Disappeared protection settings for Sensitivity Labels in Purview

Question

Hello,
We have had sensitivity labels in place for a long period. Today, we noticed that email encryption and forwarding protection settings are no longer being enforced. We are using an E5 license, and these features were functioning correctly in the past. Could you please assist in explaining what may have changed?

Answer 1

Hi Daniel Smirnov

Thanks for flagging this. If encryption and forwarding protection were working before and suddenly stopped, the first thing I would check is whether anything changed in the label or label policy recently.

Even small edits (like republishing a policy or modifying encryption settings inside the label) can affect enforcement.

Could you please check:

• If the label still shows encryption enabled in Purview
• If the label policy is still assigned to the same users/groups
• Whether this is happening for all users or just a few

Also, when users apply the label now, does Outlook show the encryption banner, or is it sending as a normal email?

If you haven’t made any changes, it would also help to confirm when this first started and whether it affects both Outlook desktop and OWA.

Let’s narrow that down first and then we can go deeper if needed.

Answer 2

There could be several reasons why the email encryption and forwarding protection settings for sensitivity labels are no longer being enforced in your Microsoft Purview environment. Here are some potential factors to consider:

1. Configuration Changes: It's possible that the sensitivity labels or their associated policies have been modified or reconfigured, which could affect their enforcement. You may want to review the current settings in the Microsoft Purview portal to ensure they are set up correctly.
2. Publishing Issues: Ensure that the sensitivity labels are published correctly in the Microsoft Purview portal. If they are not published, users may not be able to apply the intended protections.
3. User Account Issues: Verify that the user accounts involved are still assigned the appropriate licenses and permissions. Sometimes, changes in user roles or licenses can impact the enforcement of sensitivity labels.
4. Known Issues: Check for any known issues that may affect sensitivity labels in Office apps. Microsoft periodically updates its services, and there may be temporary issues that could impact functionality.
5. Updates and Compatibility: Ensure that your Office apps are updated to the latest version, as older versions may not support certain features related to sensitivity labels.

If the problem persists, consider running diagnostics or consulting Microsoft support for further assistance.