The internet doesn’t have a filter, so anyone can get your data if you’re not careful. This also means the information you send could get into the wrong hands. Plus, there may be times when you have to send sensitive files and messages, whether it’s an email containing an attachment of a company’s financial assets or a contract that holds a client’s personal information. You’re required to take all the precautions to protect this type of information.

You have two options to ensure a private Gmail experience. Google offers a confidential mode that prevents emails from becoming modified in any way, which works well with personal Gmail accounts. The second is for users with a paid Google Workspace account. You can turn on S/MIME on any Android phone, iOS app, or Gmail desktop app to send encrypted emails. This guide handles how to get started and make the most out of your private experience over Gmail, including how to turn on confidential mode and send encrypted emails.

Why use S/MIME on Gmail?

S/MIME or Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions ensures the entire content of the email doesn’t get lost in transit while making sure only the sender and receiver can view the entire content of the email. It prevents hackers, phishing software, and other harmful software from having eyes on anything contained in the encrypted message.

How to activate confidential mode on Gmail

You may be a general user of Gmail and only have a personal account to send or receive emails. However, it doesn’t grant you access to encrypt emails without a paid Google Workspace account. So, you may be required to use confidential mode on Gmail to enhance the privacy between yourself and the email recipient. Below, we outline the steps to turn on the confidential feature on Gmail.

1. Open a web browser and sign in to Gmail.

2. Navigate to the left side and click Compose.

3. At the bottom of the message draft, click the lock (with the clock icon) to toggle on confidential mode.

4. In the Confidential mode window, select the expiration date and a passcode. Choosing No SMS passcode allows recipients on Gmail to receive the message without using a password. If your recipient isn’t on Gmail, a passcode is sent. Otherwise, selecting the SMS passcode requires entering your recipient’s phone number to open the email.

5. After selecting your preferred encryption option, click Save.

6. Click Send to send the email.

If you change your mind about sending that email or accidentally send it to another recipient. Navigate to the sent folder on Gmail, open the email, and click Remove access.

You can also perform these steps using the Gmail app on Android and iOS. Tap Compose, navigate to the kebab menu, and tap Confidential mode.

How to view an email with confidential mode turned on

To ensure you’ve performed the steps correctly, check if the email appears within the recipient’s inbox and ensure the email remains locked from performing any modifications.

Check if the lock is at the bottom of the composed email (draft) to ensure you’re sending an email with the confidential mode turned on. You can also view your sent folder, which displays the lock and clock icon.

The recipient can’t copy, paste, download, print, or forward the message text and attachments contained in the email. Also, the email disappears from the account after reaching the expiration date. The recipient can take screenshots of the email and save them elsewhere, so always ensure you trust the person receiving these emails.

How to send an encrypted email with a Google Workspace account

There are limitations to protecting your data and privacy while using confidential mode, such as what we outlined above. You may want to secure a paid Google Workspace account for your email affairs. After turning on S/MIME, you can send encrypted emails on any Android, iPhone, iPad, or web browser.

1. Using a Google Workplace account, open Gmail.
2. Navigate to Google Admin console.
3. Select Apps > Google Workplace, then click Gmail > User settings.
4. Click the domain name of a Google Workplace account to activate S/MIME.
5. Click Enable S/MIMEencryption for sending and receiving emails.

To send an encrypted email, click compose as you usually would and add the recipient to the empty send field. Next to the recipient’s name, you’ll see a lock to indicate the encryption level (green, gray, or red). If you see red, the email isn’t encrypted, so you may need to reconsider sending it to the selected recipient.

Finding ways to stay private

Free, personal Gmail accounts only have access to confidential mode, which doesn’t protect your email in transit. Encryption messaging only works if the Workspace provider has activated S/MIME. And if neither of those options works for you, consider looking someplace else for encrypted messaging apps when sharing sensitive information.