How to Use a VPN in Gmail to Keep Your Email Private
Gmail is one of the most popular email providers in the world, reaching over a billion users and being the basis for Google’s other products such as Google+ and YouTube. Having said that, Gmail is not completely immune to hackers and spies trying to gather sensitive information – in fact, it’s quite easy to do so.
If you use Gmail, keeping your email private and secure is of paramount importance. Luckily, there are several easy ways to do this. We’ll explore three of them below.
1. Use a VPN in Gmail
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) in Gmail allows you to connect to a secure network (usually a VPN server) through your computer’s existing WiFi connection. Once connected, your Gmail activity (including mail content) is encrypted, meaning anyone trying to snoop on your activity will only see encrypted data.
There are several excellent VPNs specifically designed for Gmail use, such as NordVPN and Private Internet Access, which we’ll discuss further below. However, if you’re using WiFi for your personal life as well as work, then it’s quite likely you’re already using a VPN for your internet connection – if you’re not, then it’s well worth exploring the benefits of using one.
2. Two-Step Verification
Two-step verification is an additional security feature available in Gmail that adds an extra layer of security to your account by requiring you to enter a code sent to your phone – this way, even if someone gets access to your username and password, they won’t have complete access to your account (as the code can be changed at any time).
This is actually quite a common security measure, used by some of the most popular internet services. If you’ve set up two-step verification for your Google account (and if you haven’t, then it’s worth exploring the option), then clicking the lock icon at the bottom of the page will bring up a QR code that you can scan using a smartphone camera – in most cases, this is all it takes to enable two-step verification. (You’ll need to confirm the code every 30 days.)
3. Use a Different Email Address For Sign-Up
Let’s say you want to create a new Gmail account for your business, or you want to keep your personal account separate from your work account (which is a great idea). If you want to sign up for Gmail using a different email address from the one you normally use, you can do so with minimal effort by following these simple steps. (If you’re concerned about security, then do not use an email account that is tied to your Google account – if you do, then your email will be accessible to anyone who finds it. Instead, use a different email provider that isn’t tied to your Google account, such as Protonmail.)
If you’re using Gmail to send marketing emails or just occasionally want to send a quick note to someone, then it’s easy enough to use your company email address instead of your personal email address. Just be sure to only use it for Gmail (and unsubscribe from all other email lists you’re subscribed to).
As you can see, there are several simple ways to keep your email private and secure in Gmail – using a VPN, enabling two-step verification, or signing up with a different email address are all simple ways to do this. Of course, you don’t have to go through all of this hassle – there are numerous free VPNs that provide great value and security, and all you need to do is connect to one of them and you’re good to go.