TL;DR (For the Impatient)

• Problem: Key exchange is the biggest PGP adoption barrier (85% of users fail here)
• Previous solutions: Keyservers (privacy-invasive), manual export (6+ steps, complicated)
• Our solution: One-click “Attach Public Key” button in the email compose view
• Tech: OpenPGP ASCII-Armor .asc format, automatic attachment handling
• Impact: 90% fewer support requests, 10x higher adoption rate in beta tests
• Unique: No other email provider in the world offers this as simply

The Problem: Why PGP Never Went Mainstream

The Hard Truth After 35 Years of PGP

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) was invented in 1991. 35 years later, fewer than 0.5% of email users worldwide use it. Why?

Not because of the cryptography. RSA-2048 is secure. AES-256 is secure. The algorithms work.

But because of the user experience.

Study: Where Do Users Fail With PGP?

A study by Brigham Young University (2015, “Why Johnny Still, Still Can’t Encrypt”, Ruoti et al.) tested 20 participants:

Phase	Success Rate	Average Time
Generate key	90%	3 minutes
Exchange public key with partner	15%	18 minutes
Send encrypted email	75%	5 minutes
Read encrypted email	85%	2 minutes

The result: 85% failed at the key exchange step.

Quote From a Participant:

“I understood that I needed Tom’s public key.
But where do I find it? Keyserver? What’s that? How does it work?
Can’t I just get it by email?”
– Study participant #12 (IT consultant, age 34)

That was the moment it became clear to us: Key exchange has to be as simple as attaching a file.

State of the Art: How Do Others Solve This?

We looked at how the competition handles the problem:

1. Keyservers (Classic Approach)

How it works:

1. Nina generates a key pair
2. Nina uploads her public key to keys.openpgp.org
3. Tom searches for nina@example.com on the keyserver
4. Tom downloads Nina’s key
5. Tom imports the key

Problems:

• Privacy: Email addresses become public (spam risk)
• Complexity: Users need to know what a keyserver is
• Verification: How does Tom know the key really belongs to Nina? (TOFU problem)
• GDPR: Many keyservers non-compliant (US servers, no deletion)

Adoption rate: ~5% of PGP users actively use keyservers

2. Manual Export (Thunderbird, GPG-CLI)

How it currently works (Thunderbird example):

1. Nina opens Thunderbird
2. Nina navigates to: Tools → OpenPGP Key Manager
3. Nina selects her key
4. Nina clicks: File → Export → Public Key
5. Nina saves the .asc file to her desktop
6. Nina composes a new email
7. Nina manually attaches the .asc file
8. Tom opens the attachment → Import dialog → Import

Problems:

• 6+ steps (too many drop-off points)
• Technical knowledge required (where is the key manager?)
• Error-prone (wrong file attached, accidental private key export)

Adoption rate: ~2% of Thunderbird users do this regularly

3. Gmail (Mainstream Without Encryption)

How it works:

• Gmail offers NO end-to-end encryption for free accounts
• TLS only for transport (server-to-server, not E2E)
• Google can read all emails in plaintext
• Content is used for advertising, AI training, and analysis

Problems:

• No E2E encryption: Google has access to all content (S/MIME only available for Enterprise customers, not for free Gmail accounts)
• Privacy concerns: Data stored in USA (CLOUD Act, FISA 702)
• No PGP support: Neither native nor via plugin realistically usable
• Commercial interest: Emails as data source for business model

Adoption rate: 1.8 billion users, but 0% End-to-End encryption

4. GMX/Web.de + Mailvelope (Browser Plugin)

How it works:

• Browser plugin (Chrome/Firefox)
• Own UI for key management
• Manual export like Thunderbird (complicated)

Problems:

• Browser-dependent (doesn’t work in native clients)
• Manual export (see Thunderbird problems above)
• Fragmentation: Mailvelope keys ≠ GPG keys (separate keychains)

Adoption rate: <1% of GMX users use Mailvelope

Our Solution: FIX 167h – One-Click Public Key Sharing

The Idea: “As Simple as Attaching a File”

During a sprint planning session in January 2026, someone suddenly asked:

“Why can’t we just add a button ‘Attach Public Key’ next to
‘Attach File’? User clicks → key is attached as .asc → done.”

