In this article, you can find frequently asked questions about using KnowBe4's Secure Message Portal. If you have additional questions that this article doesn’t include, please submit a ticket to our support team.

What is my KnowBe4 ID?

Your KnowBe4 ID is your email address. To open secure messages successfully, you must register a KnowBe4 account using the same email address that received the secure message.

Is KnowBe4 free to use?

Yes, KnowBe4 is free to use, but it has some specific limitations. Every new free account starts with 25 credits, which you use when sending secure emails to people without a paid subscription. One credit is used for every recipient you message. For example, sending one email to five people uses five credits.

However, it is always free to send unlimited secure emails to anyone who already has a paid subscription. Since most people who send you a secure email are already subscribers, replying to them won't cost you any credits. If you run out of credits and need to message non-subscribers frequently, you cannot buy more individual credits and will instead need to upgrade to a paid subscription through the admin panel.

Why do I have to keep logging in to read a secure email?

We prioritize security by ensuring that only the intended recipient can view sensitive information. You may be prompted to log in frequently if:

• Your browser is set to clear cookies or web storage when closed
• For security reasons, secure message portal sessions expire after a period of inactivity
• The sender may have applied a strict policy that requires authentication every time you access the content

I forgot my password. How do I reset it?

On the login page, select Forgot password?. Enter your email address and follow the instructions to reset your password.

Can I change my KnowBe4 ID to a new email address?

No, you cannot change an existing KnowBe4 email address directly. Instead, you must register a new KnowBe4 account using the desired email address.

The specific steps of registering a new account depend on your account type as follows:

• Free Users: You can simply register your new email address. Your old account will remain active so you can still access your previous audit logs and sent packages.
• Single Paid Users: Register your new email address and then contact our support team to transfer your remaining subscription to your new account.
• Business Account Users: Contact your organization’s IT team. They can set up your new account, and if they delete your old account, they can transfer your existing packages to your new account during that process.

I can’t see emails in the Sent or Received folders. Where are they?

The folders in the secure message portal display only emails that were opened or sent using that specific web browser within the last 30 days. If you sent a secure email using the KnowBe4 email security add-in, it will be stored in your local Microsoft Outlook Sent Items folder. If you use a different computer or clear your browser cache, the portal history will be empty.

How do I access old secure emails?

Standard links to secure messages often expire after 90 days. To view an older email, follow the steps below:

1. Locate the original notification email.
2. Forward that email to open@reader.egress.com open@reader.egress.com (link opens in new window).
3. Your request will be automatically processed, and a new, active link will be sent to you.

Can I print secure emails?

The ability to print an email will depend on the permissions set by the sender. If allowed, use your browser's print command. If the sender has disabled printing, the option will be grayed out, and the message may contain a watermark to prevent unauthorized distribution.

What is the deletion and retention policy?

Emails are not stored forever. Most emails are archived or purged after 90 days unless a custom retention policy is set. Your organization may have different specific rules in place to meet legal requirements. We recommend that you always download important attachments to your own secure storage for long-term access.

How does message auditing work?

As a sender, you can track your email’s progress in real-time by following the steps below:

1. In the secure message portal, navigate to Recently Sent.
2. Select the email and click Properties.
3. Click the Audit Events tab to see who has accessed the file, their IP address, and the timestamp.

I have a question about the content I have received. Can you help?

No. We are the system that delivers the message, and we do not have access to the information it contains. For questions about the content of a message, contact the sender directly.

I received an error message. What does it mean?

For full details about common secure message portal errors, see our Common Secure Message Portal Errors article.