---
title: "Encrypt an Email in Outlook"
canonical: "https://servicedesk.shu.edu/space/PUBLICKBA/2104492051/Encrypt%20an%20Email%20in%20Outlook"
format: markdown
---
Microsoft 365 allows you to encrypt email messages and attachments to help protect sensitive information. Encryption limits access to the contents of a message so that only authorized recipients can read it.

> ℹ️ **Important:** Before sending sensitive information, always verify that the message is addressed to the correct recipient.

## Send an Encrypted Email

To encrypt an email in Outlook:

1. Create a new email message.
2. Select **Options** from the message toolbar.
3. Select **Encrypt**.
4. Choose **Encrypt** or the appropriate encryption option available to you.
5. Add your recipient and send the message as usual.

Encryption helps protect the contents of the email and any attachments included with the message.

![Screenshot 2025-03-06 163609.png](media://3285b99c-ed10-4db1-8cac-e27339d2b6a8)

## Apply a Sensitivity Label

Outlook also provides sensitivity labels that can be applied to messages containing sensitive or confidential information. Depending on the label selected, additional protections or visual markings may be applied to the message.

The **Label** dropdown menu, located near the subject line, or the **Sensitivity** menu in the Outlook toolbar can be used to select an available label.

### Confidential

The **Confidential** label identifies an email as containing sensitive information and applies a watermark indicating its classification.

![Screenshot 2025-03-11 164808.png](media://6132f979-107b-429f-8db5-282d5fb9b712)

### Highly Confidential

The **Highly Confidential** label provides additional protections by restricting recipients from printing, saving, forwarding or extracting content from the email.

![Screenshot 2025-03-06 163805.png](media://3ae02d2c-0c68-460f-8ee5-20b8418fa37d)

These restrictions apply to Seton Hall mailboxes and may not prevent external recipients from taking these actions when a message is sent outside the University.