Every message in date order, with the gaps that matter
Messages are grouped by day, and the silences between them are marked, so you can see where things stalled. Your replies sit on the right.
A private Gmail extension, now on Chrome and Edge
Unfold Thread turns long Gmail email threads and email chains into a dated timeline, with every attachment in one place. It runs inside your browser and never stores or sends your mail.
No sign-in
Nothing stored or sent
Firefox coming soon
Works where you already read email
- Gmail
- Google Workspace
- Chrome
- Edge
- Firefox
- Brave
- Arc
- Opera
Features
Everything in the thread, finally in order
A long email chain hides its own history. Unfold Thread opens every collapsed message and lays the whole thing out the way it happened.
Every attachment in one place
The Files tab lists every Gmail attachment and Drive link, with who sent it and when.
Search inside a long email thread
Matches light up in place and the arrows step back from the newest, like searching a chat.
See what one person said
Pick one or more senders to cut the thread down to their messages.
Quoted replies folded away
Each message shows only what's new. One switch brings the quoted history back.
Find the signed version without scrolling two years of replies
Open a file straight from the list, or jump to the message it came with to read the context around it.
How it works
Unfold a thread in one click
No account, no setup and nothing to connect. It works on the Gmail you already have open.
Add it to your browser
Install Unfold Thread from your browser's extension store. It asks for no sign-in.
Open any thread in Gmail
Personal Gmail or Google Workspace, two messages or two hundred.
Click Unfold thread
Or press Alt + Shift + C. Collapsed messages open automatically.
Who it's for
For anyone who inherits a long email trail
Built for people whose work lives in threads that run for months or years, where when something was said matters as much as what was said.
Lawyers and paralegals
Rebuild the history of a matter for a chronology, a handover or a hearing, without printing the chain.
Design studios
Trace every round of client feedback back to the exact file it was about.
Consulting agencies
Join an engagement halfway through and see what was agreed, by whom, and when.
Accountants and tax advisors
Find the notice, the reply and the attachment from two financial years ago.
Construction and claims teams
Delay notices, site diaries and variations, in the order they actually happened.
Recruiters and HR teams
Follow a candidate or a case across months of back-and-forth with several people.
Privacy
Your email never leaves your browser
Client correspondence is confidential, so Unfold Thread is built to hold nothing. It works only with what Gmail is already showing you.
- What it reads
- The open threadOnly the thread on your screen, and only when you click Unfold thread.
- What it stores
- NothingNo storage, no cookies, no database. Closing the view throws it away.
- What it sends
- NothingNo servers, no analytics, no tracking. Remote tracking images are dropped.
- What it asks for
- No sign-inIt runs only on mail.google.com and never asks for your Google password.
Check it for yourself
- Open
chrome://extensionsand click service worker on the Unfold Thread card. - Open the Network tab, then unfold a thread in Gmail. The list stays empty.
- Open the Application tab. Local storage, session storage and IndexedDB are all empty.
FAQ
Questions you might have
Something else on your mind? Write to hello@unfoldthread.run.
Ask a questionHow do I see all the attachments in a Gmail thread?
Open the thread in Gmail, click Unfold thread, then open the Files tab. It lists every attachment and Google Drive link in the thread, with who sent it and when. Open any file, or jump to the message it came with.
Can I search inside a single email thread?
Yes. Type in the search box and every match is highlighted in place. The arrows step from the newest match to the oldest. Search covers message text, attachment names and senders.
Does Unfold Thread read or store my emails?
It reads only the thread you have open, and only when you click Unfold thread. It stores nothing and sends nothing anywhere. Closing the view throws it away.
Does it work with Google Workspace accounts?
Yes. It works with any account you open at mail.google.com, including Google Workspace accounts for work and school.
Does it work with Outlook?
Not yet. Unfold Thread works in Gmail today. Outlook on the web is next.
Can it help me build a case chronology from an email chain?
Yes. It lays the whole chain out by date, marks the gaps between messages and lists every attachment, which is most of the work of a chronology. Write to hello@unfoldthread.run if you would use an export.
What is the difference between an email thread and an email chain?
Usually nothing. An email thread is the set of replies your email app groups under one subject. People also call it an email chain or an email trail. Unfold Thread works on whatever Gmail groups as one conversation.
Which browsers does it work in?
Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox. Brave, Arc, Opera and Vivaldi install it from the Chrome Web Store.
Unfold your next long thread
Free for Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Firefox is coming soon. Write to hello@unfoldthread.run to hear when it's live.