How To Send And Open An Encrypted Email On iPhone
Why send an encrypted email? Well, Abhijit Naskar, possibly the world’s most famous neuroscientist, once notoriously said that everything connected to the internet is hackable.
However, most cybercrimes– like real life crimes– are simply crimes of opportunity.
As such, all you need to protect yourself from most cybercrime is to take precautions against opportunism!
One of the best ways to do that is to keep private inform/ation within encrypted emails.
In this article, we’ll quickly go over the straightforward process of sending and opening encrypted emails on your iPhone, so that you can stay secure in your communications!
How To Send And Open An Encrypted Email On iPhone
On Gmail
Gmail comes with free encryption software. It is called S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions), and it uses non-sequential cryptography to make the message inaccessible unless the receiver has a key.
Below is a brief explanation of what it is, and how it’s used:
If you choose to send an encrypted email with Gmail, your device will turn the email into an encrypted document which can only be opened with a key.
It then uses a verification system to check the receiver is who you think they are, before it gives them the key. You also choose when this key expires.
This system is (as with a lot of modern technology) incredibly complicated behind the scenes, but very practical for daily use.
In function, it feels a little like a password verification system where a website will send a code to your email, requiring you to enter the code before you can access the website.
You might have done this before if you’ve forgotten your online banking password, or if you’re setting up a new phone!
Sending An Encrypted Email On iPhone
First let’s look at how to use email encryption with the most popular email app in the world, Gmail:
1. Open the Gmail app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Compose.
This will open a blank email. If you want to send sensitive information, let’s make sure this is an encrypted email first — just in case you accidentally hit send!
3. In the top right of the screen there should be a tab called More.
Tap this, and then it will bring up a menu. On this menu, then tap Confidential Mode.
4. Set an expiration date.
After the expiration date ends, the “key” will no longer work. The encrypted email cannot be opened by the receiver if the key is expired.
Your own access to the email will remain, but if you’re worried about your own Gmail account being compromised, you can also just delete the email.
5. Set a passcode and choose whether you want to verify the receiver’s identity with an SMS passcode, and any other settings that suit.
The passcode and the expiration date will apply only to the recipient (or recipients), and will apply to both the text and attachments of an encrypted email.
If you choose “No SMS Passcode”, then recipients will be able to open it directly with the Gmail app.
If they don’t have Gmail, it will just send them an email passcode. If you choose “SMS Passcode”, then you’ll need to enter the receiver’s phone number.
They will receive a text with the passcode when they try to open the email. This should help to verify their identity, so an email hacker cannot access the encrypted document.
6. Hit “Done”- and your email is away!
This additional layer of protection you have added should protect you from all but the most high level hackers or cybercriminals.
Remove Access Early
It’s simple to make an encrypted email inaccessible, even before the key’s expiration date.
If you choose to do so, you can make the key invalid and you’ll be the only person that can read the email’s contents:
1. Open the Gmail app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap “Menu” then look for the tab called “Sent”. This will take you to your outbox, where you’ll find all the emails you’ve sent.
3. Find the encrypted email that you want the recipient to no longer have access to. Open the email.
4. At the bottom of the screen there should be a button, called “Remove Access”. Tap this, and the encrypted email will be inaccessible by the recipient.
If you want to restore access, you will have to send the email again.
Opening An Encrypted Email On iPhone
If you’ve received an encrypted email on your iPhone you might need a password to open it.
This password will either come through an email, or via SMS text message. Simply wait a few moments for the password to arrive, type it in, and voila– you have access!
Keep in mind, however, that access may expire. The default setting is that access will expire after 7 days, but the sender might’ve chosen a different (shorter) time frame.
You will not be able to copy text or images, download the email, or forward it. If you need to hold on to that information, you will need to either trust your memory, or copy it by hand. Old school!
If both the sender and receiver are using Gmail, you won’t have to enter a code.
On Outlook (New Version)
If you or your organization updated to the new Outlook, then the administrator will need to have enabled something called “server-side decryption”. If they have, then it’s as simple as sending and receiving normal emails.
An encrypted email from within the company will simply have a small message: “Your company has protected this message. Don’t share it with anyone else”.
1. On the blank page, tap the arrow in the top right hand corner. Then, press Open In.
This will present you with the many apps you have that are capable of opening email files.
On Outlook (Old Version)
If your company hasn’t updated, then you will need to use the OME Viewer app to open encrypted emails.
The old app for iOS devices was removed from the App Store on August 15, 2018. You may keep using the OME Viewer app if you have it already.
1. To open an encrypted email using the OME Viewer app, first open the email.
It will have a file called Message.html. Tap it, and it will take you to a blank page.
2. Swipe until you find the Ome Viewer.
Tap this, and it will take you to a screen showing the sender and the recipient, as well as a button saying Use a One Time Passcode. Tap this.
3. The recipient that was listed in the last screen will receive an email with the passcode. Tap the passcode.
If an option to view in OME Viewer comes up, then tap that.
On iOS Mail App
1. Open the email, it should have a file called Message.html. Open the actions bar in the top of your screen, then press the arrow in the top right.
Scroll until you find the option to Copy to OME Viewer.
2. In the OME Viewer, tap Use a One Time Passcode.
3. The one time passcode will be sent to your iOS mail app. Open the email, and tap on the passcode. If an option to open with OME Viewer appears, then tap that.
Key Takeaways
It’s easy and worthwhile to use encrypted email. It provides an additional layer of security, and is especially simple to use if both parties have the same email app.
If not, you will need to use an email confirmation code, or a third party reader app. Thankfully, iPhones come installed with these apps. Stay safe!