Mac mail flags not working - Big Sur

Missing Flags in Column View

To see your email flags while using Column Layout:

1. Go to the column headings bar and right click on any of the headings (From, Subject, etc.) 
2. A list of column options appears. Choose Flags to add a Flag column to your view.

The flags do work. That was my BIGGEST complaint. If you go into mail and go to the line before the emails that says From, Subject, Date Sent, Mailbox.Control/click on Mailbox and you'll see a list. Click on "flag" and suddenly they are back where they belong.

Hi Ron, It works if I hold down Ctrl and then right click on 'Subject' - the heading in the email column. (You know: Date, Sender, Subject, etc.)

I found these crazy steps that fixed the problem for me.

Nov 23, 2020 5:17 PM in response to joeydee2017

Joey, see if this works.

It was suggested to me today on MacRumors, and, although I don't quite know what it's doing, seems to have fixed my (similar to yours) problem:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/big-sur-mail-search-is-completely-broken-doesnt-find-anything.2269995/

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1. Save your work and close all of your apps

2. Close Mail app

3. Hold the Shift key and open the Mail app

4. Close the Mail app (don't search or perform any other actions)

5. Hold the Shift key and open the Mail app (repeat of Step 3)

6. Close the Mail app (repeat of Step 4)

7. Restart your Mac

8. Open Mail app like you normally would

9. Try searching your mail

Let us know if this works

I right clicked on the title section above the email titles, and below 'Inbox' and checked 'Flags', and it seemed to work for me

Thank you! Control Click while hovering about Subject. That did it. I swear "right click" used to mean "option click." I don't know when it became "control click." Thank you again!

Dolores:

To get flags back on Big Sur email you only have to do the following one time:

Using the Track Pad: Put the cursor over the column title "From", depress "Control" or "Ctrl" and tap the lower-right corner of the Track Pad (that action is the equivalent of "Right Click".

Using a Mouse: Put the cursor over the column title "From" and Right Click.

That's all there is to it.

Good luck.

R

it worked for me doing the above AND holding down the CONTROL key at the same time brings up the drop down menu

One of life's frustrations eliminated! I usually right click with one finger at the lower right corner of the trackpad (no mouse) but two fingers did the trick! Thanks.

Turn on Column Layout (View> Use Column Layout) and then position the cursor within the row of column headers and Control+click.

For me that brings up the menu that is screenshotted in JustineC16's post above.

If you can't get the menu to come up at first, try putting the cursor right on top of "Subjects."

It may depend on whether you're in column layout or not. If you use the view where your main window is the inbox and new messages open in a separate window, then you can find the title bar (From..Subject...etc.). That's where you Control-click and the choices pop up. This is how that view looks, and it's what I use:

But if you have the layout where your messages open in a window next to your inbox/preview column, I don't know how you access the pop-up box. This is how that view looks:

Hope this helps to some extent!

just rebuild the mailbox will solve it, no need to restart.

Thanks to justinec16 for the lead. More specifically, at least for macOS Big Sur: right-click the column heading "SUBJECT", then choose the "flags" option.

Glad that Ctrl + right click, on "SUBJECT" header worked! It's good to have flags back.

Position your cursor at "From" and right-click; you'll see a pop-up menu where one of the choices is "flags". If using a touch-pad, CNTRL+CLICK.