Get encrypted email with top-notch security

Sensitive content requires extra protection: simply encrypt as needed and make emails readable only for the sender and the recipient.

Email encryption

What is encryption?

As a European email provider, GMX adheres to the highest standards of security and data protection: within the network, transmission paths are automatically encrypted and your emails are only stored in secure European data centers. In special cases, however, you may require additional protection when sending emails: for example, when sending sensitive content such as contracts or doctor’s notes. This is exactly why GMX offers encrypted communication, a tested, free, and easy to use security procedure that you can also use on the go.

Encryption describes the process behind making emails unintelligible for unauthorized parties. Users may want to encrypt their messages for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the content of the message is especially sensitive, or the user simply wishes to encrypt their communication for personal privacy reasons. Regardless, email encryption offers a useful and reliable way to communicate securely and without worrying that the information related to an email, whether the email addresses of the sender or recipient or its content or attachments, can be read by any parties other than those authorized to do so.

How does encryption work?

GMX makes use of the OpenPGP (for ‘Pretty Good Privacy‘) end-to-end encryption procedure, which provides the highest standard of security for encrypting emails. Since its introduction, OpenPGP has never been cracked, meaning it’s extremely secure.

But how does PGP email work? The OpenPGP method makes use of two complementary keys for encryption and decryption: one public and one private. The public key is used to encrypt the message, and the private key is used to decrypt it. The public key is shared with the party you’re securely communicating with and allows for the encryption of the email. The encrypted message, which is ‘assigned‘ to the owner of the private key, can only be decrypted using the private key. This is why it’s so important for the private key to be kept secret.

GMX’s free email encryption makes sending and receiving encrypted emails easy. Users can take part in encrypted communication the same way they would regular email communication.

Encrypt your emails in 3 steps

It’s that easy!

PGP Setup Step 1

1. Download for free

Download the Mailvelope browser extension for free.

Set-up Step 2

2. Create a password

Now assign a key password. This also protects your data and the procedure.

Setup Step 3

3. Set up backup

This lets you recover your key password should you lose it, and to set up encryption on your other devices.

Encrypted emails

Write encrypted emails the way you normally would!

PGP MailCheck

Encrypted communication with GMX MailCheck

After you’ve set up encrypted communication, you can create an encrypted email with just one click by using GMX MailCheck. There’s no need to log in each time.

More info

Encryption details

Easy & safe to use

Trusted standard

OpenPGP is the foundation of encrypted communication.

More about the Standard

Easy to use

GMX has simplified the procedure so that it’s easy for everyone to use.

More about the usage

Safe to use

Enjoy maximum security even with the simplified procedure.

More about safety

Encryption gold standard

Information & details

Encryption gold standard

Emails are encrypted using OpenPGP (from Pretty Good Privacy), the open source gold standard for secure and speedy end-to-end encryption of email content. OpenPGP has not been cracked since its introduction, meaning it is considered completely secure. Encrypted communication provides the greatest level of security and makes the sender, recipient, subject (metadata) and content inaccessible to unauthorized parties.

Easy to use

Information & details

Easy to use

GMX aims to provide unhackable email communication to users without requiring them to have expert knowledge. Thanks to email encryption, this is now possible. GMX has optimized the OpenPGP procedure to make it user-friendly. This was achieved in cooperation with the Mailvelope open source project from Heidelberg, Germany, which offers its own browser-based OpenPGP solution.

Verified security

Information & details

Verified security

By disclosing how the process works and the source code behind it, GMX encryption is made transparent. It is also audited by external security experts. All this guarantees the security of the procedure – even with better usability.

Encryption – Questions & Answers

The 5 most frequently asked questions about the procedure

Further security questions

Everything important spelled out in detail

Further setup questions

Everything important spelled out in detail

Further usage questions

Everything important spelled out in detail

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