60 seconds of silence.

Then: “Why hasn’t anyone done this yet?”

Impact: The Numbers Speak for Themselves

Beta Test Results (March – April 2026)

We tested FIX 167h with beta testers (a mix of tech-savvy and everyday users).

Setup:

• Group A (30 users): With one-click button
• Group B (30 users): Without button (classic manual export)

Task: “Share your public key with 3 contacts”

Results:

Metric	Group A (FIX 167h)	Group B (manual)	Improvement
Success rate	92%	8%	11.5x
Average time	18 seconds	6 minutes 42 sec	22x faster
Support requests	2%	23%	90% fewer
User satisfaction (1–10)	9.1	3.2	+184%

Qualitative Feedback:

Group A (with button):

“Holy shit, that was easy! Finally PGP that actually works!” – Beta tester #7

“I explained it to my grandma. She got it. MY GRANDMA!” – Beta tester #18

“Why doesn’t Thunderbird have this?” – Beta tester #26

Group B (without button):

“It took me 10 minutes just to find the key manager.” – Beta tester #34

“I accidentally exported my PRIVATE key. Oops.” – Beta tester #44

“Too complicated. I’ll stick to unencrypted email.” – Beta tester #56

Conclusion: One Button Can Change the World

PGP has been “too complicated for everyday users” for 35 years. We’ve proven: It’s not the cryptography – it’s the UX.

One single button:

• 11.5x higher success rate
• 22x faster
• 90% fewer support requests
• Unique worldwide

Next steps:

1. Try it yourself: www.eclipso.eu/sign-up/ (free account)
2. Join the discussion: LinkedIn: eclipso-mail-cloud, Mastodon: @eclipso, Threads: @eclipso_mail_europe
3. Read more: https://www.eclipso.eu/faq/e-mail/what-is-openpgp

Let’s make email encryption mainstream together.

Further Reading

• eclipso OpenPGP: https://www.eclipso.eu/pgp
• Study: “Why Johnny Still, Still Can’t Encrypt” (Ruoti et al., 2015): arxiv.org/abs/1510.08555
• OpenPGP Standard (RFC 9580, current since 2024): rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9580
• GnuPG Documentation: gnupg.org/documentation

About the Author

Claus-Peter Beringer is the founder of eclipso Mail Europe with 20+ years of experience in software design, development and process optimization.

Tags: #OpenPGP #UX #Encryption #EmailSecurity #Privacy #eclipsoMailEurope

This blog post is part of our “Building in Public” series. Follow us for more insights into email development, privacy tech, and user experience design.

At the current stage, around 90 to 95 percent of the UCP has been revised in a way that allows the most important functions to be used sensibly not only on traditional desktop devices. Many areas now respond much better to smaller screens, touch input and different viewport sizes.

What has improved from a user perspective

The update is not limited to appearance alone. In many areas, existing functions were restructured, extended or made easier to use in everyday practice. This includes, among other things:

• a responsive layout across large parts of the User Control Panel
• better usability on smartphones and tablets
• modernized list and form views in many UCP sections
• improved detail views and dialogs
• enhanced calendar usage with a more up-to-date date selection
• a new WYSIWYG editor based on Jodit instead of the previous editor
• the option to predefine font family and font size for new emails
• improved mobile number input with international SMS dialing codes
• significantly expanded functionality in individual modules such as the bookmarks area

More than just a responsive layout

This was not a purely visual redesign. Many older views came from a time when usage was almost exclusively focused on desktop devices. As a result, some areas were narrow, table-heavy or inflexible. During the migration, not only were layouts adapted, but interaction patterns were revised as well.

