DNMLinks Guide: Installing and using PGP on MacOS

1First, download GPG Suite from [GPGTools](https://gpgtools.org/) and run the installer.

2The installation should only take a minute or so. Once completed, you will notice an app called GPG Keychain has started. This is the GUI in which you will handle all of your PGP tasks. You may notice an icon in your dock, which looks like a key chain.

1In GPG Keychain, you will see a window asking you to enter some information.

3Enter a fake name or an anonymous online alias (e.g., 'anon'). You can optionally enter a fake email or leave it blank. Ensure you use a relatable name, as vendors will need to find you within their list of contacts.

4Set your password but do not click 'Generate Key' just yet. Click on 'Advanced options' and set the key to 4096 bits. Uncheck the 'Key will expire on' box to prevent your key from expiring.

6Click 'Generate Key'. When asked if you want to upload your public key, click 'No, Thanks!'. After a few minutes, your PGP public key will be ready for use, displayed in bold within your list of keys.

8To export your PGP public key, select it, press 'Export', and save the file. If you open the file in TextEdit, you will see a long string of random characters. As long as you see 'PGP PUBLIC KEY' at the top between '-----', you can share this publicly.

1To send your first encrypted message, you need to obtain the public key of the individual you wish to communicate with (e.g., a vendor). On the order page, click the PGP tab and copy the vendor's entire public PGP key to your clipboard.

3Open TextEdit, paste the key, and save the file as a plain text file with a .asc extension. Then, back in GPG Keychain, click on the 'Import' button and select the file you just saved.

5If everything worked out, you will see a window stating the certificate was imported successfully.

7Now, prepare your message (e.g., your address). Open a fresh plain TextEdit document, type in your address and any additional information. Once done, select the entire message and go to Services > OpenPGP: Encrypt Selection.

9In the GPG Services window, select the recipient you intend to send the message to. Once your recipient is selected, click 'Encrypt'.

11If all is well, the text in TextEdit will be replaced with a PGP message. Your encrypted message is now ready to be sent to the vendor!

1In TextEdit, select the text you want to decrypt. Right-click on the selection and then under Services, click on OpenPGP: Decrypt Selection.

3You will be prompted to enter your password. After entering it, the decrypted message will appear in place of the encrypted text.