Mail keeps changing flags to red

If using IMAP, all local actions are passed from the local client to the IMAP mail server - and thereafter to other logged-in mail clients.

If the IMAP server doesn’t support different flag categories (i.e., flag “colours” as now implemented within iOS/iPadOS 13.x), then the functional nature of IMAP is such that your local email client will subsequently re-sync its “local” view of the server at the next synchronisation cycle. Said another way, the server has the “master” version of your email messages - each client only has a “copy” that is effectively locally reset on each sync-cycle.

Different email providers offer different features within their IMAP server implementation - for example, Google would be considered very feature-rich, whilst your (and my) experience of Yahoo’s implementation would suggest something close to the other end of the scale; Apple IMAP implementation would be somewhere in-between these two extremes. Google and Apple support different flag colours - Yahoo and derivates don’t have this support.

As such, I don’t believe that you are seeing a fault - but instead a difference in IMAP implementation between email service providers.

As for your other issues, if still using iPadOS 13.1.x, you would be well advised to update to the current version - which at time of writing is iOS/iPadOS 13.3.1.

Thank you to @LotusPilot for your recent postings. I too was feeling guilty of moving off topic (email flag colours) by referring to the issues regarding log in passwords with the Sky/Yahoo mail. However I feel vindicated, in that the email password/account development has actually highlighted the issue regarding the flag colours.

When my wife and I updated to iOS13.3.1 (iPad and iPhone versions) my log in to mail requested the password which was accepted and worked fine. My wife however had issues whereby her password was not accepted although definitely correct. Bottom line is we deleted her account and set up new via the Yahoo logo in Apple Mail Add an Account and it now works fine.

Getting back to the email colour flags, these work fine on our iPhones (and Mac Book which we tend not to use for mail) but not iPads. Thinking back “many moons” ago when we set emails up with what was then Sky per se the incoming mails did not work via IMAP so we had to use POP3. My iPhone settings and the dual user Mac use this arrangement but the iPads use IMAP. On creating a new account via the Yahoo logo link my wife’s account was automatically set to POP3 as incoming on the iPhone (post update this had been changed to IMAP which would the password issue) and works, and the iPad still uses IMAP.

So this confirms your earlier suggestions on email flag colours. It works on the iPhones which are POP3 as the mails are downloaded from the Yahoo server and stored on the devices. On the iPads running IMAP the emails remain on the Yahoo server, will not retain selected flag colours and therefore appear to change back to red on the personal devices.

Although not an ideal dual incoming mail arrangement as cross device deletion etc does not work but as incoming mails are received this is acceptable - ”if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

Interestingly the Apple Settings Look Up Tool for the email mail address only suggests IMAP and the associated Port setting - tried these and they do not work!

Sky no longer manages Yahoo Mail as such including password changes which if required need to be done via Yahoo.

Sky do however have an excellent help article “Accessing Your Sky Yahoo Mail” which may help other readers.

So two wrongs have made a right on this occasion!

Again many thanks.

Philip

I have no solution to this behaviour, but for the benefit of other readers experiencing this issue, here are my observations - and based upon these observations, my conclusion to date.

For me, this problem affects both iPhone and iPad running iOS/iPadOS 13.x. I note that the default flag colour, until changed, is orange. Flagged emails, for affected email accounts, change to red when refreshing the mailbox. Colour rendition on the device screens is such that when the tiny orange flag (as set) changes to red, it isn’t immediately obvious at a casual glance. Once aware of the issue - and you test with a non-default flag colour - occurrence of the issue becomes very obvious.

Flag colours assigned to email messages appear to “stick” for email Apple and Google Mail accounts. Displayed flags reset to red for Yahoo (and partner) email accounts.

As such, I believe that support for flag colours are linked to the IMAP implementation of the email host. Support for multiple flag colours are therefore, not unsurprisingly, contingent upon support by both the individual email provider and the email client.

I hope that all contributors here, and the OP, find this information and analysis to be helpful.

@Bru-Hed

Have you checked which mail protocol your phone is using? Mine was running pop3 and the flags worked but not on the iPad running imap. However I had an unexpected mail log in issue on the iPad (Sky/Yahoo) and had to reset to a Yahoo account connection. Although previously this automatically set the iPhone to pop3 it now automatically selected imap and it now works. However as a result the flag colouring does not work now as imap reads directly from the Sky/Yahoo server which does not support this feature unlike pop3 where the mail is downloaded onto the device and is locally colour flagable.

The plus side is that with all devices running imap if a mail is read and deleted it is removed from the server and does not appear in any other device.

Both my wife and I are experiencing this issue certainly since iOS 13 arrived if not before. It has been a bug for many months and only affects both our iPads as both our iPhones retain any selected coloured email flags. (Sky (Yahoo) email SMTP. I have tried all manor of possible solutions over the weeks including that suggested by @jtw335 in this thread but to avail.

After each iOS update I have given feedback to Apple at http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html but the bug still persists in each next new release.

There have been quite a few separate threads around this topic previously of which some report the problem occurring with the iPhone and/or iPad. Unfortunately the forum does not collate these and indeed the moderators close these off and suggest opening a new thread. As a result the extent of the issue both in view of reports and the “I have this question too” responses is underestimated. It would also be helpful if the discussions page also had a link to the Apple reporting forms as I am sure the majority of contributors, although quoted by some of us, are aware of the process.

To report an issue to Apple, you can either use the link at the top of the page here to contact Support, or you can use the feedback page to make them aware of an issue. However, the feedback link is read, they do not provide individual responses. Feedback - iPhone - Apple

Well, I've kept mine the orange, since I don't flag many. I'll test and see if mine change.

I had a mail flagged from yesterday. I took one that I received today and flagged it a different color. I closed mail, and even took the time to power off the iPad. I turned it back on and checked, and the flag I changed is still the color I set it at. Have you tried any other troubleshooting? I know it sounds extreme, but can you remove the mail account and then add it back?

In Apple mail app, you can swipe left and click more and change flag color. In my case the App maintains colors.

You are welcome to provide feedback to Apple here, www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html, however, I'm using Mail on my iPad Pro 11 with iOS 13.3, and I have my flags configured for the orange color and they have not changed. How are you setting your flag color on the iPad?

You're welcome. The only account I have on my iPad is my Exchange account from work. I only have my Comcast account on my iPhone, and I have not configured iCloud email. I don't really have a need for it. Hope you get it worked out.

Thank you for this information @LotusPilot. Obviously both my wife and I are using Sky/Yahoo as the provider so this would fit in with your observations. I would however have thought that once the email had been delivered to Apple mail and a flag colour set this is then stored on the device/s and in the hands of Apple and not Yahoo. Certainly a bizarre situation. I may pass this information onto Sky/Yahoo for comment. However this is the least of our problems as, following last week’s iOS 13.1 update, my wife’s definitely correct password fails to be recognised by the IOS mail settings and defies resetting etc. The password does however open up Yahoo Mail directly!

We’re loosing the will!

Sorry about the typo - actually running 13.3.1 as of last week and that is when the battery issue started - feedback sent to Apple.

With reference to the colour flagging - this works on my iPhone and I have tested with the whole pallet of colours but the iPad (iPadOS 13.3.1) does not comply.