How to Flag an Email in Outlook
Flagging an email in Microsoft Outlook is relatively easy. All you have to do is watch out for the flag icon beside your email list. Here’s how to flag an email:
Step 1: Open the Microsoft Outlook app from your PC’s Start menu or Taskbar.
Step 2: In your Inbox, hover your cursor on the email you want to flag. A flag should appear beside it.
Step 3: Click the flag, and it should turn red.
By default, when you flag an item on Microsoft Outlook, the completion date for follow-up is set to the same day. That is, if you flagged an email on the 30th of January 2024, the completion date set by Outlook will also be the 30th of January 2024. To set a custom completion date, read below.
Find Flagged Emails in Outlook
Once an email is flagged, it goes to the Task section of Outlook. To view them, you may follow the steps below.
Step 1: Launch your Outlook app.
Step 2: Click the To do icon on the left pane, then click the Flagged email tab. It should now be displayed on the right.
Set a Due Date for a Flagged Email
When you flag an email in Microsoft Outlook, you can also set a completion date. Here’s how to do so:
Step 1: Hover your cursor on the email you want to flag or one already flagged.
Step 2: Right-click the flag and select any of the following options as your completion date:
- Today
- Tomorrow
- This Week
- Next Week
- No Date
- Custom
Setting a due date for a flagged email does not double up as a reminder. You must set up a reminder to ensure you are reminded about a flagged email.
Set a Reminder for a Flagged Email
Step 1: Hover your cursor on the email you want to flag or one already flagged.
Step 2: Right-click the flag and select Add Reminder. This will launch the Custom dialog box.
Step 3: In the Reminder section, select the date and time for your reminder.
Step 4: Click on the icon beside the time stamp to launch the Reminder Sound dialog box.
Step 5: On the Reminder Sound dialog box, tick the box beside Play this sound.
Step 6: Choose the sound you want to play by clicking the Browse button and selecting it from your file library.
Step 7: Click OK to close the Reminder Sound dialog box.
Step 8: Click OK to close the Custom dialog box and save your changes.
Mark a Flagged Email as Complete
Once you complete the outstanding action on a flagged email, you can mark it as complete. Here’s how to do so:
Step 1: Place your cursor on the flagged email and click the flag to Mark Complete.
Alternatively,
Step 1: Place your cursor on the flagged email and right-click the flag.
Step 2: Select Mark Complete from the options that follow.
Remove Flag From an Email
Here’s how you can clear a flag from an email if you no longer want to follow up on it.
Step 1: Place your cursor on the flagged email and right-click the flag.
Step 2: Select Clear Flag from the options displayed.
Create a Folder With Flagged Emails
In Microsoft Outlook, emails that you flag automatically go to a For Follow Up folder. To access the For Follow Up folder, click on the Folder Pane by the left of the Outlook window. If the folder does not show up or was previously deleted, here’s how to recreate it:
Step 1: On the Outlook Ribbon, click the Folder tab.
Step 2: In the New group, click New Search Folder. This will launch the New Search Folder dialog box.
Step 3: Within the Reading Mail section, select Mail flagged for follow up.
Step 4: Click OK to create your new folder.
Tip: You may follow specific steps if you have accidentally deleted any elements during these steps.
Thanks for your feedback!
