Sending and Receiving Encrypted Email with Outlook

Students, faculty and staff sending confidential or sensitive information over email should use the Encryption feature in Outlook. 

Sending Encrypted Email

  1. Open Outlook or log into outlook.office.com, and start a new message.
  2. Click the Restrict Permission button from the Options menu bar at the top, and click Encrypt.

    screenshot of Restrict Permission button dropdown with Encrypt indicated

    If the Restrict Permissions button is not visible, click the elapses (...) on the right end of the toolbar, then click Encrypt, and Encrypt.

    screenshot of ... dropdown with Encrypt, Encrypt indicated

    Note: Mac Outlook users might need to go to the Customize Toolbar menu to drag and drop the Encryption button into the toolbar. 
  3. From the Restrict Permission button dropdown, select Encrypt
    The other permission restriction available is Do Not Forward, which prevents the recipient from forwarding, printing and/or copying the email. 
         

Encrypting Attachments

The following Microsoft file types are automatically encrypted when attached to an encrypted email in Outlook:

  • Word
  • Excel
  • PowerPoint
  • InfoPath
  • XPS

Note: Outlook message files (.msg) are not encyrpted when attached to an encrypted email. 

Receiving Encrypted Email

Recipients with UARK accounts in Outlook will receive encrypted messages seamlessly.

Email received in non-Outlook apps like Gmail will receive a link over email that will provide a secure way to view the encrypted message in the device's web browser. 

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