How to Export Your Proton Mail Key for Offline Decryption

How to Export and Install Your Private Proton Mail Decryption Key

by Heinz Tschabitscher | Aug 25, 2026 | Email Tips and Resources

Afraid of being locked out of Proton Mail? Migrating your emails? Make sure you’re ready and can decrypt (or make sure you can decrypt) emails in your Proton Mail account offline — without Proton Mail. Find out here how to export and use your Proton Mail decryption key ⤓ using GnuPG.

How to Export and Install Your Proton Mail Key for Offline Decryption

Time needed: 5 minutes

To download the private PGP key for your Proton Mail account and install it for use on a local computer:

  1. Click the settings gear icon (⚙) in Proton Mail.

  2. Select All settings.

  3. Go to the Encryption and keys category.

  4. Click the downward-headed caret next to Export public key for the desired key under Email encryption keys.

  5. Click Export private key.

    Select “Export private key” to download your Proton Mail email encryption key

  6. Type the password you want to use for the decryption key.

    Here’s why: The password protects the decryption key; you need it to import the key in cryptographic software and to use it for decrypting.
    Important: Anyone with both the exported private decryption key and the password can decrypt messages encrypted for your Proton Mail account.

  7. Click Encrypt and export.

    Click “Encrypt and export” to ave the Proton Mail private key

  8. Type the account password for Proton Mail under Password.

  9. Click Authenticate.

  10. Import the key in the software you want to use for decryption.

    GnuPG: In GnuPG, type gpg --import <privatekey.xxx.asc> and press Enter on a command line.
    Their word: Proton include information on exporting your keys in Mail help.

Decrypt an Exported PGP-Encrypted Email with GnuPG

To decrypt the message body in an email you have downloaded in encrypted form from Proton Mail using just GnuPG:

  • Run gpg -d pgp.txt at a command prompt.
    Output: GnuPG will output only the encrypted part.
    To file: You can add -o <filename.txt> to save the decrypted text right to a file.
    Decrypting a Proton Mail email locally on the desktop

Proton Mail key downloaded and decrypting?

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How to Export and Install Your Proton Mail Key for Offline Decryption: FAQ

Can I download a private Proton Mail decryption key without a password?

No.

You will always need to set a password for your private key, and you will need this password for using the key, e.g., to decrypt a message.

Can I import the key into Thunderbird and other email programs using OpenPGP?

Yes.

Thunderbird and email programs that support OpenPGP encryption (e.g., Outlook using Gpg4win or Canary Mail) will let you import the private key as a personal key for decrypting emails.

(Tested with GnuPG 2.4.4; first published September 2024, last updated August 2026)

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