Skip to content

How to Encrypt Mail in Outlook

< 1 minute read

Outlook Yellow

Here’s how to send encrypted messages in Outlook. Encryption provides an extra layer of security for your messages, ensuring that only the intended recipient will be able to decipher the message and read its contents.

You have the option in Outlook to encrypt either just one message or all messages outgoing from your Outlook profile.

To encrypt a single message:

  • First, start composing a new message.
  • Navigate through the File menu > Properties.
  • Click on Security Settings, and check off the box for “Encrypt message contents and attachments.”

To encrypt all of your outgoing messages:

  • Go to File > Options > Trust Center.
  • Click on Trust Center Settings > Email Security, and check off the box for “Encrypt contents and attachments for outgoing messages.” At this point, all messages you will send will be encrypted.
  • Note: You need to make sure that a person has your digital ID before you send them an encrypted message. Without the digital ID of the sender, a recipient cannot decrypt a message sent from that person’s Outlook mailbox.
  • If you don’t already have a digital ID, head back into the Email Security section of your Trust Center settings and click “Get a Digital ID.” Here, select one of the options and then follow the instructions at the linked website to register for your digital ID. Your recipients will need to add your digital ID to their contacts in order to view encrypted messages from you. You can send them your digital ID by sending them an email, heading back to the Properties menu we saw earlier, clicking into Security settings, and then opting to attach your digital signature to the message.

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

Sign up for our newsletter