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====== PGP Encrypted Email on iPad Using Gmail + FlowCrypt ======
This guide explains how to add true end-to-end encrypted email (OpenPGP / PGP) to a Gmail account on an iPad using FlowCrypt.
FlowCrypt encrypts email on your device, so neither Google nor FlowCrypt can read your messages.
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===== What You Get =====
• True end-to-end encryption (OpenPGP)
• Works with existing Gmail accounts
• Messages and attachments encrypted locally on the iPad
• Compatible with other PGP email clients (Thunderbird, Proton Mail, etc.)
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===== Requirements =====
• iPad (iPadOS)
• Gmail account
• FlowCrypt app from the App Store
• Recipients who support PGP encryption
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===== Step-by-Step Setup =====
==== 1. Install FlowCrypt ====
• Open the App Store
• Install FlowCrypt – Encrypted Email
• Launch the app
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==== 2. Sign In to Gmail ====
• Tap Sign in with Google
• Select your Gmail account
• Approve access
Note:
FlowCrypt uses Google OAuth. Your Gmail password is never shared.
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==== 3. Create a PGP Key ====
When prompted:
• Choose Create a new encryption key
• Select 4096-bit key (recommended)
• Create a strong passphrase
Important:
• This passphrase protects your private key
• If lost, encrypted email cannot be recovered
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==== 4. Back Up Your Private Key (CRITICAL) ====
You must back up your private key to avoid permanent data loss.
Recommended backup locations:
• Encrypted password manager (e.g., KeePassXC)
• Cryptomator vault
• Encrypted USB drive
Backing up allows you to:
• Add FlowCrypt on another device
• Recover access after reinstalling the app
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==== 5. Share Your Public Key ====
To receive encrypted email, contacts need your public key.
You can:
• Email it to contacts
• Attach it once in a normal email
• Publish it on a public key server
FlowCrypt can automatically fetch public keys for many recipients.
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===== Sending Encrypted Email =====
• Tap Compose in FlowCrypt
• Enter the recipient
• If a public key is available, a lock icon appears
• Write the message
• Attach files if needed (attachments are encrypted)
• Send
If no public key exists, FlowCrypt will warn you before sending.
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===== Receiving Encrypted Email =====
• Encrypted messages appear normally in FlowCrypt
• Enter your PGP passphrase to decrypt
• Decryption happens locally on the iPad
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===== Gmail App Behavior =====
• Encrypted messages cannot be read in the Gmail app
• Gmail shows a placeholder such as:
“This message is encrypted”
• You must open FlowCrypt to read or reply securely
This is expected and normal.
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===== Attachments =====
• Fully encrypted
• Only readable by intended recipients
• Suitable for PDFs, images, documents, and text files
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===== Important Limitations =====
==== Recipient Must Support PGP ====
PGP works best with:
• FlowCrypt
• Thunderbird with OpenPGP
• Proton Mail (PGP mode)
It is not ideal for one-time or non-technical recipients.
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==== Subject Lines Are Not Encrypted ====
Avoid sensitive information in subject lines.
• Bad: Medical test results
• Good: Document
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==== Search and Previews ====
• Gmail cannot index encrypted content
• Message previews and search will be limited
• This is the privacy trade-off for encryption
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===== Recommended FlowCrypt Settings =====
Go to Settings in FlowCrypt and enable:
• Face ID / biometric unlock
• Auto-lock timeout
• Disable lock-screen message previews
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===== When FlowCrypt Is the Right Choice =====
• Regular communication with the same people
• Privacy-sensitive email and documents
• Recipients already using PGP
• You want encryption without changing email providers
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===== Related Topics =====
• Importing an existing PGP key
• Sending password-encrypted messages to non-PGP users
• Using FlowCrypt on macOS or Windows
• Comparing FlowCrypt vs iPGMail or Canary Mail
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Here are clear, DokuWiki-formatted instructions for viewing and sharing your public key in FlowCrypt on an iPad.
You can paste this directly into your wiki.
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====== Viewing and Sharing Your Public Key (FlowCrypt on iPad) ======
Your public key is what others need in order to send you PGP-encrypted email.
It is safe to share publicly and does not expose your private key.
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===== Method 1: View & Share from FlowCrypt Settings (Recommended) =====
==== Steps ====
• Open FlowCrypt on your iPad
• Tap the ☰ menu (top left)
• Go to Settings
• Tap Encryption Keys
• Select your active key
• Tap Public Key
You can now:
• View the full public key text
• Copy it to the clipboard
• Share it via email or other apps
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===== Method 2: Email Your Public Key Directly =====
FlowCrypt can automatically send your public key to a contact.
==== Steps ====
• Open FlowCrypt
• Tap Compose
• Enter the recipient’s email address
• If they do not already have your key, FlowCrypt will prompt:
• Send your public key
• Confirm and send
This sends a normal (unencrypted) email with your public key attached.
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===== Method 3: Attach Your Public Key Manually =====
If you want to include your public key with other information:
==== Steps ====
• Open FlowCrypt
• Go to Settings → Encryption Keys
• Select your key
• Tap Export Public Key
• Attach the exported file to an email or message
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===== What a Public Key Looks Like =====
A public key is plain text and begins and ends like this:
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
...
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Anyone can have this key. Only you have the private key.
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===== Optional: Publish Your Public Key =====
You may publish your public key so others can find it automatically.
Options include:
• PGP public key servers
• Personal website
• Wiki page
• Email signature (link or attachment)
FlowCrypt can automatically discover keys published on common key servers.
