10/07/2026
Comment CHALLENGE to grab the 7-Day Gmail Challenge: it's open to everyone until FRIDAY, and there are cute little coupons expiring every day.
Day 16 of our Gmail series! Tonight's topic is one I've been avoiding because it can get confusing: the important flag. That little flag next to the star. Most people have no idea what it's for.
1️⃣ Clicking the flag on (or off) trains Gmail. Next time that sender emails you, Gmail already knows whether YOU think it's important.
2️⃣ In your left sidebar there's an Important category: every flagged email, all in one place.
3️⃣ Filters can do it automatically. Tell Gmail to always (or never) mark a certain sender as important.
4️⃣ Where it really pays off: your inbox view. Try Important first, or Priority inbox, which splits things into important and unread, then starred, then a section YOU choose (hi, Action needed), then everything else.
The confusing part: once you READ an important email, it slides down to everything else. You didn't do it wrong. That's how it works.
Don't see the flags at all? Cog, See all settings, Inbox tab, Importance markers. If Show markers is already on, flip it to No markers, save, flip it back to Show markers, and save again. They'll appear.
Use it or skip it, it's one more way to make Gmail match YOUR brain. Tell me what you think below!
Comment CHALLENGE for the paid companion course to this free series. Cart closes Friday and the coupons are disappearing daily. Make sure you're following me so my DM comes through!
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About .amandaj: I'm Amanda J., a tech and productivity coach on a mission to help busy women train their tech to work FOR them. 👩🏻💻