How to Mark and Send an Email as Urgent in Outlook
Email is a crucial means of communication, particularly in a professional and business environment. One of the most used email services besides Gmail is Outlook.
Microsoft Outlook offers some simple features, such as marking emails as "urgent." Using this feature strategically can help you receive quicker responses and demonstrate your seriousness.
What does an urgent email mean in Outlook?
An urgent email is meant to inform the recipient that the email is crucial and requires immediate attention. Urgent emails typically have tight deadlines or require prompt action.
When you mark an email as urgent in Outlook, a red exclamation point appears next to it. This action grabs the reader's attention and conveys the message: "Hey, pay attention to this!"
Urgent emails receive greater visibility in the inbox, making it more probable that they will be seen and read promptly.
However, it is essential to note that marking an email as urgent does not alter its position in the recipient's inbox.
Emails are still arranged based on their receiving time. The red exclamation point is just a visual indicator of the email's urgency.
How to make an email urgent in Outlook
Marking an email as urgent in Outlook from your iPhone, laptop, or computer is simple. After composing your email, you can set its importance level before sending it.
Simply go to the 'Message Options' tab and select 'High Importance' from the drop-down menu.
This action will add a red exclamation point to your email, showing the recipient it's urgent. Remember to use this feature only when necessary to maintain its effectiveness.
In addition to marking an email as urgent, you can also label it as low importance.
Just like setting high importance, you can do this from the same drop-down menu by selecting "Low Importance." Emails marked this way will have a blue downward arrow.
This feature is great for emails that aren't urgent or don't require immediate action. It helps in communicating to the recipient that the email isn't pressing and can be attended to later.
Have the same concern with Gmail? Read also: How to Mark and Send an Email as Urgent in Gmail
How to send an email as high priority in Outlook
Sending an email with high priority in Outlook follows the same process as marking it as urgent.
Simply go to the "Message Options" tab and select "High Importance." This action will add a red exclamation point to your email, indicating its high priority.
Once you have set the importance level, send the email as usual. The recipient will see the email marked with the corresponding importance indicator, informing them of its urgency.
You can also improve the visibility of your emails in Outlook by adding specific prefixes to your subject line, such as [URGENT], [IMPORTANT], or [APPROVAL NEEDED].
Moreover, if you need a response by a specific date, you can set reply deadlines like [REPLY BEFORE 26 JUNE].
Final thoughts
Knowing how to correctly tag and send urgent emails in Outlook can significantly enhance your email communication.
However, it is critical to use this feature wisely to maintain its effectiveness and ensure that genuinely urgent emails receive the attention they need.
Remember, effective communication is not just about sending messages. It is also about ensuring that they are received and understood as intended.
For more tips on email services, check out our other resources here!