Microsoft Finally Fixes Classic Outlook’s Encrypted Email Debacle—But the Fix Won’t Arrive Until February

If you’ve been tearing your hair out trying to open encrypted emails in classic Outlook since December, you’re not alone—and thankfully, Microsoft has finally rolled out a fix. The long-standing bug, which left users staring at useless .rpmsg attachments instead of actual email content, has been resolved for Beta Channel users and will trickle down to mainstream channels next month.

The Problem: “Encrypt Only” Messages Became Digital Black Holes

The issue first reared its ugly head after the December 2024 update (Current Channel Version 2511, Build 19426.20218). Users attempting to open emails encrypted with “Encrypt Only” permissions—a setting that allows recipients to forward, print, or copy messages without restriction—were instead greeted with a cryptic message_v2.rpmsg attachment. Clicking it did absolutely nothing, rendering the encrypted message completely inaccessible.

Microsoft acknowledged the problem three weeks ago, describing how affected users would see an error in the Reading Pane: “This message with restricted permission cannot be viewed in the reading pane until you verify your credentials. Open the item to read its contents and verify your credentials.” Spoiler alert: opening the item didn’t help.

The Fix: Coming (Slowly) to a Channel Near You

In a Thursday update to its support documentation, Microsoft confirmed that the fix is now live for Beta Channel users and will roll out to Current Channel and Current Channel Preview users in February (Build 19725.20000). While this is welcome news, the staggered rollout means many users will remain stuck with the bug for weeks longer.

Workarounds for the Impatient

For those who can’t wait until February, Microsoft offers two temporary solutions:

1. Sender-Side Fix: Instead of using the File menu to encrypt emails, senders should use the Encrypt option under the Options ribbon. Microsoft provides detailed instructions in its support documentation.

2. Downgrade to a Working Build: Users can revert to a previous, unaffected version by running this command from an elevated command prompt:

   “%programfiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun\officec2rclient.exe” /update user updatetoversion=16.0.19426.20186

   This will roll back Outlook to Build 19426.20186, which isn’t plagued by the encryption bug.

Classic Outlook’s Troubled History

This isn’t the first time classic Outlook has stumbled. In 2024 alone, Microsoft had to patch multiple critical bugs, including:

• Drag-and-Drop Dysfunction: A Windows 24H2 update broke Outlook’s ability to drag and drop emails.
• CPU Spikes While Typing: Users experienced severe performance issues when composing messages.
• Crashes on Launch: A bug caused Outlook to crash when opening emails or starting new messages.
• Emergency Freezes: Out-of-band Windows updates were required to fix widespread Outlook freezes.

Each of these issues required urgent patches, highlighting the ongoing challenges Microsoft faces in maintaining its legacy email client.

What This Means for Users

For businesses and individuals relying on encrypted email communication, this bug has been a significant headache. The inability to access “Encrypt Only” messages could have disrupted workflows, delayed responses, and even compromised sensitive information if users resorted to less secure communication methods.

While the fix is on the way, the slow rollout underscores a broader issue: Microsoft’s prioritization of its new Outlook app over the classic version. Many users still prefer or depend on the classic interface, but Microsoft’s updates often feel like an afterthought.

Looking Ahead

As Microsoft continues to push users toward its modern Outlook app, bugs like this one raise questions about the long-term viability of the classic client. For now, though, the February fix can’t come soon enough for those stuck dealing with broken encryption.

In the meantime, if you’re affected, consider using the workarounds or exploring alternative encrypted email solutions. And if you’re not already on the Beta Channel, it might be worth the risk to get early access to critical fixes like this one.

Tags: Microsoft, Outlook, encrypted email, bug fix, Office 365, Encrypt Only, classic Outlook, Windows update, email security, Microsoft 365, software bug, tech news, IT support

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