What happens when someone sends you an encrypted email
When you receive an encrypted email, you will see a message that looks different from your normal mail — usually with a lock icon, a banner, or a button that says something like "View Secure Message" or "Open Encrypted Content". The email itself may be blank or show only a few lines of text. This is intentional. The sender encrypted the message so that only you can read the full content, and your email program cannot display it until you unlock it.
The exact steps to open it depend on which encryption method the sender used and which email service you use. The most common scenario is that you will need to enter a password, use a link to view the message in your web browser, or authenticate with your email account. None of these require you to install new software or change your email settings.
Key Takeaways
- Encrypted emails arrive with a lock icon or "View Secure Message" button and require a password or authentication to open.
- Most encrypted emails can be opened directly in your email program or by clicking a link to view them in your web browser.
- If the sender used a password to encrypt the message, they will send you that password separately — never in the same email.
- The sender should tell you how to open the message, but if they do not, look for a button or link in the email itself.
Opening an encrypted email in Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail
If you use Gmail, Outlook.com, or Apple Mail, your email program may handle encrypted messages automatically. Look for a button or banner in the email that says "View Secure Message", "Open Encrypted Content", or "Decrypt Message". Click that button. Your email program will either show you the decrypted message right away, or it will ask you to sign in to your email account to verify that you are the intended recipient.
If you see a button labeled "View Message" with a lock icon, click it. This usually opens the message in your web browser, where you can read it. If the sender password-protected the message, you will be prompted to enter that password at this point. The sender should have given you this password through a separate channel — a phone call, a text message, or a different email — never in the encrypted message itself.
If you do not see any button or banner, the email may not be encrypted in a way your email program recognizes. Scroll down to see if there is a link at the bottom of the message, or check your spam folder in case the email was filtered incorrectly.
Opening an encrypted email from a link
Some encrypted emails do not open inside your email program at all. Instead, you will see a message that says something like "Click here to view your secure message" or "Open this message in your browser". Click that link. Your web browser will open a page where you can read the encrypted content.
On this page, you may need to enter a password if the sender set one. Again, the sender should have sent you this password separately. If you do not have a password and the page is asking for one, contact the sender to ask what it is. Do not guess or try common passwords — most systems lock you out after a few wrong attempts.
After you read the message, you can usually close the browser tab. The message will remain in your email inbox as an encrypted item, but the content you viewed in the browser is not saved there — it only appears when you click the link again.
What to do if you cannot open the encrypted email
If you have clicked the button or link and nothing happens, try these steps in order. First, make sure you are using a supported web browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge all work. If you are using an older browser or a mobile browser that is not updated, try opening the link on a computer instead.
Second, check that you have the correct password. If the sender told you the password verbally or in a text message, type it exactly as they said it — passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital letters matter. If you are not sure, ask the sender to repeat it or send it again.
Third, clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again. In most browsers, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), then selecting "All time" and clicking "Clear data". After that, go back to the encrypted email and click the link again.
If none of these steps work, the email may have expired. Some encrypted email systems delete messages after a certain number of days or after a certain number of failed attempts to open them. Contact the sender and ask them to send the message again.
Encrypted emails from your bank or a government agency
Banks, the IRS, and other official organizations sometimes send encrypted messages about sensitive information like account statements or tax documents. These usually arrive with a button that says "View Secure Message" or "Sign in to view". Click the button and sign in with the username and password you use for that organization's website.
Do not click links in the email itself if you are unsure whether they are real. Instead, go to the organization's official website directly — type the web address into your browser yourself — and look for a section called "Messages", "Secure Mail", or "Documents". You can often view the encrypted message there without clicking any link in the email.
If you receive an encrypted email claiming to be from your bank but you do not have an account with that bank, do not try to open it. This is a common phishing tactic. Delete the email and report it as spam or phishing to your email provider.
Encrypted emails on your phone or tablet
Opening encrypted emails on a mobile device works the same way as on a computer, but the steps look slightly different. In Gmail on your phone, look for a lock icon or a "View Secure Message" button. Tap it. Your phone will open the message in your browser or in the Gmail app itself.
If the encrypted email is from Outlook, Microsoft 365, or another service, look for a button or link in the message and tap it. Your phone will open a web page where you can read the content. If you are asked for a password, enter it the same way you would on a computer.
Some encrypted email systems work better on a computer than on a phone. If you have trouble opening an encrypted message on your mobile device, try opening it on a computer instead. You can always read it on your phone later by going back to the email.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the sender did not tell me how to open the encrypted email?
Look for a button or link in the email itself — most encrypted messages include instructions right in the message body. If you still cannot figure it out, contact the sender and ask them which encryption service they used and whether you need a password. They should be able to walk you through the steps.
Is it safe to click the link in an encrypted email?
Yes, as long as the email came from someone you trust. Encrypted emails are designed so that only you can read the content, even if someone intercepts the link. However, if you receive an encrypted email from someone you do not know or do not expect, it could be a phishing attempt. When in doubt, contact the sender through a different method to confirm they sent it.
Can I save or download an encrypted email?
You can usually take a screenshot or copy the text after you open it. Some encrypted email systems allow you to download the message as a PDF or text file. Check the options or menu in the message viewer — there is often a download or save button. However, you cannot save the encrypted version itself in a way that you can open it later without the encryption key.
What happens if I forget the password for an encrypted email?
Contact the sender and ask them to send the message again with a new password, or ask them to send the information through a different method. There is no way to recover a forgotten password for an encrypted message — the encryption is designed so that even the sender cannot decrypt it without the password.
Do I need to install anything to open an encrypted email?
No. You do not need to install any software, browser extensions, or plugins. Encrypted emails open in your regular email program or web browser. If someone tells you that you need to download something to open an encrypted email, that is a red flag — it may be a scam.