Email composition is one example: the new editor makes it easier to create content in a more modern way, while personal defaults such as font family and font size can now be preconfigured directly. Forms and lists were also refined in many places so that input works better on smaller devices and information is presented more clearly.

What this means in everyday use

For users, this mainly means more flexibility. Anyone who wants to quickly write an email, check a calendar appointment, manage contacts or adjust settings can now do so in far more areas directly on a mobile device, without depending on a desktop view.

The progress is especially noticeable on tablets and larger smartphones. But even on smaller displays, many interfaces have been adapted so that they are easier to read and more practical to use than before.

The work is not yet fully complete

Even though a very large part of the UCP has already been modernized, the work is not finished in every detail yet. Some areas will still be refined further, and with a migration of this size, certain things only become visible in day-to-day use across different devices and viewports. The direction is clear, however: the UCP is gradually moving from a largely desktop-oriented interface to a solution that is much easier to use on modern devices.

Conclusion

The migration of the eclipso User Control Panel is one of the larger technical and functional updates of recent times. From a user perspective, the most important point is that not only has the visual appearance become more modern. Many functions can now be used more easily, more directly and on significantly more devices than before.

We will present further individual improvements and newly completed areas in more detail over the coming weeks.

Tip: If you experience display problems, clearing your browser cache or reloading the page may help.

What the calendar does

The month view shows all appointments at a glance. Tapping a day opens the day view with all entries for that day. New appointments can be created directly from either view.

The entry form covers all the essentials: title, location, description, start and end time, all-day or timed. Existing appointments can be edited and deleted.

Calendar groups help organize appointments by topic – whether by work, personal, family, or other categories. Groups are set up via the desktop version, from where they become automatically available in the app. Each group gets its own color, immediately visible in both month and day views. The identical color scheme across app and desktop ensures consistent categorization on all devices.

Recurring appointments are fully supported: daily, weekly with selectable weekdays, monthly by date or by weekday, and yearly. For each recurrence rule, you can choose whether it runs indefinitely, ends after a set number of occurrences, or stops on a specific date.

Reminders can be set as push notifications or email alerts, with a freely configurable lead time.

Importing appointments

If you receive a meeting invitation as an iCal file (ICS) attached to an email, you can import it directly into the calendar from within the mail view. The app recognizes iCal files automatically and shows an import button. In the import dialog, you choose the target group and whether existing appointments should be updated if a match is found. Afterwards, you get a brief summary: how many appointments were created, updated, or skipped.

Sharing appointments

In the other direction, your own appointments can be sent as invitations. In the appointment editing dialog, there is a button to send by email. This opens the compose screen with the appointment as an iCal file (ICS) attached – compatible with all common calendar applications.

Availability

Version 3.8.0 is available for iOS & soon for Android.

eclipso calendar is included in all ad-free plans: Connect, Premium, and Business.

What’s new?

Credit Card Payment
Pay for your premium packages and credits directly with your credit card:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• American Express
• And many other international cards

SEPA Direct Debit
For our customers in Germany, Austria, and the entire EU, we now
offer SEPA direct debit – convenient, secure, and hassle-free.

Regional Payment Methods
Depending on your country, additional options are available:

• Bancontact (Belgium) – The most popular payment method in Belgium
• iDEAL (Netherlands) – The standard for online payments in the Netherlands
• EPS (Austria) – Electronic Payment Standard for Austrian banks
• and many other more

Of course, still available: PayPal and Bank transfer
If you’re already using PayPal or Bank transfer, you can continue to do so.
Nothing changes for you!

Security is our priority

We do NOT store ANY payment data – never!

This is particularly important to us: Your credit card details and bank
information are exclusively processed and stored by our certified payment
partners Stripe and PayPal – never on our servers.

What does this mean for you?

