In this article you will learn how to send self destructing emails using GMail. For privacy reasons, you can sometimes wish that the emails you send will vanish completely. This is useful for a variety of reasons, such as when you have private conversations that you'd rather not have recorded, when you have confidential business details that you don't want to inadvertently leak online, or when you're having a surprise party and don't want the information to leak.
There are many reasons why people may want to use self-destructing and self-expiring emails, and the good news is that you do not have to pay for costly email services or providers to use the feature. Google's Gmail does, in fact, have a self-destructing email function, and if you want to use it and send more privacy-conscious emails, here's how.
- Open Gmail
- Compose by clicking the Compose button.
- Click the button that resembles a lock with a timer at the bottom of the compose email window.
- Now you may specify the duration of the email before it expires.
- Additionally, you can opt to make it password protected to add an additional layer of protection.
- Write your email normally and then press Send.
Gmail Application
- Open the Gmail application.
- At the bottom right corner of the keyboard, tap the + button.
- Select Confidential mode by tapping the three vertical dots.
- Choose the duration of the email until it self-destructs and optionally provide a passcode for added protection.
- Save
- Compose your email normally and send it once you're done.
What Happens If You Get An Email That Self-Destructs?
- Gmail To Gmail
- Gmail To Other Email Provider
Gmail To Gmail
When you open an email that will self-destruct or expire using Gmail, the preview of the email will be hidden in your inbox. Given that Google believes that such emails are sent for privacy reasons, it makes sense to conceal the email's preview.
When you open the file, you'll also see a box indicating the email's expiration date. Additionally, it informs users that they are not permitted to forward, copy, print, or download the email. It should be remembered, however, that this does not prevent individuals from taking screenshots of the email. This is not a foolproof approach, and if there is anything truly important and highly secretive, you may wish to explore other options.
Additionally, the sender of the email has the ability to revoke or renew access to the email's contents at any time. This means that even if the email has a fixed expiration date, the sender will let it expire sooner if they wish, which means you will no longer be able to see it.
Gmail To Another Provider
If you or the recipient uses a different email provider, the self-destructing email would appear as a Google message. When you open the email, you will not see the contents; instead, you will see a button/link that, when clicked, will open the email in a new tab/window.
However, it's worth noting that the responses you receive from Non-Gmail email addresses will not be self-destructing or expiring. Although messages sent from Gmail will expire and self-destruct, the responses you receive will not, so keep that in mind if you're sending these types of emails to a Non-Gmail recipient.