How to remove [External] from Outlook emails, users are getting furious

Anonymous
2022-12-13T14:26:06+00:00

Since early December all of our Outlook365 users (in all tenants) have been getting the tag [External] in the subject line of their Outlook, and want it removed. I am only finding PS scripts which do not work. I have searched the settings and security areas of the admin console but have not found anything. Please help!

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-12-13T20:16:54+00:00

    Thank you for your response, although it is very discouraging that it must filter through the Relevant Team, whom I am sure feel they are so much above us lowly users and know what is best for us.

    I think whenever there is a "feature" added, there should be a method to disable it, or to allow an Opt-In option if someone thinks it might be useful. I have 63 open tickets from very upset users thinking it was something I did.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-12-15T13:54:31+00:00

    We have found a solution to remove the annoying [External] tag in the subject line

    Run at the tenant level the command:

    Set-ExternalInOutlook -Enabled $false

    It takes about 24 hours to take effect, and only remove the annoying tag from the new emails, but at least we have 154 users off our back now.

    That was about the most ridiculous "feature" ever added. It breaks the ability to track conversations, and is just annoying to the users. 95% of all emails is external anyway, why would tagging it make any difference.

    Hope this helps some other sysadmins that have users upset at them

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-12-15T14:50:04+00:00

    This is great for sysadmins! Now if only us users had the option of turning it off without asking our sysadmin!

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-12-13T17:32:19+00:00

    Kerry,

    This is across all tenants, all users, whenever they receive an email since the most recent M365 updates get a tag in their Subject line [External] which is true, however unwanted by many users. I need to know where to turn off this "feature"

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-01-30T14:42:28+00:00

    What about the average user? Someone who just wants their email inbox as clean and uncluttered as possible? I shouldn't have to be an admin to change basic (inane) settings that affect how the email service that I use all day every day looks. I do not need a little box that says "External" next to the sender of half the emails in my inbox to know whether an email is from an external address as determined by Microsoft.

    I shouldn't have to be an admin to change basic (inane) settings that affect how the email service that I use all day every day looks.

    I want this nonsense gone.

    Quit fixing things that aren't broken.

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