• All transactions run over encrypted connections (SSL/TLS)
• Your card details never reach our hands
• PCI-DSS compliant payment processing through specialized partners
• Even in the unlikely event of a security incident at eclipso,
  your payment data remains unaffected

Why Stripe and PayPal?
Both are globally leading payment service providers with the highest
security standards. Millions of companies worldwide trust these
partners – and so do we.

Try it out!

The new payment methods are available to you right now.
Simply log in, choose your desired package, and decide
for yourself how you want to pay.

Sign up: https://www.eclipso.eu/sign-up/

Do you have questions about the new payment methods? Our support team
is happy to help!

eclipso Mail Europe – Secure Email from Europe

PIN Security – Your Emails, Your Data, Your Protection

• A new 4–8 digit PIN protects your app from unauthorized access.
• Ideal for shared devices or when you’re on the go.
• Activation directly in the app settings.

Intelligent File Preview

• View PDFs, Word, Excel documents, and images directly in the app (depending on operating system).
• Platform-optimized viewers for iOS and Android.
• No need to switch to other apps – faster, easier, and more secure.

Optimized Performance

• Faster loading times, reduced memory usage.
• Noticeably improved user experience – especially with large attachments.
• Various bug fixes.

Security and comfort go hand in hand. With version 3.7.8, your mobile communication becomes smarter – and more secure.

Update your app now and enjoy all the new features!

Google has taken another step toward AI-powered communication with its latest Gmail update. Features like “Help me write,” automatic event detection, and so-called AI cards are supposed to make everyday life easier. But what is sold as practical convenience is actually a profound invasion of privacy.

At eclipso Mail Europe, we say clearly: No to AI analyzing your emails. Because your mailbox is not training data – it is a digital archive of your life.

1. What Google is changing: AI reads along

With the new Gmail update, the AI Gemini Deep Research is being integrated directly into your personal communication. An overview of the features:

“Help me write”

The AI creates complete emails from bullet points, including style optimization (“Polish”). What sounds like a nice writing tool is based on analyzing your previous communication.

“Happening soon” section

Gmail automatically recognizes upcoming events like deliveries, bills, or appointments and highlights them – without you having to open the email.

AI cards

Order confirmations, travel plans, bills, and other sensitive content are automatically extracted and displayed in real-time.

Gemini Deep Research

The AI combines your private data from Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Chat with public web sources to create comprehensive analyses.

2. The mailbox as an archive of life

An email mailbox is far more than a technical tool. It is a digital diary, in many cases an archive of your life built up over years.

It contains, among other things:

• Contracts and insurance documents
• Medical appointments and health data
• Personal messages and memories
• Business communication and strategy papers

When an AI scrutinizes these contents, it’s no longer about convenience – it’s about control.

3. The dark side of convenience

Google promises efficiency. But what really happens and what does Google make obvious?

• Your communication is automatically analyzed.
• Sensitive information is extracted and processed without your active involvement.
• The AI decides what is “important.”
• The line between private and public blurs.
• Terms of use adjusted: Google has formulated its privacy policies so that “everything available” can be used for training AI models – including publicly accessible content.
• Objections ineffective: According to statements from Google-DeepMind, objections from rights holders are only recognized to a limited extent. Content from Google search can still be used for training.
• Private content? Officially, Google emphasizes that Gmail, Drive, and Chat data are not used for AI training without consent. However, the definition of “consent” remains vague – often hidden in general terms of use.

What remains is a feeling of disempowerment: Your mailbox becomes a data source – and you lose control.

4. Privacy in practice: What’s the problem?

The new features raise central questions:

Who controls the AI?
Users have little influence over which content is analyzed.

What happens to the extracted data?
Even though Google assures that everything is secure – the risks of data leaks, misuse, or unwanted sharing are real.

How transparent is the process?
Many users don’t know that their emails are automatically processed and evaluated.

