How to Flag Emails and Set Reminders in Outlook
"I'll deal with that later" is how emails get forgotten. Flags turn emails into tasks, and reminders make sure "later" actually happens.
Flag an email
All versions of Outlook:
1. Hover over the email in your message list.
2. Click the flag icon that appears.
2. Click the flag icon that appears.
The email is now flagged (usually shown in red). Click the flag again to mark it complete (it turns into a tick), or right-click and choose Clear flag to remove it.
Classic Outlook shortcut: select an email and press Insert.
Classic Outlook: set a due date and reminder
1. Right-click the flag icon on the email.
2. Choose a due date: Today, Tomorrow, This Week, Next Week or No Date.
3. For a pop-up reminder, choose Add Reminder…, pick a date and time, and click OK.
2. Choose a due date: Today, Tomorrow, This Week, Next Week or No Date.
3. For a pop-up reminder, choose Add Reminder…, pick a date and time, and click OK.
Choose Custom… (or press Ctrl + Shift + G) to set your own start date, due date and reminder in one go.
At the reminder time, a reminder window pops up. Choose Snooze to be reminded again later, or Dismiss.
New Outlook and Outlook on the web: Snooze and Pin
New Outlook keeps flags simple, but adds two handy extras.
Snooze
Snoozing hides an email until a time you choose, then puts it back at the top of your inbox as if it had just arrived.
1. Right-click the email (or click ⋯).
2. Choose Snooze.
3. Pick Later today, Tomorrow, This weekend, Next week or Choose a date.
2. Choose Snooze.
3. Pick Later today, Tomorrow, This weekend, Next week or Choose a date.
Perfect for emails you can't deal with until next Monday.
Pin
Pin keeps an email at the top of your inbox until you unpin it. Hover over the email and click the pin icon, or right-click and choose Pin. Great for something you need to refer to all week.
See all your flagged emails
• Classic Outlook: click the To-Do icon (or Tasks) at the bottom left, or use the Filter Email > Flagged button on the Home tab.
• New Outlook / web: click Filter above the message list and choose Flagged.
• New Outlook / web: click Filter above the message list and choose Flagged.
Flagged emails in Microsoft To Do
Flagged emails automatically appear in Microsoft To Do under Flagged email (and in the My Day panel in Outlook). Tick one off in To Do and the flag is marked complete in Outlook too.
You can open To Do from the app launcher (the grid of dots) or the To Do icon in Outlook's left bar.
Use flags with rules
Want emails from your manager flagged automatically? Create a rule: From your manager → Flag the message. See our guide to Outlook rules for the steps.
Wrapping up
Click the flag to mark an email as a task, right-click the flag in classic Outlook to add a reminder, and use Snooze and Pin in new Outlook. Check your flagged emails (or Microsoft To Do) each morning and nothing gets forgotten.
