# Email documents as password-protected ZIPs

Send documents by email inside an encrypted ZIP — the two checkboxes on the E-mail dialog, the password rule that matters most (the system never transmits it), and what the recipient needs to open it.

Product: content-central · Versions: 7.x · Audience: user · Time: 10 minutes · Last verified: 2026-09-05

Canonical: https://help.ademero.com/content-central/documents/email-documents-as-password-protected-zips

**At the end of this guide you can email documents wrapped in an encrypted ZIP, and you'll know the two facts that make the difference between secure and stuck: the password travels separately or not at all, and the recipient needs a real ZIP tool to open it.**

## Send one

1. Select the document (or several) and choose **E-mail** from the actions menu. The **E-mail Documents** dialog opens with **To** (it searches your address book as you type), **CC**, **Subject**, and **Message** — plus a **Template** picker when your organization has [message templates](/content-central/administration/customize-notification-message-templates) for manual sends.

2. Under **Attachments**, tick **Zip attachments** — the files travel as one archive, named by **Zip file name** (`documents.zip` unless you say otherwise).

3. Tick **Password protect** and enter the password twice. The dialog holds you to it: "Password is required when password protection is enabled," and the confirmation must match.

4. **Send.**

> **NOTE:** If either checkbox is already on and locked, your administrator has made zipping (or encryption) mandatory system-wide — the settings **Force zip of all e-mail attachments** and **Force encrypted password protection of zipped attachments** under System Settings. Nothing's wrong; the decision's just been made for you.

## The password rule that matters most

**Content Central never transmits the ZIP password.** It isn't emailed, appended, or hinted — you set it, the archive is encrypted with it, and telling the recipient is entirely yours to do. That's the security model working: a password in the same email as the attachment protects nothing.

So: share it through a *different* channel — a phone call, a text, a message system — and never in the email that carries the ZIP.

## What the recipient needs

The archive is AES-encrypted, which is stronger than the ZIP format's ancient built-in scheme — and the practical consequence is the #1 support call this feature generates: **Windows' built-in ZIP extractor can't open AES-encrypted archives.** The recipient double-clicks, gets an error or an empty window, and reports "the password doesn't work."

The password is fine. They need a real archive tool — **7-Zip** (free) or **WinZip** — and then the same password opens it. Telling recipients this *when you send* saves the round trip.

**Success check:** email yourself a test document, encrypted. The message arrives with the ZIP and *without* the password anywhere in it; 7-Zip opens it with the password; Explorer's built-in extractor demonstrates the failure you'll now recognize in support calls.

## If the E-mail action isn't in your menu

When outgoing email isn't configured, the action doesn't appear at all — silently. That's the administrator's [Configure outgoing email](/content-central/administration/configure-outgoing-email) page, not a permissions mystery.

## What's next

- [Configure outgoing email](https://help.ademero.com/content-central/administration/configure-outgoing-email)
- [Customize notification message templates](https://help.ademero.com/content-central/administration/customize-notification-message-templates)