What is the difference between signing and encrypting?

Signing proves authorship without hiding content. Encrypting hides content from everyone except the intended recipient. Both can be combined — sign-then-encrypt — to get authenticity plus confidentiality.

Will my signed message be readable by people without PGP?

Yes. Clearsigned output has the plaintext on top and the signature below. Anyone can read the message; only those with your public key can verify it.

How long does a PGP signature stay valid?

Indefinitely, as long as the signing key remains trusted and is not revoked. PGP signatures do not have a built-in expiry — only the underlying key does.

Can I sign without my passphrase?

Only if the private key is unprotected. Strip the passphrase first via Generate Keys → Change Passphrase. Note: an unprotected private key file is dangerous if the file is stolen.

What if the verifier does not have my public key?

Send it to them out of band, or publish it on a keyserver via Key Inspector. They paste it into the Verify tool alongside your signed message.

Signieren

Signiere Nachrichten digital mit deinem privaten Schlüssel via PGP-Klartextsignatur oder abgetrennter Signatur.

Alles läuft in Ihrem Browser — kein Server, kein Tracking.