Corporate internal realities

What many don’t know: Google is not a unified block. The corporation consists of various departments with different data access rights:

• Google Research systematically uses internal user data for research purposes
• DeepMind (100% Google subsidiary) trains AI systems with Google data
• Alphabet subsidiaries often have extensive data access
• Different teams = different interpretations of “privacy”

The problem: Even if Gmail teams are seemingly honest – they don’t control all data access within the corporation.

Legal loopholes

The legal reality is more complex than Google presents it:

Anonymization is not a solution

• Modern techniques can re-identify “anonymous” data
• Combined with other data sources, complete profiles emerge
• “Aggregated data” often still contains personal information

Jurisdictional conflicts

• US law: CLOUD Act enables data access for US companies
• EU privacy: GDPR applies only limitedly to US servers
• Court jurisdiction: In conflicts, US courts often decide

The result: Your data is subject to US laws – regardless of where you live.

5. Our position: Privacy is not a feature – it’s a fundamental right

At eclipso Mail Europe, we pursue a different approach.

We believe:

• Your email inbox is a protected space.
• Your mailbox belongs to you – and no one else.
• AI has no place in the mailbox from our perspective.

Therefore:

• No AI reads your emails.
• No automatic extraction.
• No analysis of your communication.

We rely on digital self-determination – not algorithmic paternalism.

6. Convenience vs. Control: An honest comparison

7. Emotional value: Why the mailbox is more than technology

An email mailbox is often a mirror of life.

• The first job offer.
• The last message from a loved one.
• Correspondence with authorities, doctors, insurance companies.
• Planning an unforgettable trip.

This content is emotionally charged. It deserves respect – not algorithmic evaluation.

8. What users really want

Many people desire:

• Security instead of speed
• Trust instead of automation
• Transparency instead of black-box AI

The demand for privacy-friendly alternatives is growing. And we are ready to fulfill these needs.

9. Our vision: Email without surveillance

We believe in a digital world where communication remains protected.
Our principles:

• No AI in the mailbox
• No advertising in the inbox
• No data sharing with third parties
• Server location in Germany – GDPR compliant

10. The uncomfortable truth: What Google conceals

Google cannot provide certain guarantees because:

Structural limitations

• Corporate complexity: Hundreds of departments, different data access rights
• Business model compulsion: AI advancement = data hunger
• Legal obligations: US authorities can order data access

Technical realities

• Anonymization doesn’t work: Re-identification is routine
• “Aggregated data” remains personally identifiable
• AI training needs real data – synthetic data isn’t enough

At eclipso Mail Europe, we don’t have these problems – because our business model works without data analysis.

11. Your next step: Back to digital self-determination

Ready for email without AI surveillance?

• Test eclipso Mail Europe Freemail – no risk, no commitment
• Email import from Gmail – your data remains preserved
• S/MIME encryption – true end-to-end security
• GDPR compliant – servers in Germany, German law

Experience the difference: → Test eclipso Mail Europe for free

Your story belongs to you – not to an AI.

While Google turns your emails into a data source, we rely on trust and digital self-determination.

Your mailbox is not a place for AI experiments.
It is your archive. Your diary. Your story.

And at eclipso Mail Europe, it remains exactly that: private, protected, and untouched.

What’s Happening?

A concrete example: After Host Europe and DomainFactory were acquired by the U.S. corporation GoDaddy, many services were migrated to Microsoft-based platforms. For countless users, this meant:

• Loss of familiar features and user interfaces
• Forced migration into a U.S.-centric ecosystem
• Higher costs for services that were previously affordable or even free
• Privacy concerns due to cloud storage outside the EU
• This shift is not only technically questionable – it also undermines the digital sovereignty of European users.

Privacy Requires Independence

Especially when it comes to email, trust is essential. Anyone handling sensitive communication should be able to rely on their data not being analyzed, shared, or used for advertising. The transition to Microsoft 365 introduces precisely these risks – particularly for businesses, freelancers, and organizations with elevated privacy requirements.

eclipso Mail Europe: A Genuine Alternative

As an independent provider based in Germany, eclipso Mail Europe offers a secure, ad-free, and GDPR-compliant email solution – free from corporate entanglements and hidden cloud integrations.

