How to encrypt email in Outlook?

  • August 21, 2023
  • Written by:
  • James
  • Reading Time: 12 minutes

While running any business, it is important to keep sensitive information protected from an outside threat, and this is where encryption comes into the picture. By encrypting the email, you can protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, only the user with private keys can access the email and read the content. In this guide, we are going to discuss how to encrypt email in Outlook.

Email EnCrypt In Outlook: Brief Introduction

You might be wondering what is Email encryption in Outlook. Well! It is the process of converting plain text messages into a coded format that can only be read by authorized recipients. It is an important security measure that can help protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or interception. In today’s digital age, email encryption has become an essential tool for both individuals and organizations to safeguard their data and maintain confidentiality. Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular email clients used by individuals and organizations around the world. It provides a range of security features, including the ability to encrypt emails. Outlook uses a technique called Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) encryption to secure emails, which is based on the use of digital certificates.

Must Read: Outlook Inbox Not Updating Automatically

How the Email EnCryption Works In Outlook?

When a user sends any encrypted email from their Microsoft Outlook account, the email message is converted into an unreadable format using a complex algorithm. The recipient can only decode the message using a private key that is linked to their digital certificate. This means that even if the email is intercepted or accessed by an unauthorized party, they will not be able to read its contents. Encrypting an email in Outlook is a relatively simple process. To do so, you will need to have a digital certificate installed on your computer. You can obtain a digital certificate from a trusted certificate authority, such as Verisign or GlobalSign. Once you have obtained a digital certificate, you can configure Outlook to use it for encrypting your emails. Let’s move forward and find out how to encrypt email in the Outlook account.

Encrypt Email In Outlook: Methods To Follow 

S/MIME encryption

You can encrypt email in your Outlook account using the S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) Encryption method. It is one of the most widely used email encryption standards that uses digital certificates to secure email messages. S/MIME is supported by Outlook, and you can use it to encrypt your email messages. To use S/MIME encryption, you need to obtain a digital certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Here are the step-by-step instructions that will help you with how to encrypt an email in Outlook using the S/MIME encryption method.

  • First of all, you need to obtain a digital certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA).
  • Now, install the digital certificate in your Outlook profile.
  • Compose a new email message and click on the “Options” tab in the ribbon.
  • After this, click on the “Encrypt” button in the “Tags” section of the ribbon.
  • Send the email as you normally would. The recipient will need to have your public key to decrypt the message.

That’s how to encrypt email in Microsoft Outlook using the S/MIME encryption method.

Office 365 Message Encryption

If you do not have a subscription, you can use the Office 365 Message Encryption method to send an email from your Outlook account. This feature allows anyone to send encrypted emails to any user, even if the user doesn’t have an Office 365 subscription. When you use this feature, the email is encrypted with a symmetric key, which is then encrypted with the recipient’s public key. The recipient can then use their private key to decrypt the symmetric key and read the message. Proceed with the below steps to send the encrypted email using this method.

  • Begin the process by composing a new email message and clicking on the “Options” tab in the ribbon.
  • Now, click on the “Encrypt” button in the “Tags” section of the ribbon.
  • Select “Encrypt Only” or “Do Not Forward” from the drop-down menu.
  • Send the email as you normally would. The recipient will receive an email with instructions on how to view the encrypted message.

That’s It, you have successfully sent the encrypted email to the receiver.

Password-protected ZIP file

You can compress the emails into zip files protected by a password and encrypt them in your Outlook mail account. This method is not as secure as S/MIME or Office 365 Message Encryption, but it can be useful if you need to send a sensitive file to someone who does not have an email encryption tool. Here are the steps that can help you to do so:

  • Start the process by compressing the email and its attachments into a ZIP file.
  • Right-click on the ZIP file.
  • Click on the  “Add to Archive“.
  • Enter a password in the “Set Password” field and click “OK“.
  • Compose a new email message and attach the password-protected ZIP file.
  • Send the email as you normally would. Share the password with the recipient through a separate secure communication channel.

Add-ins

You can also use third-party add-ins for the encryption process. There are several third-party add-ins available for Outlook that provide email encryption functionality using multiple encryption methods, such as S/MIME, PGP, or AES encryption, to secure your emails.

  • First, you need to install an email encryption add-in from the Microsoft Store or a third-party provider.
  • Compose a new email message and click on the add-in button in the ribbon.
  • Follow the add-in’s instructions to encrypt the email message.
  • Send the email as you normally would. The recipient will receive the encrypted message and instructions on how to view it.

So, this is how to encrypt Outlook email using the add-ins provided by third parties.

Exchange Server Encryption

You can also encrypt the email using the  Exchange Server Encryption method. This method uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) to secure the communication between email servers, and S/MIME to encrypt email messages. Here is how to do it.

  • Set up Exchange Server Encryption on your email server.
  • Compose a new email message and click on the “Options” tab in the ribbon.
  •  Click on the “Encrypt” button in the “Tags” section of the ribbon.
  •  Send the email as you normally would. The recipient will need to have a digital certificate to decrypt the message.

Take Away

With Email Encryption in Outlook, you can make sure that only the authorized recipient gets to read the message and no one else. This can help to keep the business as well as personal communications protected from any sort of outside threat.

The guide above explains multiple methods you can use for Outlook email encryption. But, if you are still struggling with how to encrypt email in Outlook, do not hesitate to go for expert help.

Written By

  • James
  • My name is David Wayne, and I work as a technical support specialist for the online industry. In the last 7 years, I have fixed a variety of email issues, such as Outlook server errors, Outlook send receive errors, Outlook working offline problems and etc. So if you are facing these types of problems, please do not hesitate to contact us without any hesitation.

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