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PGPro for iOS installation and operation guide

PGPro is a free iOS app for managing PGP keys and encrypting messages. This guide describes how to install and how to use PGPro on iOS.

Installing PGPro on iOS #

  1. Open the App Store on your iOS device and search for the PGPro app.
Installation 1
  1. Install the app by clicking the Download button.
Installation 2
  1. Once the installation is complete, launch the app from the home screen shortcut.
Installation 3

Generating keys in PGPro #

  1. Open the PGPro app and click the + button.
Key Generation 1
  1. Then click Generate Key Pair.
Key Generation 2
  1. Enter your nickname and a non-existent email address.
  2. Enter a password and click Done.
Key Generation 3
  1. The key has been created.
Key Generation 4

Backing up the private key in PGPro #

  1. Go to the Keychain management screen, select your private key, and click Share.
  2. Select the type of key you want to back up by marking Private Key.
Backup 1
  1. Choose the location where you want to send the key, or copy and save it.
Backup 2
  1. Ensure the key is saved in a secure location.
Backup 3

A backup copy of the private key should be encrypted with VeraCrypt or TrueCrypt and placed on external media for protection against data loss.

Importing public keys in PGPro #

  1. Open the email or other communication containing the public key.
  2. Copy the public key to the clipboard.
Key Import 1
  1. Open the PGPro app and select the Keychain option, then Add Key from Clipboard.
Key Import 2
  1. Agree to paste from another app by clicking Allow Paste.
Key Import 3

Encrypting messages in PGPro #

  1. Open the PGPro app and go to the Encryption tab.
  2. Enter the message content you want to encrypt directly into the text field or paste it from the clipboard.
Encryption 1
  1. Click Select Contacts… and choose the recipient’s public key from the list of available keys.
Encryption 2
  1. Click the Envelope icon to encrypt the message.
Encryption 3
  1. After encrypting the message, copy the resulting text to the clipboard.
Encryption 4
  1. You can now share the encrypted text in another app, such as via an instant messenger, or save it to a file.

We do not need to import the public key again when encrypting the next messages. The key will be saved in the application files.

Decrypting messages in PGPro #

  1. Open the encrypted message in an email application or other text editor.
  2. Copy the encrypted text to the clipboard.
  3. Open the PGPro app.
  4. In the Decryption tab, select the private key you want to use to decrypt the encrypted text.
  5. Click Paste from Clipboard.
Decryption 1
  1. If prompted for a password, enter the password for your private key.
Decryption 2

Signing messages in PGPro #

The PGPro app does not support signing unencrypted messages and there are no open-source alternatives available for iOS. If you need to sign a message, import keys from a backup in another GPG program, such as GPGSuite on MacOS.

Verifying messages in PGPro #

The PGPro app does not support verification of unencrypted message signatures and there are no open-source alternatives available for iOS. If you need to verify message signatures, use another GPG program for this purpose, such as GPGSuite on MacOS.


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