The mobile Outlook app places the high importance option right next to the send button for quick access during your commute. If you are wondering how to mark high importance in Outlook app, you have come to the right place. This guide will show you exactly what to do on both iPhone and Android devices.
Marking an email as high importance tells the recipient that your message needs immediate attention. It adds a red exclamation mark next to the subject line. This simple action can help your emails stand out in a crowded inbox.
Let us walk through the steps together. You will learn the fastest method and some useful tips to avoid common mistakes.
Why Use High Importance In Outlook App
Before we get into the steps, it helps to understand why this feature matters. Not every email needs a high importance flag. Overusing it can make people ignore your messages.
Use high importance when you have a deadline, a urgent request, or a critical update. It works best for work emails where timing is everything.
Here are some good reasons to mark an email as high importance:
- You need a response by end of day
- There is a system outage or security issue
- You are sending a time-sensitive document
- You need approval on a project quickly
Remember, the flag is just a visual cue. It does not change how fast the email is delivered. The recipient still has to open and read it.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App
Now let us get to the main task. The process is almost identical on iPhone and Android. The steps are simple and take only a few seconds.
Step 1: Open The Outlook App
Launch the Outlook app on your phone. Make sure you are signed in to your email account. You should see your inbox with all your messages.
Tap the compose button. It looks like a pencil or a plus sign in the bottom right corner. This opens a new email draft.
Step 2: Find The High Importance Icon
Look at the top of the compose screen. You will see a row of icons near the subject line. One of them is a red exclamation mark. That is the high importance button.
On most versions of the app, this icon is right next to the send button. It is easy to spot because of its bright red color.
Step 3: Tap The Icon
Tap the red exclamation mark once. It will turn solid red, indicating that high importance is now enabled. You will also see the word “High” appear next to the subject line.
If you change your mind, tap the icon again to turn it off. The icon will return to its original gray or outline state.
Step 4: Compose And Send Your Email
Now write your message as usual. Add a clear subject line and the body text. When you are ready, tap the send button.
The recipient will see a red exclamation mark next to your email in their inbox. This signals that your message is important.
That is all there is to it. You have successfully marked an email as high importance in the Outlook app.
Alternative Method: Using The Three-Dot Menu
Some versions of the Outlook app place the high importance option in a menu. If you cannot find the red exclamation icon, try this method.
Step 1: Open A New Email
Tap the compose button to start a new message. Fill in the recipient and subject fields.
Step 2: Tap The Three Dots
Look for three dots (ellipsis) in the top right corner of the compose screen. Tap on it to open a dropdown menu.
Step 3: Select High Importance
Scroll through the menu options. You should see “High Importance” or a similar label. Tap it to enable the feature.
A checkmark or a red icon will appear next to the option. This confirms that high importance is active for this email.
Step 4: Send Your Email
Complete your message and send it. The high importance flag will be attached automatically.
This method works well if the main icon is not visible on your screen. It is a bit slower but just as effective.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Replies
You can also mark replies as high importance. The process is the same as for new emails.
Step 1: Open The Reply Screen
Tap on an email you want to reply to. Then tap the reply button at the bottom of the screen.
Step 2: Enable High Importance
Before typing your reply, tap the red exclamation icon. It will turn solid red. Your reply will now be marked as high importance.
Step 3: Type And Send
Write your reply and send it. The recipient will see the high importance flag on your response.
This is useful when you need to emphasize that your reply requires immediate action.
How To Check If An Email Is Marked High Importance
Sometimes you receive an email that is marked as high importance. Here is how to spot it in the Outlook app.
In The Inbox
Look for a red exclamation mark next to the subject line. It appears on the left side of the email preview.
The email may also have a red banner or a highlighted background. This varies depending on your app version and settings.
Inside The Email
When you open the email, check the top of the message. You will see a red bar or a label that says “High Importance.”
This confirms that the sender flagged the email as urgent.
Common Mistakes When Using High Importance
Many people misuse the high importance feature. Here are some mistakes to avoid.
- Marking every email as high importance
- Forgetting to turn it off after using it once
- Using it for personal or casual messages
- Not adding a clear subject line
If you mark too many emails as high importance, people will stop taking it seriously. Use it sparingly for best results.
Tips For Using High Importance Effectively
Here are some practical tips to make the most of this feature.
- Only use high importance for truly urgent emails
- Combine it with a clear subject line like “URGENT: Action Required”
- Follow up with a phone call if the matter is critical
- Avoid using it for routine updates or newsletters
These tips will help you communicate urgency without annoying your colleagues.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App On IPhone
The steps are the same for iPhone users. The app layout is consistent across devices.
Step 1: Open Outlook
Launch the app from your home screen. Tap the compose button.
Step 2: Tap The Red Exclamation
Find the icon in the top toolbar. It is usually near the send button. Tap it once to enable high importance.
Step 3: Send Your Email
Write your message and tap send. The flag will be attached automatically.
That is all you need to do on an iPhone.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App On Android
Android users follow the same process. The app interface is very similar.
Step 1: Open The App
Tap the Outlook icon on your Android device. Go to your inbox.
Step 2: Start A New Email
Tap the compose button. It is usually a plus sign at the bottom.
Step 3: Enable High Importance
Tap the red exclamation mark in the toolbar. It will turn solid red.
Step 4: Send
Complete your email and hit send. Your message is now marked as high importance.
Android and iPhone users have the same experience. No extra steps are needed.
