How can I enable encryption on my Gmail account?
Best answer: For most of us you can’t, unfortunately. Only paid Google accounts can use the built-in encryption and the rest of us will need extra software. It’s still not simple, though.
Encryption is important when it comes to your private conversations. You probably have nothing to hide and I get that — I don’t really care if someone knows I texted my wife to remind her to bring home butter or I emailed some company for tech support. But I still want encryption as an option, and so should you.
Web-based email like Gmail just isn’t encryption friendly. I’m talking about end-to-end encryption here, where mail is protected so that only the intended recipient can open it. Gmail is encrypted during transport using the TLS standard but once it reaches a server it’s there in clear text. Think of email as the modern version of a postcard.
There are two ways to enable encryption in Gmail, but one is only available for paying customers. For Enterprise or Education accounts you can turn on S/MIME.
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