r/pgpemailpenpals

Are you looking how to send an encrypted email from a basic email to a protonmail user? CLICK HERE

Firstly let's say that if you send an email from a protonmail to an other protonmail is automatically encrypted. So this is guide is useless if that is your case.

1. to generate the security keys for pgp you have to login from protonmail web
2. once you have done, click on the settings icon at the top-right pane and then click on "All settings"
3. on the right panel choose "cryptography and keys" and select "Attach public key" and select "Sign the external messages". Now everytime you try to write an email with protonmail automatically Proton attach for you your public key to allow the encrypted conversations. You can always choose in the moment you write your email to deselect it.
4. Now you have to send your first email with your public key to your non-protonmail user friend. The email must be not encrypted at this first time. He must import it to his phone or PC where he locally stores his private key. For example if this non-proton user uses Thunderbird, when he received your email with your public key he must click on the OpenPGP icon and then he can import it from there.
5. Once he received your public key he must send his public key to you in a non-encrypted email and you must import it. For example if he uses Thunderbird he must de-select the "Encrypt" icon from the email window and from the attach menu attach his public key. Then send this non-encrypted email to you.
6. In the email sent to you, you will see a message like this "This message has an attached key that is not yet considered trusted". What you must do is press the "trusted key" button.
7. Once you import his public key, now it is possible to encrypt your email for you two.

That’s it! Live well away from mass surveillance, tech giants, and long live secure emails.