Have you ever been in a situation where you have to send confidential information via email, but you’re concerned about the security of your email? You may have tried to send important information with a password-protected document attached, but you still feel a little hesitant. Sending sensitive information over email can be quite risky, and sometimes it’s critical to ensure that your email is secure. Fortunately, there is a way to achieve it, and this can be done by password-protecting your email. In this blog post, you will learn how to send an email password-protected in Outlook.
Video Tutorial:
Why You Need to Send Password-Protected Email:
Sending password-protected emails adds an extra layer of security to your messages, ensuring your emails aren’t breached easily. Should a hacker gain access to your email address, they will have a difficult time accessing the content of a password-protected email. It also ensures that any confidential information shared remains secured and confidential.
Method 1: Via Outlook Email Attachment
Sending password-protected emails in Outlook can be achieved via email attachment. Once you send a password-protected email through Outlook, the recipient will be prompted to enter the password before they can view the contents.
Here are the steps to follow:
1. Launch Outlook and compose a new email as you would normally.
2. Click on the "File" tab located at the top left of the Outlook window.
3. On the Info pane, click "Protect Document," and then "Encrypt with Password."
4. In the Password box, enter your preferred password, ensure that it’s a strong password that cannot be easily guessed by hackers.
5. Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password box and click "OK" for protection to be applied to the document.
6. Click on the Attach File button, select the document you’ve just encrypted with a password to attach to the email.
7. Click send to send the email.
Pros:
– Simple and easy to use
– The recipient only needs to know the password to view the attached document.
Cons:
– This method only applies to password-protecting attachments. The body of the email is not password-protected, so you must avoid writing any confidential information in the email.
Method 2: Via Microsoft 365 Message Encryption
Another way to send password-protected emails is by using Microsoft 365 Message Encryption. This method ensures end-to-end encryption of your email and attachments. The recipient must have a Microsoft account or other specified accounts to access the email.
Here are the steps:
1. Compose a new email in Outlook, similar to Method 1.
2. Click on the "Options" tab at the top of the window.
3. Within the Options group box, click on "Encrypt" under "More Options."
4. Select “Choose the encryption that’s right for your organization”, and secure mail is encrypted with the encryption certificate.
5. Set the option to share the decrypted content, if necessary, to protect data and prevent accidental deletion.
6. Select the recipient’s Microsoft 365 ID or their public key.
7. Place a checkmark in the box saying “Encrypt only”, and then click “Encrypt”
8. Add your message to the email and click “Send.”
Pros:
– End-to-end encryption ensures that your email is protected from hackers.
– Recipients can read messages and attachments securely.
Cons:
– This method requires recipients to have a Microsoft account or specific types of accounts.
Method 3: Via Zip File
Another way to password-protect your email is by zipping the files with a password-protected program. While it may seem like extra work, it’s an excellent way to protect your files when sending via email.
Here are the steps:
1. Navigate to your files within your file explorer.
2. Select the files you want to compress and right-click to see context menu.
3. Hover over "Send to" and select "Compressed (zipped) folder."
4. Right-click on the compressed folder and select “Add a Password” to protect it with a password.
5. Ensure that you follow the prompt and protect it with a strong password.
6. Attach the zipped folder to the email and send.
Pros:
– It provides an additional layer of security to prevent unauthorized access.
– It’s compatible with all types of email systems.
Cons:
– It can be challenging for the recipient to view files if they don’t have access to a zip extractor.
Bonus Tip:
When sending password-protected emails via Outlook, it’s important to ensure that the password used is strong enough to prevent unauthorized access. A strong password should contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters such as #, &, or %.
FAQs:
Q. Can I password-protect an email in Gmail?
A. No, Gmail doesn’t offer password-protected emailing, but you can send encrypted emails through third-party services such as Virtru or StartMail.
Q. Is it possible to send an email with an expiry date?
A. Yes, some email providers such as Gmail allow users to send an email with an expiry date.
Q. Do I need Microsoft 365 to send an encrypted email?
A. Yes, while Microsoft 365 is not the only way to encrypt an email, it’s one of the best options for encrypting an email end-to-end.
Q. Can I use my current Outlook email account to send a password-protected file?
A. Yes, you can use your current Outlook email account to send a password-protected email.
Q. Can I password-protect an email on my mobile phone?
A. Yes, you can password protect an email on your mobile phone. You need to follow the same methods detailed here, including the steps of compressing a file with a password-protected program if you prefer.
Final Thoughts:
Sending password-protected emails is an excellent way to protect sensitive information transmitted over email. Although sending password-protected emails through Outlook may seem a bit insecure, it’s one of the best ways to give you peace of mind that your email is secure and your confidential information is safe. By following the three methods described above – via Outlook email attachment, via Microsoft 365 Message Encryption, and via Zip File – you can add an extra layer of security to your emails with ease.