Email Client Integration

Connecting Email Accounts to Secure Mail Client

Now that you have created your PGP key pair, the next step is to connect your email accounts to Secure Mail Client. This will allow you to send and receive encrypted messages through your existing email addresses while maintaining the security benefits of end-to-end encryption.

Supported Email Providers

Secure Mail Client works with virtually all major email providers through standard protocols. Here are some of the most common providers and their connection methods:

The Connection Process

Regardless of which provider you use, the general process for connecting your email account follows these steps:

1. 1

   Launch Secure Mail Client

   Open the application on your device

2. 2

   Add Email Account

   Navigate to Settings → Accounts → Add Account

3. 3

   Select Provider Type

   Choose your email provider from the list or select "Other" for custom IMAP/SMTP setup

4. 4

   Authenticate

   Enter credentials or complete the OAuth authentication flow

5. 5

   Configure Options

   Set synchronization frequency, signature preferences, and other account-specific settings

6. 6

   Initial Sync

   Wait for the application to synchronize with your email account

Now let's look at specific setup instructions for the most common email providers.

Gmail Account Setup

Gmail offers two methods for third-party application access: OAuth2 (recommended) and App Passwords.

Method 1: OAuth2 Authentication (Recommended)

This method allows Secure Mail Client to access your Gmail account without storing your password.

1. In Secure Mail Client: Go to Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Gmail
2. Click "Sign in with Google" in the dialog that appears
3. Sign in to your Google account in the browser window that opens
4. Review and grant permissions requested by Secure Mail Client
5. Return to Secure Mail Client, which should now show "Authentication Successful"
6. Configure account settings like display name, signature, and sync frequency

Method 2: App Password

If OAuth2 is not working for any reason, you can use an App Password. This requires that you have 2-Factor Authentication enabled on your Google account.

1. Enable 2FA on your Google Account if not already enabled (Security settings)
2. Generate an App Password:
   • Go to your Google Account settings
   • Navigate to Security → App Passwords
   • Select "Mail" and your device type
   • Click "Generate"
   • Copy the 16-character password that appears
3. In Secure Mail Client: Go to Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Gmail (App Password)
4. Enter your Gmail address and the generated App Password
5. Complete the setup by configuring account settings

Outlook/Office 365 Setup

Microsoft email accounts also support OAuth2 authentication for secure access.

1. In Secure Mail Client: Go to Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Outlook/Office 365
2. Click "Sign in with Microsoft" in the dialog
3. Sign in to your Microsoft account in the browser window
4. Review and grant permissions for Secure Mail Client
5. Return to Secure Mail Client once authentication is complete
6. Configure account settings like display name and signature

Generic IMAP/SMTP Setup

For other email providers, you'll need to use standard IMAP (for receiving) and SMTP (for sending) settings.

Finding Your IMAP/SMTP Settings

Before you begin, you'll need to know your email provider's server settings. Most providers publish these in their help documentation. Here are common settings for popular providers:

Manual Configuration Process

1. In Secure Mail Client: Go to Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Other (IMAP/SMTP)
2. Enter your email address and display name
3. Enter IMAP settings:
   • IMAP Server (e.g., imap.mail.yahoo.com)
   • IMAP Port (typically 993 for SSL/TLS)
   • Username (often your full email address)
   • Password
   • Encryption type (usually SSL/TLS)
4. Enter SMTP settings:
   • SMTP Server (e.g., smtp.mail.yahoo.com)
   • SMTP Port (typically 465 for SSL/TLS or 587 for STARTTLS)
   • Username (often your full email address)
   • Password
   • Encryption type (usually SSL/TLS)
5. Test connection to verify settings are correct
6. Complete setup by configuring signature and synchronization options

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

If you encounter problems connecting your email account, here are some common solutions:

Security Considerations

When connecting email accounts to Secure Mail Client, there are some important security aspects to consider:

Configuring Client Settings

After connecting your accounts, there are several settings you should configure to optimize your experience with Secure Mail Client:

Encryption Defaults

Configure how the client handles encryption by default:

• Settings → Encryption → Default for new messages: "Encrypt if keys available"
• Settings → Encryption → Always sign messages: Enabled
• Settings → Encryption → Automatically decrypt messages: Enabled

Key Server Integration

Configure key server settings to help find recipients' public keys:

• Settings → Key Servers → Default key server: keys.openpgp.org
• Settings → Key Servers → Automatic key lookup: Enabled
• Settings → Key Servers → Upload my public key: (Your preference)

Interface Preferences

Customize the interface to focus on encrypted communications:

• Settings → Interface → Show encryption status: Enabled
• Settings → Interface → Primary view: "Encrypted messages only" or "All messages"
• Settings → Interface → Conversation view: Enabled (Recommended)

Verifying Your Setup

After completing the setup, it's important to verify that everything is working correctly:

1. Check inbox synchronization: Verify that your emails are appearing in Secure Mail Client
2. Send a test email to yourself: This confirms that both incoming and outgoing mail is working
3. Verify key association: Ensure your PGP key is correctly associated with your email address
4. Check encryption settings: Compose a new message and confirm that encryption options are available

Next Steps

Congratulations! You've successfully connected your email accounts to Secure Mail Client and configured the basic settings. Your email client is now ready to send and receive encrypted messages.

In the next module, we'll guide you through the process of composing and sending your first encrypted email, including how to find and verify your recipient's public key.