Sending Confidential mail in Gmail

World’s largest email service provider (More than 1B active users) provide the facility to send confidential mail to any email service user. A Gmail confidential mail has below characteristics-

• Sender can set the expiry date-The date after that recipient will not be able to read the mail.
• Remove access anytime so that recipient will not be able to see the mail even before expiry date.
• Use SMS pass code option; it will make sure that only the concerned recipient can read the mail. Adding additional layer of security to sensitive information.

Steps to Send Confidential Mail

Follow the below step by step process to send a confidential message using Gmail:

Step -1

Turn on the Confidential mode in compose Window

Step-2

Select the expiry time

This is the time after which user wouldn’t be able to see the mail. Currently we have below preset expiry time option available

• 1 Day
• 1 Week
• 1 Month
• 3 Months
• 5 Years

Select the expire window according to your need.

Step-3

• No SMS passcode: If your recipient does not use Gmail they will get passcode by email. If recipients is using using Gmail they will be able to read the mail directly without any passcode.
• SMS Passcode: Recipient will get passcode by SMS.

Now compose and shoot your mail. Provide the mobile contact number of recipients when prompted (If SMS passcode option is selected.)

Reading the confidential message

Refer the below flowchart to check how you would be able to read a confidential mail sent using Gmail.

Bonus Points:

• If you are sending the confidential to non Gmail user then select the SMS passcode option as it will not require the recipient to have google account to read the mail. Sender will provide the mobile phone contact of the recipient and recipient will receive passcode as SMS.
• Sender can also remove the access by opening the mail in sent items folder and clicking o Remove access. This will remove access for recipients immediately and recipient will not be able to read the mail.

• If you are sending the mail to more than one recipient then you need to provide mobile contact for each recipients.

• Google on its support site asserts that “Recipients of the confidential message will have options to forward, copy, print, and download disabled. ” (Reference) But this  statement is partially true. This is true when recipient  of the confidential message is also using Gmail. If the recipient of confidential message is using some other mail service as outlook then forward, print  and download option will not be disabled.

Your suggestions and inputs are always welcomed. Please comment if you have nay suggestion or modification on Gmail confidential mail feature.