Initializing Your Cipher Machine
Welcome to your new encryption workspace. GpgFrontend is built to make OpenPGP/LibrePGP encryption reliable, simple, and easy to use on any system. This guide walks you through the first setup of your machine, so your environment is secure and ready to use.
Step 1: Choose Your Engine
Section titled “Step 1: Choose Your Engine”GpgFrontend uses a backend engine to do the actual encryption work. Find your system in the table below to see which engine is best for you:
| Platform | Recommended Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | GnuPG (Bundled) | No separate installation required. |
| macOS | GnuPG | Install via Homebrew: brew install gnupg. |
| macOS (Lite) | rPGP (Built-in) | App Store version; runs in a sandbox. |
| Linux | GnuPG | Pre-installed in most distros. Check with gpg --version. |
| BSD | GnuPG | Must be installed manually via ports/pkg. |
Note: If GnuPG is missing (v2.2.0+), GpgFrontend will automatically switch to the built-in rPGP engine to keep the basics working.
Step 2: Install GpgFrontend
Section titled “Step 2: Install GpgFrontend”Pick your operating system to see the recommended steps. For other methods (WinGet, Flatpak), visit our Downloads page.
Installer (Recommended)
Section titled “Installer (Recommended)”- Download the
.msixinstaller from GitHub Releases. - Launch the file and follow the on-screen prompts.
- Open GpgFrontend from your Start Menu.
Portable Version
Section titled “Portable Version”- Download the
windows-x86_64-portable.zip. - Extract the ZIP to your preferred folder.
- Run
GpgFrontend.exelocated in thebindirectory.
- Install GnuPG via Homebrew:
brew install gnupg. - Download the
.dmgfile from GitHub Releases. - Mount the DMG and drag GpgFrontend to your Applications folder.
- Verify GnuPG: Ensure
gpgis installed (sudo apt install gpgorsudo dnf install gnupg). - Download the
.AppImagefrom GitHub Releases. - Set Permissions: Run
chmod u+x ./GpgFrontend-xxx.AppImage. - Launch: Double-click the file or run it via terminal.
Currently, GpgFrontend must be compiled from source on BSD systems. Please refer to our Build Instructions on GitHub for a step-by-step guide.
Step 3: The First Time You Open It
Section titled “Step 3: The First Time You Open It”A short welcome window appears the first time GpgFrontend runs, and only that time.
The first page has a Language setting. Pick yours there and the window switches to it straight away, so you do not have to read the rest in English. The rest of the welcome offers links to the basics.
Nothing in it is permanent. You can close it at any point, and everything it sets can be changed later in Settings.
Step 4: Next Steps
Section titled “Step 4: Next Steps”If you are new to PGP, we strongly recommend reading our Fundamental Concepts guide first.