Google has expanded Gmail’s end-to-end encryption to Android and iOS devices, allowing enterprise users to compose and read encrypted messages natively within the Gmail mobile app for the first time. The update marks the completion of a years-long effort to bring client-side encryption to all surfaces where Gmail is used, and represents a meaningful upgrade in email privacy for organizations with strict compliance requirements.
How It Works
The update means users with a Gmail E2EE license can send encrypted messages to any recipient, regardless of the recipient’s email provider or device. For Gmail app users on both platforms, encrypted messages appear as standard email threads in their inboxes — no separate apps, mail portals, or manual certificate exchanges required. Recipients who do not use the Gmail app can securely read and reply to messages through a web browser.
To encrypt a message, users tap the lock icon in the compose window and select “additional encryption.” The process is designed to be invisible to end users while ensuring that messages and attachments are encrypted on the device before they ever reach Google’s servers — a technical control known as client-side encryption.
Who Gets Access
The feature is currently available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus customers with the Assured Controls or Assured Controls Plus add-on. Administrators must enable the feature for Android and iOS clients through the client-side encryption admin interface. The encryption architecture lets organizations use encryption keys they manage outside of Google’s servers, helping enterprises meet regulatory requirements around data sovereignty, HIPAA compliance, and export controls.
A Long Road to Mobile
Google first began testing client-side encryption for Gmail on the web in December 2022. The company launched a simplified E2EE model in beta for enterprise users in April 2025, initially limited to messages within the same organization. By October 2025, the capability expanded to allow encrypted emails to any recipient on any platform. Thursday’s announcement marks the final piece — bringing that same functionality to mobile devices and completing Gmail’s cross-platform E2EE rollout.
