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Google brings Gmail confidential mode to G Suite enterprise users with beta program

In addition to the Material Theme redesign last April, Google announced a slew of new security and productivity features for Gmail. A confidential mode that allows senders to add an expiration date and limit sharing launched for consumers last year, and it is now coming to enterprise G Suite users via a beta program.

Confidential mode can be turned on/off in the bottom menu when composing a new email. The sender can have the message expire in increments ranging from one day to five years. There is also an option to require that the recipient first authenticate themselves via an SMS passcode before opening the message to protect against account hijacking. By default, the option to forward, copy, print, or download a message is disabled.

It is already available for consumer Gmail accounts, and is now coming to the enterprise. G Suite admins can turn on the Gmail confidential mode Beta Program for their managed users.

Admins can opt-in to the beta by going to the Admin console and navigating to Apps > G Suite > Settings for Gmail > User settings. Here they will be able to select the option to Enable confidential mode.

Meanwhile, a special accordance is made for G Suite customers and organizations that must retain emails for internal records with Google Vault. However, there is a distinction when messages are received from external senders that enabled confidential mode.

Vault can hold, retain, search, and export all confidential mode messages sent by users in your organization. Messages are always available to Vault, even when the sender sets an expiration date or revokes recipients’ access to confidential messages.

Gmail Confidential Mode is off by default, and available to all G Suite editions. The beta program is live today for admins to enable.

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com