But if your provider doesnt offer this feature, encrypting your emails can get a bit technical.
Thats why Ive simplified the process with easy-to-follow step-by-step guides below.
I also describe how to encrypt emails on any email service using third-party tools.
How to Encrypt Emails on Yahoo
Yahoo automatically encrypts emails during transitlike Gmail.
However, unlike Gmail, you dont get any additional options for end-to-end encryption.
If you have a free personal Outlook account, you should considerthird-party solutionsto get end-to-end encryption.
You need one for both yourself and for anyone you plan on sending an email to.
The steps for enabling and using S/MIME protection on Apple Email vary depending on your MacOS.
Ive included general steps for Mac users, but note that your steps could look different.
Instead of entering your email address during the creation, enter their email address.
you might find the steps onhow to encrypt your emails with Proton Mail Bridge here.
For example, Proton Mail Bridge acts as a proxy between Proton Mail and your regular email account.
The Bridge encrypts emails locally on your equipment using Proton Mails end-to-end encryption.
Once the email is encrypted on your machine, its sent to Proton Mails servers.
Proton Mail further adds S/MIME-level encryption for secure transmission to the recipient.
Heres how you might encrypt an email from Proton Mail Bridge, using Outlook 2019 as an example.
The downside of third-party apps like these is theres no guarantee itll work with your email provider.
These problems can result in you losing your emails.
While this is rare, it is possible, so you cant say I didnt warn you.
Encryption scrambles your data so that only the person with the right key can read it.
Theres a lot to consider about your method of encryption.
For example,Gmailencrypts its emails, but only during transit.
Does a VPN automatically encrypt my emails?
No, VPNs dont fully encrypt your emails.
Are there any drawbacks to encrypting my email?
There are no security drawbacks, butthere are some complications.
If youre on a free personal account, youll need athird-party app, which comes with potential compatibility issues.
There are also accessibility problems that can come up down the road.
Many cloud services, like Google Drive,cannot store your encrypted emails.
You also wont be able to find them through your index or search functions.
Do any email services provide automatic encryption?
Proton Mail is one of the only top email providers that automatically provide end-to-end and zero-knowledge encryption.
GmailandOutlookalso automatically encrypt email, but only during transit.
