How do I stop Mail from marking my junk mail from my hotmail account with a flag?

Check Hotmail/Outlook Settings (Recommended First Step)

It appears the flagging may originate from the Microsoft side (Hotmail/Outlook.com) marking certain emails as "High Importance," which is often translated as a "flag" in the Apple Mail app.

1. Log in to your Hotmail/Outlook account through a web browser (e.g., at outlook.live.com).
2. Go to Settings (usually the gear icon in the top right).
3. Look for mail settings related to Junk email, Rules, or Customize actions (the exact path may vary slightly with updates).

Look for Rules: Check to see if there are any automatic rules that might be flagging messages, especially if they are marked as high priority. You might be able to create a rule to automatically change the "Priority" of messages moved to the Junk folder to "Normal" or "Low," or to remove the flag.

1. Look for High Importance/Flag settings: One user reported success by going to Settings > Mail > Customize actions and unchecking the flag box (or similar option that might exist to disable automatic flagging).

Check Apple Mail Junk Mail Settings

If the issue persists, review the settings in the Apple Mail app on your Mac.

1. Open the Mail app.
2. Go to the Mail menu and select Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions).
3. Click the Junk Mail tab.
4. If "Enable junk mail filtering" is checked, try adjusting the settings. Ensure the option is set to "Move it to the Junk Mailbox".
5. Check for any specific Mail Rules you've created that might be applying flags to messages. Go to Mail > Settings > Rules.