How to Encrypt Emails in Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is a reliable email client for managing your personal and professional accounts. It offers a lot of options, like creating folders and moving emails to manage your conversations. You can even encrypt emails in Outlook, a feature that will not go unappreciated by office-goers.

Note that you can send a secure email in Outlook if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription (Personal, Family, Enterprise, or Business Premium). If you’re wondering how then fret not. This post will show you the steps to encrypt emails in Outlook on Mac and Windows PCs.

How to Encrypt Email in Microsoft Outlook on Windows 11

With a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can send encrypted emails to your contacts. By default, you get the OME or Office 365 Message Encryption for sending encrypted emails using Outlook. As such, you don’t have to install any certificates to encrypt your email.

Step 1: Open Outlook on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Click on New Email at the top-left corner.

Step 3: Click on Options in the Menu Bar.

Step 4: Click the Encrypt icon and select Encrypt.

You will see a message that says, “This message will be encrypted.”

Step 5: Enter all the details and send your encrypted email.

Automatically Encrypt All Emails in Outlook on Windows 11

If you want to encrypt all your emails, follow these steps to enable the option. First, switch to the Legacy version of Outlook on your Windows PC.

Step 1: Open Outlook on your Windows PC or laptop.

Step 2: Click on New Outlook toggle at the top-right corner.

Step 3: Click on Skip Feedback to switch to Legacy Outlook.

Step 4: Once done, start a new email and click on File at the top-left corner of the compose window.

Step 5: Select Options at the bottom-right corner.

Step 6: Click Trust Center in the left menu and select Trust Center Settings.

Step 7: Select Email Security and enable the option of ‘Encrypt contents and attachments for outgoing messages.’

Step 6: Click OK to confirm.

To switch back to the New Outlook version, click on New Outlook at the top-right corner.

How to Encrypt Email in Microsoft Outlook on Mac

Here’s how you can send encrypted emails from the Outlook app on your Mac.

Step 1: Open the Outlook app on your Mac.

Step 2: Click on New Email at the top-right corner.

Step 3: Click the three dots towards the top right side of the Compose section and select Encryption.

Note that the Encryption option is greyed out for our Outlook account as we don’t have the signing certificate to send encrypted emails. That said, it should be a non-issue if you have a Microsoft 365 membership.

Step 4: After selecting encryption, add all the relevant details and send your email.

Automatically Encrypt All Emails in Outlook on Mac

Step 1: Open Outlook on your Mac.

Step 2: Click Tools from the Menu Bar at the top and select Accounts.

Step 3: Click on Security below your Outlook account details.

Step 4: When selecting the option of signing all outgoing messages, make sure to consider the encryption category of your certificate.

Step 5: Click OK.

Once again, note that we don’t have any signing certificates on our Mac, which is why the options are greyed out.

Open and View Encrypted Emails in Outlook

When you receive an encrypted email in your Outlook account, you can click on ‘Read This Message’ in the email body. A new window will open in your browser using your Microsoft account to display your message.

However, if you receive an encrypted Outlook email on your Gmail or Yahoo account, here’s how to view the message.

Step 1: Go to your inbox and open the encrypted Outlook email that you have received.

Step 2: Click on ‘Read The Message’.

Step 3: You can now use your Google account or get a six-digit passcode to view the email contents.

Can You Prevent Email Forwarding in Outlook

You can restrict the recipients from forwarding your encrypted emails. Here’s how to enable that option in your Outlook account.

Step 1: Open Outlook on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Compose a new email and click on Options in the Menu Bar.

Step 3: Select Do Not Forward.

This will prevent your encrypted email from getting forwarded. You will also see the same option in the Outlook app on Mac while accessing the Encryption option.

How to Move the Encrypt Button in Outlook

You can also choose to change the location of the Encrypt button in the Outlook app. Here are the steps to move the Mac and Windows PC Encrypt buttons.

On Windows PC

These solutions apply to Legacy Outlook users.

Step 1: Open Outlook on your Windows PC.

Step 2: Click the toolbar, which currently has your Encryption option.

Step 3: Right-click the toolbar ribbon and select Customize Ribbon.

Step 4: Under Customize Classic Ribbon, expand Options, and select Encrypt.

Step 5: Use the arrow icon to move the Encrypt option to a new toolbar.

Step 6: Click OK at the bottom to confirm your selection.

Secure Your Outlook Emails

You can encrypt your emails in Outlook to share content with your colleagues and peers securely. You can create email templates in Outlook if you frequently send encrypted emails. If those templates don’t work on your Outlook account or are missing, refer to our post that suggests the best ways to fix this issue.