# Phantom "Unread" number **URL:** \ **Category:** Forum Feedback\ **Created:** [May 28, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510 "2026-05-28T20:32:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gcwarbler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/gcwarbler/32/1787_2.png) [@gcwarbler](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/gcwarbler)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 8:32pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/1 "2026-05-28T20:32:18Z")
**Platform** : iNatForum Website **Browser** , if a website issue: Chrome Version 148.0.7778.181 (Official Build) (arm64) (on Mac Sequoia 15.7.7) **URLs (aka web addresses) of any relevant observations or pages**: [https://forum.inaturalist.org/](https://forum.inaturalist.org/) **Screenshots of what you are seeing** : ![Screenshot 2026-05-28 at 3.23.07 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/a/3/a3f798c74721c8f684cd16165d365798de01ae49.png) ![Screenshot 2026-05-28 at 3.23.24 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/d/7/d732ea0afefc2f7c2e002a0591f8223a56b4c77e.png) **Description of problem** : I’m seeing a phantom “(1)” Unread message count when I _first_ come to the iNatForum. But there are no unread topics. Step 1: Navigate to [https://forum.inaturalist.org/](https://forum.inaturalist.org/) Step 2: Count of Unread posts reads “(1)” Step 3: Click on “Unread”. The list is empty and the screen shows, “Nothing left unread…impressive!” At this moment, I have one Feature Request which is currently pending; I’m suspicious that the pending FR may somehow be triggering the one Unread post, but the two issues may be totally unrelated. Update: The abovementioned Feature Request is now active but the phantom “(1)” Unread posts continues to be displayed upon initial arrival at the Forum. ---
**Author:** ![tiwane](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/tiwane/32/54612_2.png) [@tiwane](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/tiwane)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/2 "2026-05-28T20:36:43Z")
Moved to #Forum Feedback as it’s about the forum and not iNat. ---
**Author:** ![mkanimallover](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/mkanimallover/32/62000_2.png) [@mkanimallover](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/mkanimallover)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/3 "2026-05-28T20:43:56Z")
> [@gcwarbler](#): > > At this moment, I have one Feature Request which is currently pending; I’m suspicious that the pending FR may somehow be triggering the one Unread post, but the two issues may be totally unrelated. This phantom “unread” number just happened to me too!! ---
**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/4 "2026-05-28T21:35:19Z")
Me too - I thought someone had blocked me ? But if I cannot see it, cannot read it - then I do NOT have one Unread. [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/bug-unread-keeps-showing-1/51771/5](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/bug-unread-keeps-showing-1/51771/5) happened in May 2024 too. ---
**Author:** ![thomaseverest](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/thomaseverest/32/63220_2.png) [@thomaseverest](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/thomaseverest)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/5 "2026-05-29T01:49:43Z")
Yes this used to happen before (maybe slightly differently), but it went away. Then I noticed it showing up again this week. ---
**Author:** ![brennafarrell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/brennafarrell/32/5914_2.png) [@brennafarrell](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/brennafarrell)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 4:11am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/6 "2026-05-29T04:11:48Z")
I’m now experiencing it too. ---
**Author:** ![danly](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/danly/32/42066_2.png) [@danly](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/danly)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/7 "2026-05-29T13:20:47Z")
That has happened to me once or twice. If I log out, or close the app, or simply come back later, it has resolved itself. I chalked it up to my device (ipad) somehow being laggy. Or my being so zealous a reader, it was merely wishful thinking, that there was more 😆 ---
**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/8 "2026-05-29T14:39:36Z")
On the website, not the app. I log out once or twice every day. That Phantom post lurks … The Phantom is vanquished … ---
**Author:** ![gcwarbler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/gcwarbler/32/1787_2.png) [@gcwarbler](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/gcwarbler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 11:35am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/9 "2026-06-02T11:35:55Z")
Log out, log in…nothing “vanquishes” the phantom Unread for me recently. It is still there this morning to greet me when I arrive at the Forum. It is “shy”; after I click on any other Forum page and return to my Forum home page, it is gone…for the moment. ---
**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 3:47pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/phantom-unread-number/79510/10 "2026-06-02T15:47:59Z")
But it does for some reason, seem to count ‘this post which we are reading’ as = 1 unread. Go to topics - Latest - and the phantom melts away.