Where to Find Block Screen Capture in New Outlook After Leaving Classic Outlook

You recently switched from classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows and the screen capture blocking feature you used in classic Outlook is missing from its old location. This feature, known as Information Rights Management or IRM, prevents recipients from taking screenshots or screen recordings of sensitive emails. The new Outlook places this protection in a different menu path than classic Outlook. This article shows you exactly where to find and enable the block screen capture setting in new Outlook.

How Block Screen Capture Works in Outlook

Block screen capture is a permission applied to an email through Azure Information Protection or Microsoft Purview Message Encryption. When enabled, recipients using Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android cannot take screenshots or screen recordings of the email content. The feature relies on the Rights Management Service (RMS) in Microsoft 365. Emails protected with the “Do Not Forward” or “Encrypt-Only” templates do not block screen capture by default. You must explicitly select a sensitivity label that includes the screen capture restriction.

In classic Outlook, you accessed this feature through File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Information Rights Management. In new Outlook, Microsoft moved the setting to the ribbon under Options > Mail > Sensitivity. The change was part of the transition to the new Outlook architecture, which uses a simplified ribbon and cloud-based policy management. Your organization must have a Microsoft 365 subscription that includes Azure Information Protection Plan 1 or Plan 2, or Microsoft Purview Message Encryption.

Prerequisites for Block Screen Capture

Before you can block screen capture in new Outlook, your tenant must have the correct licensing and configuration. You need one of the following: Microsoft 365 E3, E5, A3, A5, or a standalone Azure Information Protection license. The feature also requires that your organization has published sensitivity labels that include the screen capture restriction. If you do not see the Sensitivity button in new Outlook, your administrator has not enabled the unified labeling client or has not assigned the required license.

Where to Enable Block Screen Capture in New Outlook

The following steps show you how to apply the block screen capture setting to an email in new Outlook. You must perform these steps for each email you want to protect. There is no global setting to block screen capture on all outgoing messages.

1. Open a new message in new Outlook
   Click New Mail in the ribbon or press Ctrl+N on your keyboard. The compose window opens.
2. Click the Options tab in the ribbon
   In the message compose window, locate the ribbon at the top. Click the Options tab. The ribbon changes to show message options.
3. Click the Sensitivity button
   In the Options tab, look for the Sensitivity group. Click the Sensitivity button. A dropdown menu appears showing the available sensitivity labels for your organization.
4. Select a label that blocks screen capture
   Choose a sensitivity label that includes the screen capture restriction. Labels such as “Confidential” or “Highly Confidential” often have this restriction. If you are unsure which label blocks screen capture, check with your IT administrator. The label applies immediately to the email.
5. Send the email
   Complete your message and click Send. The recipient sees a banner at the top of the email indicating that the message is protected. The recipient cannot take screenshots or screen recordings of the email content.

Verify That Screen Capture Is Blocked

After you send the email, ask a recipient to test the restriction. On Windows, pressing the Print Screen key or using the Snipping Tool returns a black or gray screen when attempting to capture the email. On macOS, the screenshot tools show a blank area. On mobile devices, the screen capture function is disabled entirely. If the recipient can still take screenshots, the label you selected does not include the screen capture restriction. Try a different label or contact your administrator.

If You Cannot Find the Sensitivity Button in New Outlook

Sensitivity button is missing from the Options tab

The most common reason the Sensitivity button is missing is that your organization uses the classic Information Rights Management client instead of the unified labeling client. New Outlook requires the Azure Information Protection unified labeling client. Ask your IT administrator to install the unified labeling client or to enable sensitivity labels in the Microsoft 365 compliance center. Another cause is that your Microsoft 365 license does not include Azure Information Protection. Verify your license in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Billing > Licenses.

Sensitivity button is grayed out

If the Sensitivity button is visible but not clickable, the email you are composing may already have a different protection applied. Remove any existing encryption or permission settings before applying a sensitivity label. Click the three dots in the compose window, select More options, and check the Permission section. If a permission is already set, remove it. Then try clicking the Sensitivity button again.

Block screen capture does not work after applying a label

This issue occurs when the sensitivity label is configured to allow screen capture. Only labels with the “Block screen capture” option enabled in the Microsoft 365 compliance center will prevent screenshots. Your administrator must edit the label in the compliance center and set the screen capture restriction to “Block.” After the label is updated, you must close and reopen Outlook for the change to take effect.

Classic Outlook vs New Outlook: Block Screen Capture Feature Comparison

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Setting location	File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Information Rights Management	Ribbon > Options > Sensitivity
Client requirement	Classic IRM client or unified labeling client	Azure Information Protection unified labeling client only
License required	Microsoft 365 E3/E5 or Azure Information Protection	Microsoft 365 E3/E5 or Azure Information Protection
Apply to one email	Yes, via Permission button or IRM dialog	Yes, via Sensitivity button
Global default setting	Possible via group policy or custom rule	Not available; must apply per email
Recipient experience	Banner with permission info	Banner with sensitivity label name

Common Misconceptions About Block Screen Capture

Block screen capture prevents all forms of copying

Blocking screen capture does not prevent a recipient from copying the email text by hand or by using a camera to photograph the screen. The feature only blocks operating system-level screen capture tools. A determined user can still transcribe the content manually. For higher security, combine block screen capture with other protections such as expiration dates and watermarks.

The Do Not Forward template blocks screen capture

The Do Not Forward template in classic Outlook does not block screen capture. It only prevents the recipient from forwarding, replying to, or copying the email. To block screen capture, you must use a sensitivity label that explicitly includes the screen capture restriction. Do Not Forward is a separate permission that does not include screen capture blocking.

New Outlook applies block screen capture to all emails automatically

New Outlook does not have a global switch to block screen capture on all outgoing messages. You must apply a sensitivity label to each email individually. If your organization needs automatic protection, your IT administrator can create a mail flow rule in Exchange Online that applies a sensitivity label based on conditions such as recipient domain or message content.

Conclusion

You can now find the block screen capture setting in new Outlook under the Options tab in the Sensitivity button. This is a change from classic Outlook where the setting was buried in the Trust Center. Remember that you must apply a sensitivity label to each email individually and that the label must have the screen capture restriction enabled. To verify the feature works, test with a colleague by asking them to attempt a screenshot. If you still cannot locate the Sensitivity button, contact your IT administrator to confirm your license and unified labeling client installation.