What do you do when you want to send sensitive or private data via email? The answer is pretty simple, you use Gmail’s Confidential mode. Gmail has the Confidential Mode feature that stops recipients from forwarding, copying, printing and downloading emails and components of an email once enabled. Here is everything you need to know about Gmail Confidential mode.
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What is Gmail’s Confidential Mode?
Gmail’s Confidential Mode is a feature that allows users to send sensitive information through email while still maintaining a level of security and privacy. When a message is sent in Confidential Mode, the recipient cannot forward, copy, download or print the message. The sender can also set an expiration date for the message, after which the message will no longer be accessible to the recipient. Additionally, the sender can require the recipient to confirm their identity via a text message or phone call before being able to access the message.
How to Send Confidential Emails on Gmail
1. Launch your Gmail account.
2. Tap the Compose button and then go about Composing a new email as you normally would. Remember to add the recipient, subject, and body of your email.
3. After creating the email, you can now set up the confidential mode; the methods will differ depending on the device you are using;
- If you are using your computer, click on the lock icon located in the bottom right corner of the compose window.
- If you are using the mobile app on your phone, tap on the three dots in the top right corner, then choose Confidential Mode from the displayed menu and toggle on the feature.
4. There is a provision for you to select the expiry date of your email. You can set the email to expire in 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 5 years.
5. Also, you can set up a passcode for your confidential email. This means the recipient will need a password to view that email. To set a passcode for the confidential email, select the SMS passcode. The recipient will receive a passcode sent via SMS from Google once they click on the link. If you check No SMS passcode or Standard, the recipient will view the contents of the email in the body.
6. To confirm the confidential setting, click on “Save” or tap on the “checkmark icon.” You will be referred back to the compose email window, confirm the details of your email, and tap the “Send” button.
Read Also: How to Schedule an Email in Gmail and Send Later at your own Convenience
How to Revoke Access or Renew Access to Confidential Email
The expiry date of your confidential email might still be active. That means that the recipient can still view the email until the set expiry date. Fortunately, you can choose to REVOKE ACCESS. Revoking access will deny the recipient access to viewing the Confidential email. Here is how to do it;
- Go to the Sent Folder.
- Select the Confidential Email.
- Click on the “Remove access” link.
- Confirm that you want to revoke access to the email.
You can always renew access to the confidential email once it expires. To do so;
- Go to the Sent Folder.
- Select the Confidential Email.
- Click on the “Renew access” link.
- Set a new expiration date for the email.
Wrap-up: Well, you did your part by making sure that the email is private and the components of that email are not copied, forwarded, printed, or downloaded. However, Gmail’s Confidential Mode is not prone to screenshots. Therefore, the recipient could take a screenshot before the Confidential email expires.