When you reply to an email marked with High Importance in Outlook, the reply message often inherits that same High Importance flag. This can confuse recipients who receive an urgent flag on a routine reply. The cause is a default Outlook behavior that copies the original message’s importance level to the reply or forward. This article explains how to manually clear the High Importance flag before sending and how to adjust Outlook settings to stop this inheritance automatically.
Key Takeaways: Clearing High Importance on Replies in Outlook
- Message tab > Tags group > Importance: High button (toggle off): Manually remove the High Importance flag from a reply before sending.
- File > Options > Mail > Message format section: No direct setting exists to stop inheritance; the manual toggle is the only reliable method.
- Quick Steps (Home tab > Quick Steps group > New Quick Step): Create a one-click action that clears the importance flag and sends the reply.
Why Outlook Copies High Importance to Replies
Outlook treats replies and forwards as new messages that inherit properties from the original item. The High Importance flag is one of those inherited properties. When you click Reply or Reply All, Outlook creates a new message window and copies the original message’s importance level into the new message’s header. This behavior is by design and cannot be disabled through the Options dialog. The inheritance applies to all reply formats: HTML, Plain Text, and Rich Text. The same behavior occurs for Low Importance flags, though recipients rarely notice that flag.
The inheritance rule also applies to other properties such as sensitivity (Normal, Personal, Private, Confidential) and voting buttons. However, importance is the most visible flag because it changes the red exclamation icon and the High Importance banner in the recipient’s Reading Pane. If you reply to a High Importance email from a manager, your reply will carry the same urgency to other recipients, which can cause unnecessary alarm or reduce the credibility of your future High Importance messages.
How to Clear the High Importance Flag Before Sending a Reply
The most direct method is to toggle the Importance button off in the reply window. This method works in Outlook 2019, Outlook 2021, Outlook for Microsoft 365, and Outlook on the web (Outlook Web App).
- Open the reply message
In your Inbox or any folder, double-click the original High Importance email to open it in its own window. Click Reply, Reply All, or Forward. A new message window opens with the original content and the High Importance flag already set. - Locate the Importance button on the ribbon
In the new message window, look at the top ribbon. Go to the Message tab. In the Tags group, you see two buttons: a red exclamation icon labeled Importance: High and a blue down-arrow icon labeled Importance: Low. The High button will appear highlighted or shaded to indicate it is active. - Click the High Importance button to deactivate it
Click the Importance: High button once. The highlight disappears, and the button returns to its default unselected state. The reply message no longer carries the High Importance flag. You can verify this by looking at the message header area above the To field; the High Importance banner will be gone. - Send the reply as normal
Complete your reply text, add recipients if needed, and click Send. The recipient will receive a normal priority message without the red exclamation icon.
Using Quick Steps to Clear Importance Automatically
If you frequently reply to High Importance emails and want to avoid manually clicking the button each time, create a Quick Step that clears the importance flag and sends the reply.
- Open the Quick Steps manager
In the main Outlook window, go to the Home tab. In the Quick Steps group, click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner to open the Manage Quick Steps dialog. - Create a new Quick Step
Click New and select Custom from the menu. A dialog titled Edit Quick Step opens. - Name the Quick Step
In the Name field, type Reply Without Importance or any descriptive name. - Add actions
Click the Add Action button. From the dropdown, choose Set Importance. In the Importance setting that appears, select Normal. Click Add Action again and choose Reply or Reply All depending on your need. The order of actions matters: set importance first, then reply. - Finish and test
Click Finish. The new Quick Step appears in the Quick Steps group on the Home tab. To use it, select the original High Importance email in your Inbox, then click your new Quick Step. Outlook opens a reply window with Normal importance already applied. Verify the High Importance button is not highlighted, then send.
If Outlook Still Inherits High Importance on Replies
Some users report that the High Importance flag reappears after they manually clear it. This usually happens due to specific Outlook configurations or add-ins.
Outlook Add-Ins That Override Importance Settings
Third-party add-ins, especially those for email tracking, CRM integration, or compliance, can modify message properties automatically. To test, disable all add-ins temporarily. Go to File > Options > Add-ins. At the bottom, next to Manage, select COM Add-ins and click Go. Uncheck all add-ins, click OK, restart Outlook, and test the reply behavior. If the flag stays cleared, re-enable add-ins one by one to identify the culprit.
Outlook on the Web (OWA) Differs from Desktop
In Outlook on the web, the High Importance flag does not always inherit on replies. When you click Reply in OWA, the new message form opens with Normal importance by default. If you see the High Importance flag in OWA, click the three-dot menu (More actions) in the toolbar, select Set importance, and choose Normal. The desktop Outlook inheritance is more aggressive, so you must check the flag manually.
Email Signatures or Templates That Set Importance
Some email signature tools or custom reply templates insert HTML or properties that set importance to High. Review your signature settings: go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. If you use a third-party signature manager, check its settings for any importance-related options. Remove any custom code that sets importance in the signature.
Manual Toggle vs Quick Steps vs Add-In Fix: Key Differences
| Item | Manual Toggle | Quick Steps | Add-In Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Click the Importance: High button in the reply window to deactivate it | Create a custom Quick Step that sets Normal importance and opens a reply | Disable or reconfigure third-party add-ins that override importance |
| Ease of use | Requires one extra click per reply | One click on the Quick Step before replying | Requires initial troubleshooting and may affect other Outlook functions |
| Persistence | Must repeat for every High Importance reply | Must use the Quick Step instead of standard Reply button | Permanent fix if add-in is the root cause |
| Best for | Occasional High Importance replies | Frequent High Importance replies | Persistent inheritance even after manual toggle |
Conclusion
You can now manually clear the High Importance flag on any reply by toggling the Importance: High button in the Message tab before sending. For frequent use, create a Quick Step named Reply Without Importance that sets Normal priority and opens the reply window. If the flag persists after your manual toggle, check third-party add-ins and signature tools that may be overriding the setting. As an advanced tip, you can also create a VBA macro that runs automatically when a reply is created to set importance to Normal, but this requires enabling macros in Outlook Trust Center settings.