PGP File

What are PGP files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a PGP file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your PGP files.

What is a PGP file?

PGP files have multiple uses, and Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) Public Keyring is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) Public Keyring

PGP Public Keyring files are a type of file used together with PGP software that store public keys for encryption and digital signatures. This application is widely used to secure data communication due to its cryptographic privacy and authentication capabilities.

PGP Public Keyring files store other users' public keys and enable encryption and signature verification. When a user is given someone's public key, they can add it to their keyring and use it to send encrypted messages that only the holder of the corresponding private key can access.

The PGP Public Keyring format is a convenient and widespread method for exchanging and importing public keys. This open standard is universally compatible with OpenPGP-compliant programs, GnuPG and PGP command line tools.

PGP encryption is advantageous due to its high level of data security. It employs a blend of symmetric and public key cryptography, making accessing messages difficult for unauthorized individuals. Moreover, digital signatures ensure the sender's identity is genuine.

How to open PGP files

We have identified one PGP opener that is compatible with this specific type of PGP file.

Programs that open Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) Public Keyring files

Last updated: September 21, 2023

All known file formats using extension .PGP

While Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) Public Keyring is a popular type of PGP-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .PGP file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

PGP Symmetric Key Encrypted Message

We know that one PGP format is PGP Symmetric Key Encrypted Message. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different PGP openers which you will find listed below.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of PGP files. Remember, different programs may use PGP files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about PGP file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.