How to send a self-destructing confidential email on Gmail - How to Guide

Google has added new features to boost privacy and offer greater control to sender of an email. One of those features is "Confidential Mode". Let us see what the "Confidential Mode" does and how to use it to send emails with an expiry date so that the message automatically destructs on its own. 

Confidential mode: 

Please note that this mode is available only on the PC browser and not on Android. With "Confidential Mode" one can protect sensitive emails by setting a passcode, not giving an option to forward and setting an expiration date. After this set confidential date email will be automatically deleted. The recipients of a "Confidential Mail" will not be able to download, copy/paste, forward or print a physical copy of this email. However recipients can take a screenshot or click a photograph of the email contents.

By default users are logged-in to the “Classic Gmail view”. To access the ‘Confidential Mode’ along with other new features, you will have to shift to the new interface of Gmail.

Click on the ‘Settings’ icon (Gear icon shown in the image) and then click on 'Try New Gmail'. It will take some time to reload with the new interface and then you are ready to go. Please note that you can always get back to the “Classic view” by following the same step.

Note: When I logged in, the setting was already in confidential mode

How to send the Confidential email?

 From the new Gmail interface on your browser, follow these steps:

Click Compose.

In the bottom right corner of the window, click "Turn on Confidential mode" by clicking on the icon "Clock/Lock"(located beside "send" & "attach" icons). 

Set an expiration date and passcode for an email after which it will no longer be available on the recipients inbox. Note that recipients cannot download attachments.

Set a passcode: If you choose "No SMS passcode," recipients using the Gmail app will be able to open it directly. Recipients who don't use Gmail app will get emailed a passcode. If you choose "SMS passcode," recipients will get a passcode by text message. Enter the recipient's phone number. Click ‘Save’and now you are set to send the confidential email.