How to Mark Outlook Email Sensitivity as Confidential Without Encryption

You may need to send an email that contains sensitive business information but do not want to use full encryption. Outlook includes a built-in sensitivity label feature that lets you mark an email as Confidential, Internal, or other classifications without applying message encryption. This label appears as a banner in the recipient’s email client and can also trigger data loss prevention rules in Microsoft 365. This article explains how to apply the Confidential sensitivity label in Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac, and what the label does and does not do.

What the Confidential Sensitivity Label Does in Outlook

The sensitivity feature in Outlook is separate from message encryption. When you set an email to Confidential, Outlook adds a text banner at the top of the message that reads “This message is marked as Confidential.” The recipient sees this banner in Outlook, Outlook on the web, and other email clients that support sensitivity headers. The label does not encrypt the message body or attachments. It does not prevent the recipient from forwarding, printing, or copying the content.

The sensitivity label is stored as an email header (X-MS-Exchange-Organization-SCL). Microsoft 365 tenants that use Microsoft Purview Information Protection can apply data loss prevention rules that trigger actions when a message is marked Confidential. For example, an administrator can create a rule that blocks external forwarding of emails labeled Confidential. Without those server-side rules, the label is informational only.

Prerequisites for Using Sensitivity Labels

To see the Sensitivity button in Outlook, you need one of the following:

• A Microsoft 365 subscription that includes Microsoft Purview Information Protection (E3, E5, Business Premium, or equivalent).
• A Microsoft 365 tenant where an administrator has published sensitivity labels to users.

If you use a standalone Outlook license (Office 2019 or earlier without a Microsoft 365 subscription), the Sensitivity button may not appear. In that case, use the legacy sensitivity setting under File > Options > Mail.

Steps to Mark an Email as Confidential in Outlook

The following steps apply to Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021, and Outlook 2019. The exact location of the button may vary slightly by version.

Method 1: Set Sensitivity on a Single Message

1. Open a new email message
   Click New Email on the Home tab of the Outlook window.
2. Locate the Sensitivity button
   In the message window, go to the Message tab (or the Options tab in older versions). Look for the Sensitivity button in the Tags group. The button may display as a shield icon or a text label showing the current sensitivity level.
3. Select Confidential
   Click the Sensitivity button. A dropdown menu appears with options such as Normal, Personal, Private, and Confidential. Select Confidential.
4. Verify the banner
   A yellow or blue banner appears at the top of the message area stating “This message is marked as Confidential.” If you do not see the banner, the label was not applied. Repeat step 3.
5. Send the email
   Complete the To, Subject, and body fields, then click Send.

Method 2: Set a Default Sensitivity for All New Messages

1. Open Outlook Options
   Click File > Options > Mail.
2. Scroll to the Send messages section
   In the Mail options, scroll down to the section labeled Send messages.
3. Set the default sensitivity
   Click the Sensitivity dropdown box. Select Confidential from the list.
4. Save the setting
   Click OK to close the Options window. All new messages you compose will now default to the Confidential sensitivity level.

Method 3: Use Microsoft Purview Sensitivity Labels (If Available)

If your organization uses Microsoft Purview Information Protection, you may see a Sensitivity button that shows labels such as “Confidential \ All Employees” or “Highly Confidential.” These labels can apply automatic encryption, watermarking, or header/footer text. To use one of these labels without encryption:

1. Open a new message
   Click New Email.
2. Click the Sensitivity button
   On the Message tab, click the Sensitivity button. It may display as a colored bar or a lock icon.
3. Choose a label that does not enforce encryption
   Select a label that is configured for visual marking only (banner or header). Your IT administrator determines which labels enforce encryption. If you select a label that requires encryption, the message will be encrypted automatically.
4. Send the message
   Complete the message and click Send.

What the Confidential Label Does Not Do

Understanding the limitations of the Confidential label helps you avoid relying on it for security. The label does not:

• Encrypt the message body or attachments
• Prevent the recipient from forwarding or printing the email
• Block automatic forwarding rules set by the recipient
• Remove the recipient’s ability to copy text or save attachments
• Prevent the recipient from taking a screenshot of the message

If you need to prevent the recipient from forwarding or copying the content, use Microsoft Purview Message Encryption or the Do Not Forward option in Outlook. The Do Not Forward option is available under Options > Permissions in the message window and applies encryption with usage restrictions.

Recipient Experience: What They See

When you mark an email as Confidential using the legacy sensitivity setting (File > Options > Mail), the recipient sees a banner at the top of the message in Outlook. The banner text reads “This message is marked as Confidential.” In Outlook on the web, the banner appears similarly. If the recipient uses a non-Microsoft email client like Gmail or Apple Mail, the banner may not appear. The sensitivity header is still present in the message source, but most third-party clients do not display it.

Outlook for Mac: Setting Sensitivity

In Outlook for Mac, the sensitivity setting is available but located differently:

1. Open a new message
   Click New Email.
2. Click the Options tab
   In the message window, click the Options tab.
3. Set Sensitivity
   Click the Sensitivity dropdown and select Confidential.
4. Send the message
   Complete the fields and click Send.

If the Sensitivity Button Is Missing

If you do not see the Sensitivity button on the Message tab or under File > Options > Mail, one of the following is likely true:

• You are using an unsupported Outlook version: Outlook 2016 and earlier may not include the Sensitivity button. Use File > Options > Mail as a fallback.
• Your Microsoft 365 tenant has not published sensitivity labels: Contact your IT administrator to publish labels.
• The Sensitivity button is hidden by Group Policy: Your organization may have disabled the feature. Check with your IT department.

Legacy Sensitivity vs Microsoft Purview Labels: Key Differences

Item	Legacy Sensitivity (File > Options)	Microsoft Purview Labels
Location in Outlook	File > Options > Mail	Message tab > Sensitivity button
Encryption	No encryption	Can enforce encryption if configured
Recipient banner	Yes, in Outlook	Yes, with customizable text
DLP rules support	No	Yes, can trigger data loss prevention policies
Available in Outlook 2019	Yes	Only with Microsoft 365 subscription
Available in Outlook for Mac	Yes, via Options tab	Yes, with Microsoft 365 subscription

You can now mark any email as Confidential in Outlook without enabling encryption. Use the legacy setting under File > Options > Mail if you want every new message to default to Confidential. If you need to apply the label on a per-message basis, use the Sensitivity button on the Message tab. Remember that the label is informational only and does not protect the content from forwarding or copying. For actual content protection, use Outlook’s encryption features or Microsoft Purview labels that enforce restrictions.