Google finally announced a Gmail confidential mode this August. The most awaited feature finally arrived on Gmail. Using this Gmail confidential mode you can easily send a confidential mail with self destruct timer. Let’s check what is Gmail confidential mode, what are the features of confidential mode and how to send self destruct mode using this feature.
What is Gmail Confidential Mode?
This is the new feature introduced by Gmail to send a confidential email. If you have very sensitive information or company copyrighted material and you want to auto delete such information. The receiver won’t be able to forward or copy the mail content of the mail. So your data will be safe, and the receiver only can read the content.
Features of Gmail confidential Mode
Some of the features of this newly launched mode are mentioned below.
- The sender can set a time when to auto delete the sent mail.
- If set, the receiver has to verify his phone number via OTP to read the mail.
- You can set OTP verification or Standard verification a
- User can’t copy the content of the mail.
- The receiver can’t forwards the mail to anyone.
- Receiver cant print the content of the mail.
- The receiver can even take a screenshot of the mail according to google. (But according to our tests, we managed to take a screenshot from an Android smartphone).
- The attachment also can be downloaded from the mail sent through confidential mode.
- An expiry time with 1 day, 1 Week, 1 Month, 3 Month and even 5 years can be set
- Mail automatically deleted after a set time, so the receiver’s inbox will be clean.
Security Majors implemented in Gmail Confidential Mode
The main reason for this feature is sender security. There are many security majors available with Gmail confidential mode.
- The receiver can not copy, paste, print, download, take a screenshot of mail received in Gmail confidential mode.
- The receiver needs to verify his identity to read a mail. There are two verification methods available. As per sender’s set method, a receiver has to verify first.
- Verification Method 1: Standard Verification/No SMS passcode – Google verifies the receiver by its standard process. Gmail users will be automatically verified, and non-Gmail users will get email passcode to verify the secure received mail.
- Verification method 2 – SMS Passcode – Here, a sender needs to enter the mobile number of the receiver while setting up confidential mode. Once a receiver receives the mail, he needs to enter his mobile number and then needs to type a passcode received by SMS on his mobile number.
How to send Email with self destruct mode in Gmail?
We will see how to create a mail with the self destruct feature step by step. Both Web version(Computer) and an App has got this feature. So we will see them on both platforms.
How to send an email with Gmail confidential mode from a Computer?
- Step1: First open gmail.com on your computer’s browser and log in with your Gmail account credentials.
- Step2: Create new mail by pressing the Compose button.
- Step3: Type the sender email ID, subject and the mail content you want to send.
- Step4: Now, click on the Confidential mode icon to turn it ON.
- Step5: Popup-window with various confidential mode settings appears on the screen.
- Step6: Set the expiration time from the drop-down menu. select any one from 1 day, 1Week, 1 Month, 3 Months, 5 Years.
- Step7: Next, select your verification method. Choose either No SMS passcode or SMS Passcode.
- Step8: Click on Save button to enable Gmail Confidential Mode.
- Step9: If you have selected SMS passcode method, on next screen type the phone number of the receiver so that he needs to verify himself to read the mail content.
- Step10: Click on the Send button to send a mail.
How to send Auto delete Email using Gmail confidential mode from Smartphone?
- Step1: First open Gmail App on your smartphone.
- Step2: Create new mail by pressing the Compose button at the bottom right corner.
- Step3: Type the sender email ID, subject and the mail content you want to send.
- Step4: Now click on the overflow menu from a top right corner and select Confidential Mode.
- Step5: Set the Expiration time and verification method from the opened screen.
- Step6: If you selected SMS passcode method, type the sender’s mobile number and press Save button.
- Step7: Click on Send to Send the confidential Mode.
With either of the device, it’s very easy to send confidential mail to anyone.
How to Read a confidential mail received in your inbox?
Well, this time instead of a sender, you are a receiver. Follow below steps to read a mail received to your inbox with confidential content.
- Step1: Once you receive a confidential mail, you will see an expiration time along with the blank mail.
- Step2: If a sender has set an SMS verification method, you will need to enter the SMS OTP code to see the mail content.
- Step3: If Sender has set a standard verification, then if you are a Gmail user, you don’t need to do anything as google verify you automatically. If you are a non-Gmail user, then you will get a passcode via email that you need to enter in Gmail confidential email to read the content.
Summary –
Google has taken a major step ahead to secure their user’s data sent via Gmail. Gmail Confidential mode allows a sender to set an auto delete timer for their mail. Also, a user can’t be able to copy, paste, print, download attachment, forward the mail. Read more about Google confidential mode from here.