Email is one of the earliest and most widely used forms of communication on the internet, with over 3.9 billion email users worldwide as of 2019 according to Radicati Group. As an IT professional and tech blogger, I have used email in various forms over the past 15 years. In that time, I have seen email transition from a novel method of digital correspondence to an indispensable business and personal communication tool.
However, despite its importance, standard email suffers from lack of adequate privacy and security protections. When you send a regular email, whether for personal or work matters, the contents including any text, attachments, links or images are transmitted in plaintext that could potentially be intercepted by hackers or unintended third parties. According to a report by Tessian, 1 in 131 emails in the enterprise contain sensitive data, highlighting the privacy risks of unchecked email use.
Fortunately, free webmail services like Gmail provide users with means to encrypt email content for better security through confidential mode. In this comprehensive guide, I will explain what confidential mode is, why you may want to use it, and give step-by-step instructions to start sending more private emails from your desktop or phone.
Why Send Secure Emails?
While email likely will never achieve the level of security offered by encrypted messaging apps like Signal or Telegram, there are still compelling reasons to enable confidential mode when sending sensitive information over Gmail:
- Prevent snooping from hackers: Emails transmitted in plaintext are vulnerable to interception through man-in-the-middle attacks or data breaches. The added encryption of confidential mode emails provides a barrier against unauthorized access.
- Limit exposure from unintended recipients: Mistyped email addresses can lead to emails being sent to the wrong people. Confidential mode allows you to revoke access even after the email is sent to minimize unintended exposure.
- Protect sensitive attachments: Email attachments containing private documents or media can easily leak outside your intended recipients. Confidential encryption keeps files secure.
- Expire email access: You can set an expiration timer for confidential emails ranging from 1 day to 5 years. This prevents the email from lingering indefinitely in the recipient‘s inbox.
- SMS passcode requirement: An optional SMS passcode must be entered alongside the encrypted email, adding 2-factor authentication for better security.
While confidential mode does not provide true end-to-end email encryption like PGP, it serves as an easy way to add a level of security to your Gmail correspondence with virtually no learning curve. Next I will break down exactly how to enable it from your desktop or phone.
Sending a Secure Email in Gmail with Your PC
Enabling Gmail‘s confidential mode to send a secure, encrypted email from your Windows or Mac desktop only takes a few clicks:
Step 1: Go to Gmail.com
Open your preferred web browser on your computer and log into your Gmail account at gmail.com. This will bring you to your inbox.
Step 2: Select Compose Email
To start a new email, click the Compose button in the upper left corner of the inbox screen. This will open a blank email for you to fill in the recipient, subject line, and email body.
Step 3: Click on the Confidential Mode icon
In the bottom row of formatting icons, you will see a small padlock symbol which toggles confidential mode on and off. Click this to enable encryption for the email.
Step 4: Choose a preferred expiration date and passcode
After clicking the padlock, a menu will pop up allowing you to configure confidential mode settings:
You can choose when you want the email to expire from the recipient‘s inbox, anywhere from 1 day up to 5 years. This prevents the confidential email from indefinitely sitting in their account.
Additionally, you can toggle on the "Require SMS passcode to open" option. This will generate a one-time SMS code tied to the encrypted email that provides an extra authentication layer for the recipient to view the contents.
Once you select your desired expiration and enable/disable the SMS passcode, click "Save" at the bottom of this menu.
Step 5: Select Send Email
After saving the settings, you will see a banner confirming that confidential mode is enabled with the expiration date shown. If you have additional attachments or text to add, you can keep editing the email. When ready, click Send to transmit the encrypted email to your recipient.
And that‘s all there is to it! The email will now be encrypted in transit and access will expire per the settings you chose.
Sending a Secure Email in Gmail on Your Phone
Modern work and personal life means we often need to send emails on the go from our mobile devices. Fortunately, Gmail‘s confidential mode is also easy to enable right from your iPhone, Android device or tablet.
Step 1: Go to the Gmail app on your mobile device
If you already have the Gmail app installed, simply open it up and log into your account. Otherwise download it free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Step 2: Tap on the Compose icon
Similar to the web interface, look for the compose button (it looks like a pen and paper) either at the bottom or top of the screen to start a new blank email.
Step 3: Tap on the three-dot menu
In the top right you will see the icon that looks like three stacked dots. Tap this to open more formatting and settings options.
Step 4: Tap on Confidential Mode
This will open the same expiration date and SMS passcode menu from the desktop instructions earlier. Choose your settings and tap "Save" when finished.
Step 5: Set the expiration date and choose if it requires a passcode
Just like on desktop, you can expire the confidential email anywhere from 1 day up to 5 years from the sent date. You also have the option here to add a SMS passcode gatekeeper for an extra account security check.
Choose your settings and tap Save to apply confidential mode.
Step 6: Send your email
You will get the same confirmation message showing that confidential mode is enabled. Review the contents of the email, add any other attachments/text, and hit send when ready!
And that‘s all there is to sending secure, encrypted emails from your phone as simply as you would any normal email in Gmail.
What the Email Recipient Sees
To give you an idea of the user experience on the other end, here is what an email recipient sees when you send them a message with confidential mode enabled:
They will see clear indicators that the email was configured with encryption and confidential settings by the sender. When they open the message, they will be shown the expiration date as well as option to report the email as spam/phishing or other concerns. Access to attachments and email contents works the same as a normal message otherwise.
Removing Access From an Already Sent Secure Email
One useful feature of confidential mode emails is the ability to revoke access even after an email is sent, like unsending an already delivered message. Here is how to remove a recipient‘s access:
- In your Gmail sent folder, locate the confidential mode email you want to revoke
- Open the email and click the "Remove access" link
- Confirm that you want to remove access to that email
And that‘s it! The recipient will no longer be able to view that email in their inbox. Useful for eliminating exposure if you have second thoughts or happen to send something to unintended recipients.
Encrypt Your Inbox With Confidential Emails
Email may feel ubiquitous, but lack of privacy remains an ongoing issue that troubles both private and enterprise users alike. Over 3 billion email credentials have been exposed in data breaches over the past 5 years according to Tessian.
While true end-to-end encrypted email still lies outside mainstream adoption, enabling confidential mode in Gmail at least allows you to add a layer of security and control to your online communications with virtually no learning curve.
So whether you want to limit exposure of emails that get sent to the wrong people or prevent sensitive attachments from leaking publicly in a breach, get in the habit of toggling on encryption for your Gmail messages. Your future self may thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is secure email in Gmail?
Gmail‘s confidential mode allows users to encrypt email contents including text and attachments so only intended recipients with temporary access can view it. Expiration dates and SMS passcodes add further restrictions around access.
Why should I send a secure email?
Regular email lacks protections against snooping, hacking, unintended exposure from misaddressed emails, or permanence in the recipient‘s inbox. Confidential mode minimizes these risks.
What are the pros of sending secure emails on Gmail?
It is completely free, simple to enable with just a few clicks, available on both desktop and mobile, allows access revoking, and minimizes permanence/visibility compared to normal email.
What are the cons of this type of secure email?
It does not provide true end-to-end encryption, recipients could technically screenshot contents and share outside confidential protections, and it lacks robust authentication of all parties compared to privacy-focused email apps.
Are there more advanced methods to secure your Gmail emails?
For enterprise/business users, Gmail supports S/MIME encryption which can validate sender authenticity and encrypt end-to-end. Paid Google Workplace accounts have access to this. Individual consumers could look at encrypted email providers like Tutanota or ProtonMail which build encryption into the core service.
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