How to Encrypt Your Gmail, Outlook, and Other Webmail

Which Encryption Is Best to Protect Webmail?

Encryption is very important to privacy and security. Our privacy is under constant threat from social media, governments, businesses, and otherwise.

Before we look at the encryption tools, it is important to understand what types of encryption are available to you when using Gmail, Outlook.com, or other webmail services. You will use either symmetric or asymmetric encryption to protect your data. But what does that mean?

Asymmetric encryption is the most common encryption type found on the internet today. An asymmetric encryption tool involves two separate keys: a private key and a public key. Your public key is just that; public. You can send your public key into the wild because with it, people can encrypt messages specifically for you. When the encrypted messages hit your inbox, you decrypt it using your private key. Unlike the public key, the private key must remain secure at all times. If someone else acquires it, they can unlock your messages. This asymmetric encryption is also known as public-key cryptography.

Symmetric encryption is a very secure but more simple encryption method. You essentially encrypt your message using a single cryptographic key, and the recipient cannot unlock your message without that key. Symmetric encryption is also known as secret-key cryptography.

Encrypting Messages in Webmail

I’m going to list several of the best webmail encryption tools, where you can use them, and how they help you send encrypted emails.

1. Mailvelope

Mailvelope remains one of the best and easiest webmail encryption tools around. It uses asymmetric encryption to secure your emails. The Mailvelope browser extension seamlessly integrates with your webmail accounts in Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo Mail, GMX, mail.ru, Zoho Mail, and more.

Mailvelope works directly from your browser. Once you download the app, the Mailvelope icon will appear alongside the address bar. Clicking the icon gives you several options: Dashboard, Keyring, and File Encryption. To get started:

1. Select Keyring > Generate Key
2. Enter your name and the email address you want to link to the encryption keys. Next, add a secure, unique password, then select Generate to create your key.
3. Head to your webmail account and verify your new key by opening the verification email and confirming the unique password from the previous section. Once you decrypt the message, you can select the verification link.
4. After verification, you receive a link containing your public key. (It is a long alphanumeric string.) You can share the public key with other people so they can encrypt messages they send to you.

You can access the public key from the Keychain option. If you want to send it to someone, locate the key, then select Export and either Display Public Key or Send Public Key by Mail. Once the recipient has the key, you can send them a secure message from your webmail account.

For instance, the Mailvelope icon appears to the top-right in a new Gmail message. Click the message icon and start typing!

2. FlowCrypt

FlowCrypt is another excellent encryption option for those using Gmail. Like Mailvelope, Flowcrypt syncs perfectly with your Gmail account, allowing to you send emails using the PGP encryption standard.

Once you download Flowcrypt, select the Flowcrypt icon alongside your Chrome address bar. To set up Flowcrypt:

1. Select Create a new key
2. Create a secure passphrase. which uses letters, numbers, and symbols. Head to Use a Passphrase if you’re struggling to think of something but make sure you make a copy!
3. Head to your Gmail account. Above the regular “Compose” button is a new option: Secure Compose.
4. Select Secure Compose and type your message.

A handy FlowCrypt feature is the PK button in the bottom right corner of the email compose window. The PK button adds your public key to the email so that recipients without FlowCrypt can still read your email.

FlowCrypt is available for Gmail on Chrome, Firefox, and Android. Also, you can use the Android app with any webmail app on your Android device, extending the functionality of FlowCrypt to numerous accounts.

3. InfoEncrypt

InfoEncrypt is different from the previous two entries. It uses secret key symmetric encryption, rather than public-key encryption. That means instead of sharing your public key to let people encrypt messages for you, you must arrange a password or passphrase before you can send and receive secure messages. InfoEncrypt uses the extremely strong AES-128 encryption algorithm, which is one of the strongest available for public use.

InfoEncrypt is extremely simple to use.

1. Head to the website and type your message.
2. Enter the secure unique password you have previously shared with the recipient.
3. Select Encrypt and watch the magic unfold.
4. Then, copy the ciphertext (that’s a text with encryption) to your webmail client and send it.

Your recipient should receive the message, copy the contents to the InfoEncrypt site, enter the password, and select Decrypt.

4. Send & Open Confidential Emails Using Gmail

Gmail recently introduced “Confidential Mode.” Confidential Mode is a way of sending secure messages, within Gmail, using a passcode, and an expiration timer. Please note at the current time Confidential Mode isn’t available to paid-for G Suite members.

Here’s how you use it:

1. Head to Gmail and select
2. Alongside the Send button, locate the Turn Confidential Mode On/Off
3. Alter your Confidential Mode settings; set an expiration date and select if the user requires a passcode to read your email, then select Save.
4. Send your email as usual.

Recipients cannot forward, copy, or print Confidential Mode emails. Also, make sure you input the recipient mobile number if you use the passcode option. Otherwise, they cannot open your email!