A method for displaying e-mail messages to a user of an e-mail message viewer comprises displaying a list of received e-mail messages with a list entry for each received email message and displaying binary information indicating the read/unread status of each received email message in the list. The read/unread status information of each received first email message is switched from “unread” to “read” when the text and/or attachments of this particular first e-mail message have been displayed at least partially to the user when opening this particular first e-mail message. The read/unread status information of each received second email message is switched from “unread” to “read” when the text and/or attachments of this particular second e-mail message have been displayed at least partially to the user when opening a particular first e-mail message.