColor(context, android.R.attr.textColorPrimary);
         this.textColorSecondary = Helper.resolveColor(context, android.R.attr.textColorSecondary);
-        this.colorUnread = Helper.resolveColor(context, R.attr.colorUnread);
+
+        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
+        boolean highlight_unread = prefs.getBoolean("highlight_unread", false);
+
+        if (highlight_unread)
+            this.colorUnread = Helper.resolveColor(context, R.attr.colorUnread);
+        else
+            this.colorUnread = this.textColorPrimary;
 
         this.hasWebView = Helper.hasWebView(context);
         this.contacts = Helper.hasPermission(context, Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS);
         this.textSize = Helper.getTextSize(context, zoom);
 
-        SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
         this.date = prefs.getBoolean("date", true);
         this.threading = prefs.getBoolean("threading", true);
         this.name_email = prefs.getBoolean("name_email", !compact);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
index c546638fed..5614a8523e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class FragmentOptions extends FragmentBase {
     private PagerAdapter adapter;
 
     static String[] OPTIONS_RESTART = new String[]{
-            "startup", "cards", "date", "threading", "avatars", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular", "name_email", "subject_italic", "flags", "preview", "preview_italic",
+            "startup", "cards", "date", "threading", "highlight_unread", "avatars", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular", "name_email", "subject_italic", "flags", "preview", "preview_italic",
             "addresses", "attachments_alt", "contrast", "monospaced", "inline_images", "contact_images", "all_images", "collapse_quotes", "autocontent", "actionbar",
             "autoscroll", "swipenav", "autoexpand", "autoclose", "onclose",
             "subscriptions", "debug",
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
index c1219f6e87..a5aeb69485 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private SwitchCompat swCards;
     private SwitchCompat swDate;
     private SwitchCompat swThreading;
+    private SwitchCompat swHighlightUnread;
     private SwitchCompat swAvatars;
     private SwitchCompat swGeneratedIcons;
     private SwitchCompat swIdenticons;
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private SwitchCompat swActionbar;
 
     private final static String[] RESET_OPTIONS = new String[]{
-            "theme", "startup", "cards", "date", "threading", "avatars", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular", "name_email", "subject_italic",
+            "theme", "startup", "cards", "date", "threading", "highlight_unread", "avatars", "generated_icons", "identicons", "circular", "name_email", "subject_italic",
             "flags", "preview", "preview_italic", "addresses", "attachments_alt",
             "contrast", "monospaced", "inline_images", "contact_images", "all_images", "collapse_quotes", "autocontent", "actionbar",
     };
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         swCards = view.findViewById(R.id.swCards);
         swDate = view.findViewById(R.id.swDate);
         swThreading = view.findViewById(R.id.swThreading);
+        swHighlightUnread = view.findViewById(R.id.swHighlightUnread);
         swAvatars = view.findViewById(R.id.swAvatars);
         swGeneratedIcons = view.findViewById(R.id.swGeneratedIcons);
         swIdenticons = view.findViewById(R.id.swIdenticons);
@@ -156,6 +158,13 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             }
         });
 
+        swHighlightUnread.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
+                prefs.edit().putBoolean("highlight_unread", checked).apply();
+            }
+        });
+
         swAvatars.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
             @Override
             public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
@@ -353,6 +362,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         swCards.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("cards", true));
         swDate.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("date", true));
         swThreading.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("threading", true));
+        swHighlightUnread.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("highlight_unread", false));
         swAvatars.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("avatars", true));
         swGeneratedIcons.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("generated_icons", true));
         swIdenticons.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("identicons", false));
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
index 56b0044335..f88ce0ab9b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
@@ -99,6 +99,18 @@
                 app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
                 app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swThreading" />
 
+            <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
+                android:id="@+id/swHighlightUnread"
+                android:layout_width="0dp"
+                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
+                android:checked="true"
+                android:text="@string/title_advanced_highlight_unread"
+                app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+                app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+                app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/tvThreadingHint"
+                app:switchPadding="12dp" />
+
             <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
                 android:id="@+id/swAvatars"
                 android:layout_width="0dp"
@@ -108,7 +120,7 @@
                 android:text="@string/title_advanced_avatars"
                 app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
                 app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-                app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/tvThreadingHint"
+                app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swHighlightUnread"
                 app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
             <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index e0ee1ad002..7586516444 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@
     <string name="title_advanced_cards">Show cards</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_date_header">Group by date</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_threading">Conversation threading</string>
+    <string name="title_advanced_highlight_unread">Highlight unread messages</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_avatars">Show contact photos</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_generated_icons">Show generated icons</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_identicons">Show identicons</string>