Encrypt or Decrypt Files and Folders with PGP Zip (Windows) (2024)

PGP Zip will compress the file or folder as well as encrypt. There are two methods in which PGP Zip may be used. PGP Zip may be accessed through the main screen of PGP Encryption Desktop (Symantec Encryption Desktop), or through Windows Explorer. Creating a PGP Zip file is encrypting the file or folder, and a *.pgp extension will be added to the file, showing that it is encrypted.

Using PGP Zip within PGP Desktop

To create a new PGP Zip file, do the following:

1. Open PGP Desktop.
2. Locate PGP Zip Control box in the left pane of the PGP Desktop main screen.
3. Click New PGP Zip. This also appears as an icon on the PGP Toolbar for quick access.
4. When the PGP Zip work area appears to the right, select the type of encryption (key or conventional).
5. Select a signing key. This will generally be your default key pair. You must have the private portion of a key pair in order to sign a PGP Zip.
6. Add recipients or users of this PGP Zip file by clicking Add Recipients. (not available for conventional encryption as it is a passphrase and does not relate to keys)
7. Drag and drop files or folders you wish to add to the PGP Zip file. You may also click Add Files, contained in the PGP Zip Control box, to browse for files and folders you wish to add.
8. Click Save in the work area, or in the PGP Zip Control box, click Save PGP Zip.
9. When the Save PGP Zip As box appears, choose a location to save the .zip file, choose a filename, and click Save.
10. Enter the passphrase for the signing key selected above and click OK.
11. If it was conventionally encrypted, you will be prompted to choose a passphrase. If it was encrypted using a key, the passphrase will be that of the recipient key.

1. Open PGP Desktop.
2. Locate PGP Zip Control box in the left pane of the PGP Desktop main screen.
3. Click Open a PGP Zip.
4. Browse to the PGP Zip file (e.g. filename.pgp), and click Open.

Edit a PGP Zip file

To add/remove users, add/remove files, change the encryption type, or adjust the signing key, you must edit the PGP Zip file. To Edit a PGP Zip file, do the following:

1. Within the PGP Zip Control box, click on the PGP Zip file you wish to edit.
2. In the work area, click Edit.
3. Once you have made the desired changes, click Save.
4. Select a location to store the file in, and click Save.
5. Enter the passphrase for the selected key and click OK.

Encrypt a file using key encryption

1. Right click on a file or folder.
2. Point to PGP Zip and click Encrypt.
3. Click and drag the desired recipient keys from your key list to the Recipients box below and click OK.

Encrypt a file using conventional encryption

1. Right click the file to be encrypted.
2. Point to PGP Zip, and then click Encrypt or Encrypt & Sign. At this point the Key Selection Dialog appears.
3. Check the box for Conventional Encryption.
4. If you will be emailing this as a binary file and are using an older email application, you may need to select the check box labeled Text Output to save the file as ASCII text. This will increase the size of the encrypted file by about 30%.
5. If you do not want to keep a copy of the original file, check the Wipe Original box (PGP will wipe the original and leave only an encrypted copy of it).
6. If the file may be vulnerable to a TEMPEST attack, check the box labeled Secure Viewer.
7. Click OK.
8. Enter and confirm a passphrase for the encrypted file, then click OK. If you chose to sign the file, enter the passphrase for your private key, and then click OK again. An encrypted copy of the file will now be created in the same directory as the original.

You may also use the PGP Zip menu for decryption of PGP Zip files or to Create SDA (Self Decrypting Archive) files.

Decrypt a PGP Zip file

1. Right click the file to be decrypted.
2. Point to PGP Zip, and then click Decrypt & Verify.
3. Enter the passphrase of your key and click OK.
4. The decrypted file will then be saved in the same location as the encrypted file.