How to Password Protect An Email in Outlook 2013

Password protection not only provides data security, but it is also essential for email security. Most email service providers usually offer encryption services, but password protection adds an extra layer of security that prevents the unauthorized access of email content. Password protection has been in use for a long time, but it is not well known. For example, Outlook 2013 has a feature that enables password protection, but many people do not know how to use it. This blog post will give guidelines on how to password protect an email in Outlook 2013.

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The Challenges of Password Protecting An Email in Outlook 2013

Outlook 2013 is one of the most commonly used email clients globally. It offers users a wide range of features to enhance the user experience. However, most users face challenges in password-protecting their emails in Outlook 2013. Some of these challenges include:

1. Difficulty in finding the password-protecting feature: To password-protect an email in Outlook 2013, the user must enable the encryption feature. Many users find it challenging to locate the menu item where this feature is located.
2. Remembering passwords: Passwords are an essential aspect of security. Users often find it challenging to remember the passwords they use to password-protect their email content. Forgetting the password might lock the user out of their email content.
3. Difficulty in communicating the password: Password protection involves communicating the password to the email receiver. It is often challenging to communicate the password securely, as third parties might intercept the password and access the email content.

Things You Should Prepare for Password Protecting An Email in Outlook 2013

Before password-protecting an email in Outlook 2013, there are several things that the user should have in preparation. These include:

1. A computer or laptop with Outlook 2013 installed.
2. An email to be sent
3. Knowledge of the content to be shared in the email.
4. A strong password that is difficult to guess.

Methods for Password Protecting An Email in Outlook 2013

Method 1: Password Protecting Your Email When Composing It

The first method of password-protecting your email in outlook 2013 is to password-protect it while composing. Here are the steps required to password-protect your email while composing:

1. Open Outlook 2013 and click on "New Email" to compose a new email message.
2. In the new email message window, click on "File" in the top left corner of the menu bar.
3. From the dropdown list of menu items, click on "Info."
4. On the "Info" page, click on "Permission" and then select "Encrypt."
5. A pop-up window will appear prompting you to enter a password to encrypt the email.
6. Enter the password, confirm it, and click "OK."
7. Finish composing your email and click on "SEND."

Pros:

– The email content is secure during transmission because Outlook encrypts the content before sending it.
– Accessing the content requires entering the password, ensuring that it is only accessible to authorized persons.
– The password-protect feature is a built-in feature of Outlook 2013 that does not require external software.

Cons:

– Users might forget their password, which might lock them out of their email content.
– The encryption feature might slow down the email sending process.

Method 2: Password Protecting Your Email After Composing It

The second method of password-protecting your email in Outlook 2013 involves password-protecting the email after composing it. The steps required to password-protect your email include:

1. Open the email message you want to password-protect and click "File."
2. From the drop-down menu, click "Info."
3. Click on "Protect Message" and select "Encrypt Message Contents and Attachments".
4. A dialog box will pop up prompting you to enter and confirm the password you want to use. Enter the password, confirm it and click OK.
5. Finish composing your email and click on "SEND."

Pros:

– The user can compose the email and then password-protect it, unlike in Method 1.
– The email becomes secure immediately after the user password-protects it.

Cons:

– The encryption feature might slow down the email sending process.
– Users might forget their password, which might lock them out of their email content.

Method 3: Password-Protecting Your Email When Replying to One

The third method of how to password protect an email in Outlook 2013 is to password protect the email when replying to one. Here are the steps:

1. Open the email message you want to reply to.
2. Click on "Reply" or "Reply All."
3. Click "File," "Info,", and then "Protect message."
4. Select "Encrypt Message Contents and Attachments."
5. Enter the password to encrypt the email in the pop-up window that appears.
6. Finish composing your reply email and click on "SEND."

Pros:

– This method applies when there is already an email being exchanged, and the user wants to keep its content secured.
– The email content is secure during transmission, and access requires the password, ensuring that it is only accessible to authorized persons.

Cons:

– Users might forget the password, which might lock them out of their email content.
– The encryption feature might slow down the email sending process.

Why Can’t I Password Protect An Email in Outlook 2013?

Several reasons might prevent a user from password-protecting the email. These reasons include:

1. The user might have forgone the encryption feature while installing their Outlook 2013 client.
2. The user might be using a version of Microsoft Outlook that does not support password protection.
3. The user might have forgotten their password, preventing access to their email content.

Fixes:

1. To ensure that you can password-protect your email, ensure that the encryption feature is enabled in your Outlook settings.
2. Ensure that you are using a version of Microsoft Outlook that supports password protection.
3. Keep your password secure and easily accessible if you forget it, using tools like LastPass or Sticky Password. Or consider jotting it down securely within the company password policies.

Additional Suggestions

• Use a strong password that is difficult to guess, preferably a combination of letters and numbers.
• Do not share the password with unauthorized individuals.
• Use the "Encrypt and Password Protect" feature to add an additional layer of security to your email content.
• Utilize encryption technology when transmitting or storing sensitive information online or offline.

5 FAQs About Password Protecting An Email in Outlook 2013

Q1. Do I Have to Install Any Extra Software to Enable Password Protection in Outlook 2013?

A1. No, you don’t have to install any extra software. The password-protect feature is a built-in feature of Outlook 2013.

Q2. Will Password-Protecting My Email in Outlook 2013 Affect Its Content or Attachments?

A2. No, the password-protect feature only encrypts the content and attachments of the email.

Q3. Can I Password-Protect an Email in Any Language Using Outlook 2013?

A3. Yes, you can password-protect an email in any language supported by your Outlook 2013 client.

Q4. Can I Use Special Characters When Creating My Password?

A4. Yes, you can use special characters like @,#,&, etc., when creating your password.

Q5. Can I Password-Protect All the Outgoing Emails in Outlook 2013?

A5. Yes, you can create a rule for outgoing emails that require password protection in Outlook 2013.

Conclusion

Password-protecting your email content is essential to ensure it is safe from unauthorized access. Outlook 2013 offers users a built-in feature to enable them to password-protect their email content. This blog post has highlighted three methods of how to password protect an email in Outlook 2013. By carefully following the steps outlined in this blog post and adhering to the best practices outlined, users can ensure that their email content remains secure and safe from prying eyes.