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===== Security Notes =====
• Sharing your public key is safe
• Never share your private key
• Protect your private key with:
• Strong passphrase
• Secure backup (password manager, encrypted vault)
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===== Quick Troubleshooting =====
• Can’t see the key?
• Make sure a key exists under Settings → Encryption Keys
• Multiple keys listed?
• Use the one marked Active
• Recipient can’t encrypt to you?
• Confirm they imported your public key correctly
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Short answer: Yes, but with important limitations.
FlowCrypt supports password-encrypted messages (shared secret) instead of public-key (PGP) encryption, but this is not the same as true PGP and works differently.
Below is a DokuWiki-formatted explanation you can paste directly into your wiki.
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====== Sending Encrypted Email with a Shared Password (FlowCrypt) ======
FlowCrypt primarily uses public-key (PGP) encryption, but it also supports password-encrypted messages for recipients who do not use PGP.
This method uses a shared secret (password) instead of a public key.
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===== How Password-Encrypted Messages Work =====
• You choose a shared password
• The message is encrypted using that password
• The recipient receives:
• An email with a secure FlowCrypt link
• They enter the password in their browser to read the message
• No PGP software is required for the recipient
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===== When to Use This Method =====
• Recipient does not use PGP
• One-time or infrequent secure messages
• You can safely share a password out-of-band
• Phone call
• Text message
• In-person
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===== Limitations Compared to PGP =====
• Not true end-to-end PGP
• Relies on FlowCrypt’s secure message portal
• Less suitable for long-term or repeated communication
• Password must be shared securely ahead of time
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===== Sending a Password-Encrypted Message =====
==== Steps ====
• Open FlowCrypt
• Tap Compose
• Enter recipient email address
• If no public key is found, FlowCrypt will prompt:
• Send a password-encrypted message
• Choose a strong password
• Send the message
• Share the password with the recipient via a different channel
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===== Recipient Experience =====
• Recipient receives an email with a link
• Clicks the link
• Enters the shared password
• Reads the message in a secure web page
• Can reply securely using the same password
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===== Security Best Practices =====
• Use a long, unique password
• Never send the password in the same email
• Avoid reusing passwords
• Set expiration dates if offered
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===== Comparison: Public Key vs Shared Password =====
^ Feature ^ PGP (Public Key) ^ Shared Password ^
| Encryption type | True end-to-end | Password-based |
| Key exchange | Public key | Shared secret |
| Recipient setup | Required | None |
| Best for | Ongoing secure email | One-off messages |
| Reliance on FlowCrypt | Minimal | Required |
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===== Important Notes =====
• Subject lines are not encrypted
• Gmail cannot index encrypted content
• Password-encrypted messages may expire depending on settings
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===== Recommendation =====
• Use PGP public keys for regular, privacy-critical communication
• Use password-encrypted messages only when PGP is not feasible
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This is a known and intentional behavior in FlowCrypt, not something you’re doing wrong.
Short answer:
👉 On iOS (iPad/iPhone), FlowCrypt does NOT support password-encrypted (“shared key”) messages.
That’s why you only see “Send unencrypted” or “Cancel.”
Below is a DokuWiki-formatted explanation you can paste into your wiki.
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====== Why FlowCrypt on iPad Does Not Offer “Shared Key” Messages ======
When composing an email in FlowCrypt on iPad, you may only see:
• Send unencrypted
• Cancel
and no option to send a password-encrypted (shared secret) message.
This is by design.
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===== Platform Limitation (Important) =====
FlowCrypt features differ by platform:
^ Platform ^ PGP (Public Key) ^ Password / Shared Key ^
| Chrome extension (desktop) | Yes | Yes |
| Web app (desktop) | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Limited |
| iOS (iPad / iPhone) | Yes | No |
👉 iOS FlowCrypt only supports PGP public-key encryption.
Password-encrypted messages are not implemented in the iOS app.
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===== Why FlowCrypt Disabled Shared-Key on iOS =====
FlowCrypt has stated (and demonstrated by behavior) that:
• Password-encrypted messages rely on a secure web portal
• This requires browser-based flows that are:
• Less reliable on iOS
• Harder to secure consistently
• FlowCrypt’s security model on iOS is:
• PGP only
• Or plaintext
So if no recipient public key is found, FlowCrypt will only offer:
• Send unencrypted
• Cancel
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===== What This Means Practically =====
On an iPad:
• You cannot send encrypted email to non-PGP users using FlowCrypt
• There is no hidden setting to enable shared passwords
• Reinstalling or changing settings will not help
This is a hard limitation, not a configuration issue.
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===== Your Available Options =====
==== Option 1: Use PGP Only (Best Security) ====
• Ask recipient to install:
• FlowCrypt
• Thunderbird
• Proton Mail (PGP mode)
• Exchange public keys
• Communicate securely end-to-end
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==== Option 2: Use Desktop FlowCrypt for Shared-Key Messages ====
If you occasionally need password-encrypted messages:
• Use FlowCrypt Chrome extension on a desktop
• Send the password-encrypted message there
• Continue PGP communication on iPad
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==== Option 3: Use a Different Tool for Shared Password Messages ====
If your use case is mostly shared-secret messaging:
• Proton Mail (password-protected emails)
• Secure file sharing + separate email
• Encrypted notes + link sharing
FlowCrypt on iOS is not designed for this scenario.
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===== Summary =====
• FlowCrypt on iPad cannot send shared-password encrypted messages
• Seeing only “Send unencrypted” is expected behavior
• PGP public-key encryption does work fully
• Shared-key encryption requires desktop FlowCrypt
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