How to Enable & Use Gmail Confidential Mode to Prevent Sensitive Data Leakage?
Recently, Google has redesigned Gmail with a bunch of amazing features. Gmail on the web revealed a new user interface that comprises some serious game-changing highlights. One of those features could make some serious noise for organizations and any privacy-centric user. That feature is Confidential Mode.
The Gmail Confidential Mode is basically a privacy-driven feature that lets users send emails with an expiration date, just like self-destructing email on Apple iMessage or Snapchat. Confidential Mode in Gmail could be a big feature for the professionals who do not want to leak sensitive data. The feature obstructs recipients from forwarding, replicating/pasting, downloading, or even printing the email contents.
After you turn on the confidential mode of Gmail, the email messages sent by a user expires after a set time period. By default, this timeframe is 1 week yet, one can set a different time period. A confidential email can have an additional layer of security whereby the beneficiary needs to enter a passcode, which is sent to them as an SMS. This specific feature’s availability is restricted by country so not every person who gets confidential mode in Gmail will have the capacity to utilize to send confidential email in Gmail.
Also Read: How to Download Gmail Emails to Computer?
Advantages of Gmail Confidential Mode
- The confidential mode allows users to send extremely secure emails via Gmail. Regarding security, it is possible to lock an email with a passcode while you send a confidential email.
- Users can set an expiry date of their email message whether it is a document, picture, text, or whatever else. Once the date is compassed, the email will expire automatically.
- Individuals can use a mobile number to secure the email content. One contact number can be selected and the receiver will get a password to unlock the email. Well, it is not mandatory, if users select, they cannot forget the mobile number. Without that specific number, it is impossible to open the email in any way.
- Also, the recipients are not allowed to forward the message to any other individual. This option will be disabled by default. Additionally, it is not possible to download the integrated attachment without entering the passcode. One cannot even copy the content from the email body.
How to Send a Confidential Email in Gmail
The Gmail Confidential Mode has come with Google’s new Information Rights Management tool that allow users to set limitations on how to export Gmail emails and how it is viewed and shared. To turn on confidential mode is actually quite simple. Follow the below-mentioned guidelines to send confidential email in Gmail:
Step 1: Sign into your Gmail account and click on the Settings gear icon. Select Try the new Gmail option to turn on confidential mode. Doing this will reload your page with a new interface
(Note: If your Gmail confidential mode Missing in Gmail . You need to follow the Step 1, as this new feature is available in the new Gmail )
Step 2: Now, to send a Confidential email, launch the email composer wizard and compose a new email as usual. Fill out the fields for the recipient, email subject, and the email body.
Step 3: Next, hit a click on the Gmail Confidential Mode icon that is situated at the bottom of the compose window & send confidential email in Gmail.
This will display a new popup window that will enable you to turn on confidential mode.
Here, set the desired expiry date for email and you will get two SMS passcode options:
- SMS passcode: The passcode is necessary to open the email that will be sent via a text.
- No SMS passcode: No passcode is required to view the email.
Select the option according to the requirement.
Step 4: After configuring everything, hit the Send button to send confidential email in Gmail.
Case 1: If you have selected Confidential Mode with an SMS passcode then, Gmail will ask you to enter the phone number of your recipient (to send the passcode via text). Without this passcode, the recipient will not be able to view the email. This SMS passcode will be valid for next five minutes only.
Case 2: If you have selected the No SMS passcode option then, the email can be viewed by anyone with the access to recipient’s email client. For higher security, it is always best to select the SMS Passcode option.
How Secure Gmail Confidential Mode is?
The confidential mode in Gmail is a handy feature from the security point of view however, it has some major limitations. Such as:
- Users are not allowed to select a custom expiry date. They only can select any of these options only – 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 5 years.
- The end user can always take the screenshot of confidential email. Thus, it is not that much safe.
- Backup Gmail emails before the data expires using backup software
In the End
Gmail confidential mode is a great security feature for emails that contain sensitive information yet, it is not completely foolproof. Even the Google puts email forwarding restrictions on emails received while you send confidential email in Gmail. However, users can bypass this by just taking a screenshot of that email.