How To Remove High Importance From An Email
If you accidentally mark an email as high importance, you can remove it before sending.
Before Sending
Tap the red exclamation icon again. It will turn gray or outline, indicating that high importance is off.
You can also use the three-dot menu to uncheck the option.
After Sending
Once the email is sent, you cannot remove the flag. You would need to send a follow-up email explaining the mistake.
This is why it is important to double-check before hitting send.
How To Set High Importance As Default
Some users want to mark all emails as high importance by default. Unfortunately, the Outlook app does not have a built-in setting for this.
You cannot set high importance as a default option. You have to enable it manually for each email.
This is actually a good thing. It prevents you from accidentally marking every email as urgent.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Multiple Recipients
When sending an email to multiple people, the high importance flag applies to all recipients. You do not need to set it separately for each person.
Just enable the flag once before sending. Everyone on the To, CC, and BCC lines will see the red exclamation mark.
This saves time and ensures consistency.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App With Attachments
Attachments do not affect the high importance feature. You can attach files and still use the flag.
Follow the same steps: compose your email, attach your files, enable high importance, and send.
The flag will appear regardless of the attachment size or type.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Calendar Invites
You can also mark calendar invites as high importance. This is useful for urgent meetings.
Step 1: Create A New Event
Tap the calendar tab in the Outlook app. Then tap the plus sign to create a new event.
Step 2: Enable High Importance
Look for the red exclamation icon in the event creation screen. Tap it to enable high importance.
Step 3: Send The Invite
Fill in the event details and send the invite. Recipients will see the high importance flag.
This helps ensure that people do not miss your meeting request.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Tasks
Tasks in Outlook can also be marked as high importance. This helps you prioritize your own to-do list.
Step 1: Open Tasks
Tap the tasks icon in the Outlook app. It looks like a checklist.
Step 2: Create A New Task
Tap the plus sign to add a new task. Enter the task name and details.
Step 3: Set Importance
Look for the importance setting. It may be under a menu or a dropdown. Select “High” to mark the task as important.
The task will appear with a red flag in your list.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App On IPad
iPad users have a slightly larger screen, but the steps are the same as on iPhone.
Step 1: Open Outlook
Launch the app on your iPad. Tap the compose button.
Step 2: Find The Icon
The red exclamation mark is in the top toolbar. Tap it to enable high importance.
Step 3: Send
Write your email and send it. The flag will be visible to recipients.
The iPad version may have more space, but the functionality is identical.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Forwarded Emails
When you forward an email, you can also mark it as high importance.
Step 1: Open The Email
Tap on the email you want to forward. Then tap the forward button.
Step 2: Enable High Importance
Before adding your message, tap the red exclamation icon. It will turn solid red.
Step 3: Send
Add any additional text and send the forwarded email. The high importance flag will be attached.
This is useful when you need to escalate an issue quickly.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Drafts
You can also mark drafts as high importance. This ensures you do not forget to set the flag before sending.
Step 1: Save A Draft
Compose your email and save it as a draft. You can do this by tapping the back arrow or the save button.
Step 2: Open The Draft
Go to your drafts folder and open the saved email.
Step 3: Enable High Importance
Tap the red exclamation icon. It will turn solid red.
Step 4: Send
Complete your message and send it. The flag will be attached.
This is a good habit to develop if you often compose emails in advance.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App Without Sending
You can enable the flag and then save the email as a draft. The flag will be saved with the draft.
When you open the draft later, the high importance setting will still be active. You do not need to re-enable it.
This saves time if you prepare emails in batches.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Group Emails
Group emails work the same way as individual emails. Enable the flag before sending to the group.
All group members will see the red exclamation mark in their inbox.
This is helpful for team announcements or urgent updates.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For External Recipients
The high importance flag works for recipients outside your organization as well. They will see the red exclamation mark in their Outlook app or other email clients.
However, some email clients may not display the flag. Gmail, for example, does not show Outlook’s importance flags.
In such cases, consider adding “URGENT” to the subject line for external recipients.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Recurring Emails
If you send the same email regularly, you need to enable high importance each time. There is no way to automate this setting.
You can create a template with the flag enabled, but you still have to manually set it for each send.
This is a minor inconvenience but ensures you do not accidentally mark routine emails as urgent.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Read Receipts
Read receipts and high importance are separate features. You can use both together.
Enable high importance as usual. Then request a read receipt from the three-dot menu.
This gives you double confirmation that the recipient has seen your urgent email.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Delayed Delivery
You can combine high importance with delayed delivery. Schedule your email to send later, and the flag will still be attached.
Enable high importance before setting the delay. The flag will remain active when the email is sent.
This is useful for sending urgent emails at a specific time.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Confidential Emails
Confidentiality and high importance are different settings. You can use both together.
Enable high importance first. Then look for the confidentiality option in the three-dot menu.
This ensures your email is both urgent and secure.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Large Attachments
Large attachments do not affect the high importance flag. You can send large files and still mark the email as urgent.
Just be aware that large attachments may take longer to send. The flag will still appear once the email is delivered.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Multiple Accounts
If you have multiple email accounts in the Outlook app, the high importance feature works for each account separately.
When composing an email, make sure you are using the correct account. Then enable the flag as usual.
The flag applies only to the email you are sending, not to all accounts.
How To Mark High Importance In Outlook App For Shared Mailboxes
Shared mailboxes in Outlook also support high importance. The process is the same as for personal accounts