How to use the Azure Information Protection Sensitivity labels available in my organization?

This article will walk you through the steps that an end-user will have to perform in order to make sure that the Information Protection templates published by IT admins are available and ready for use in Office apps.

Step-by-step guide (5 minutes to complete):

1. Install the AIP Unified Labeling Client: 

This app will allow you to setup sensitivity labels compatible with MacOS, Android and iOS. Make sure to choose the version shown below.

2. After installation completed, Open an Office 365 app and make sure you're signed in with your Work Account.

Go to File > Account to verify the account signed in under User Information

3. You should find in the top bar, under Home tab, a button 'Sensitivity'.

Click the arrow right under it to expand the menu.

4. Depending on since when the policy has been enabled, you might not find any label under Sensitivity:

As it is your first time using AIP, whatever you find in the drop down menu, please click on 'Help & Feedback'.

5. Select 'Reset Settings':

Follow the instructions and close all Office apps.

6. Reopen any Office app:

You should be prompted to login as shown below.

The Microsoft Azure Information Protection sign in window will get the latest Sensitivity labels published by your organization.

Select your Work Account and sign in.

7. After few seconds click again on Sensitivity, if previously you were not able to find any labels, now you should see them.

8. Make sure that, in the Sensitivity drop menu, the option 'Show bar' is checked.

9. By default, you'll find that every file will have 'General' label assigned.

You can change this label by choosing in the top bar.

10. Summary of labels available and permissions associated with:

• • Personal, has no restrictions nor marking:
    • Most common personal files, do not add this label on Business data.
  • Public, has no restrictions nor marking:
    • This content is internal, but has been well prepared for Public exposure.
  • General, has no restrictions nor marking
    • This is the default label, after you installed the AIP Client and downloaded the Sensitivity templates, every file that will be opened will have this label.
  • Confidential, has protection and marking:
    • This label is similar to the previous, can be used internally, but is intended externally. It informs the recipient that the data is Confidential, but still allows him to edit and save. To use with caution.
      • Permission level: Reviewer for Authenticated Users (invited guests or external users) and Internal Users.
  • Recipient Only, has protection and marking:
    • Higher in restrictions, it can also be used for both internal and external. Content cannot be accessed Offline.
      • Permission level: Open, View, Read, Edit Content (saved in same location) and Reply. But doesn't allow Save As, Export or Forward.
  • Highly Confidential, has protection and marking:
    • This label allows only internal users to have a view only access. This is for extremely sensitive data, that even internal cannot see, only a few, with very limited access.
      • Permission level: Viewer for Internal users only