diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db09818..6ef2c7f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,14 @@ opening an article
 
 Delete
 
-See read articles in the trash can
+#### Handling read articles
+
+See read articles in the trash can.
+
+Or ask feather to keep read articles:
+
+`server.only_sync_unread_articles = false`
+`html.filename_template = "{% if unread %}☐{% else %}☑{% endif %} [{{ feed_title }}]\t{{ title }} ({{ published_formatted }}).html"`
 
 ### Updating with the server
 
diff --git a/src/feather/client.py b/src/feather/client.py
index 80218ca..c515bc1 100644
--- a/src/feather/client.py
+++ b/src/feather/client.py
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ class ClientSession(ABC):
     config: Config
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def mark_as_read(self, articles_ids: list[ArticleId]):
-        """Mark all the given articles as read."""
+    def set_read_flag(self, article_ids: list[ArticleId], read: bool = True):
+        """Mark all the given articles as read or unread."""
         pass
     
     @abstractmethod
@@ -40,9 +40,12 @@ class GReaderSession(ClientSession):
         self.greader = google_reader.Client(config.server_url)
         self.auth_token = self.greader.login(config.server_user, config.server_password)
         self.csrf_token = self.greader.get_token(self.auth_token)
-    
-    def mark_as_read(self, articles_ids: list[ArticleId]):
-        self.greader.edit_tags(self.auth_token, self.csrf_token, item_ids=articles_ids, add_tags=[google_reader.STREAM_READ])
+
+    def set_read_flag(self, article_ids: list[ArticleId], read: bool = True):
+        if read:
+            self.greader.edit_tags(self.auth_token, self.csrf_token, item_ids=article_ids, add_tags=[google_reader.STREAM_READ])
+        else:
+            self.greader.edit_tags(self.auth_token, self.csrf_token, item_ids=article_ids, remove_tags=[google_reader.STREAM_READ])
     
     def list_categories(self) -> list[Category]:
         categories = [tag for tag in self.greader.list_tags(self.auth_token) if tag.type == "folder"]
@@ -101,8 +104,11 @@ class TTRSession(ClientSession):
         self.ttrss.login()
         self.feeds = {}
     
-    def mark_as_read(self, articles_ids: list[ArticleId]):
-        self.ttrss.mark_read(articles_ids)
+    def set_unread(self, article_ids: list[ArticleId], read: bool = True):
+        if read:
+            self.ttrss.mark_read(article_ids)
+        else:
+            self.ttrss.mark_unread(article_ids)
 
     def list_categories(self) -> list[Category]:
         self.feeds = {}
diff --git a/src/feather/feather.py b/src/feather/feather.py
index 78d637a..703fe20 100755
--- a/src/feather/feather.py
+++ b/src/feather/feather.py
@@ -45,28 +45,35 @@ class FeatherApp:
                     dirpath.rmdir()
                     removed_directories.add(dirpath)
 
-    def mark_deleted_as_read(self):
-        """Mark articles that are in the JSON directory but with missing HTML file as read on the server"""
+    def toggle_read_flag_for_deleted(self):
+        """Mark articles that are in the JSON directory but with missing HTML file as read/unread on the server"""
         config = self.config
         client_session = self.get_client_session()
 
         if config.update_lock.exists():
-            print("The previous synchronization was aborted, not marking any article as read in order to avoid collateral damage")
+            print("The previous synchronization was aborted, not marking any article as read/unread in order to avoid collateral damage")
             return
 
-        marked_as_read = 0
+        marked_as_read, marked_as_unread = 0, 0
         to_mark_as_read = []
+        to_mark_as_unread = []
         for json_path in config.json_root.glob("*.json"):
             article = FileArticle(config, json_path)
             html_path = config.html_root / article.html_path
             if not html_path.exists():
-                to_mark_as_read.append(article.id)
-                marked_as_read += 1
+                if article.unread:
+                    to_mark_as_read.append(article.id)
+                    marked_as_read += 1
+                else:
+                    to_mark_as_unread.append(article.id)
+                    marked_as_unread += 1
 
         for i in range(0, len(to_mark_as_read), config.articles_per_query):
-            client_session.mark_as_read(to_mark_as_read[i:i+config.articles_per_query])
+            client_session.set_read_flag(to_mark_as_read[i:i+config.articles_per_query], True)
+        for i in range(0, len(to_mark_as_unread), config.articles_per_query):
+            client_session.set_read_flag(to_mark_as_unread[i : i + config.articles_per_query], False)
 
-        print(f"Marked {marked_as_read} articles as read")
+        print(f"Marked {marked_as_read} articles as read, {marked_as_unread} unread")
 
     def synchronize_with_server(self):
         """Synchronize articles from the server, generating and deleting JSON and HTML files accordingly"""
@@ -81,7 +88,7 @@ class FeatherApp:
 
         categories = client_session.list_categories()
         for category in categories:
-            print(f"  Updating category {category.title}")
+            print(f"  Synchronizing category {category.title}")
 
             remaining, continuation = True, 0
             while remaining:
@@ -116,14 +123,14 @@ class FeatherApp:
 
     def synchronize(self):
         """Do a full feather update"""
-        self.mark_deleted_as_read()
+        self.toggle_read_flag_for_deleted()
         self.synchronize_with_server()
         if self.config.hide_empty_categories:
             self.remove_empty_categories()
 
     def synchronize_local_changes(self):
         """Upload local changes (read articles) to the server"""
-        self.mark_deleted_as_read()
+        self.toggle_read_flag_for_deleted()
         if self.config.hide_empty_categories:
             self.remove_empty_categories()