How to Send an Encrypted Email Through Outlook

Note: Encryption is currently available in Outlook Classic only. Here's how to check which version of Outlook you have.

Encryption Instructions

To send an encrypted email:

1. Under the Home tab, click "New Email."
2. In the new window that opens, click "Options."
3. Under the "Encrypt" dropdown menu, select "Encrypt-Only."
   
4. You will see the alert "Encrypted - Permission granted by..." You can now compose and send your message.
   
5. For internal (Penn) recipients, the encrypted message will display automatically. External recipients will see a prompt to decrypt the message.
   
6. Clicking "DECRYPT this Email" will open a new browser tab providing them the option to sign in with a one-time passcode.
   
7. The passcode will arrive in a separate email. Once the recipient enters the code, they will be able to view the contents of your message.

Penn Privacy Policies

Email encryption is no substitute for following security best practices, including:

• Never send sensitive data over email; use Secure Share or PennBox instead.
• Refer to Penn Data Risk Classification to understand which data is considered sensitive.
• Always use strong, unique passwords, and consider a password manager for extra security.