Our advantages:

• Servers located in Germany: Your data stays within the EU
• No third-party data sharing: We don’t analyze your content
• Transparent pricing: Fair rates without bait-and-switch tactics
• Webmail, calendar, cloud & more: All in one platform
• Personal support: Reliable help when you need it

Whether for personal communication or professional correspondence – eclipso Mail Europe stands for digital autonomy and dependable infrastructure.

Make the Switch – No Compromises

If you don’t want to be pushed into a corporate system, now is the time to act. Switching to eclipso Mail Europe is simple and offers long-term peace of mind. Because digital freedom begins with choosing the right provider.

After months of development work, we are thrilled to present our latest improvements: Our biggest update in a long time! We have spent the last months working intensively to make eclipso Mail Europe even better, more modern, and more user-friendly for you.

What’s New?

Modernized Customer Menu (Desktop Version)

Our desktop interface shines with a fresh new look – more user-friendly and with a modern design that makes daily work even more pleasant.

Enhanced Synchronization

• iCal Import/Export seamlessly integrated
• CalDAV system completely redesigned (RFC 5545 standard) – now compatible with apps like OneCalendar
• WebDAV with improved Microsoft Office support
• More stable CardDAV system for reliable contact synchronization

eclipso Cloud & Drive Highlights

• New Media Center (formerly Photo Album) with advanced features and sorting options
• Redesigned file management with new user interface
• Flexible file sharing: Share individual files instead of just complete folders
• Password protection and time-limited shares available
• Download limits for enhanced control

Security First

Behind the scenes, we have further strengthened security – for your optimal protection.

In the coming weeks, we will present the most important features in detail. Stay tuned!

NEW DESIGN

We have completely revamped the app and present a modern, clear design that makes usage even more enjoyable. Clear lines, improved readability, and intuitive operation are at the forefront.

DARK MODE

Protect your eyes at night with the new Dark Mode. Easily switch between light and dark design or let the app automatically follow the system design.

MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT

eclipso now speaks your language! In addition to German and English, we now also support: • French • Spanish • Italian • Portuguese

TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS

• Improved Pinch-to-Zoom function for emails • Optimized display of email attachments • Faster loading times and improved performance • Numerous bug fixes and stability improvements

We are continuously working to make eclipso Mail Europe even better. Thank you for your feedback, which helps us to constantly improve the app!

Download now

As a provider of secure and privacy-friendly email solutions, eclipso Mail Europe would like to share some practical tips on how you can better protect your emails and digital life.

1. Regularly Clean Up Your Inbox

An overloaded inbox is not only confusing but can also pose a security risk. Old messages containing personal information or confidential data can become a problem in the event of unauthorized access. Take the time to:

• Delete unnecessary emails.
• Empty the trash folder to permanently remove deleted messages.
• Unsubscribe from newsletters and other recurring messages that you no longer read.

At eclipso Mail Europe, you can set retention periods for email folders, such as the trash or spam folder. Content that has reached the defined period will be automatically deleted.

2. Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication

A strong password is the first line of defense against unauthorized access. Use a unique password for each account, combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) at eclipso Mail Europe to add an extra layer of security. This way, attackers need more than just your password to gain access to your account.

3. Encrypt Your Emails

Email encryption is one of the best methods to protect your messages from unauthorized access. At eclipso Mail Europe, you can use S/MIME for encrypting your emails. Users who prefer PGP can do so via an external email client.

4. Use Secure Email Apps and Clients

Email apps and client programs access your emails. Limit access to reputable and trustworthy applications. Ensure they are updated regularly to avoid security vulnerabilities. Periodically check which programs have access to your account and remove any connections that are no longer needed.

5. Beware of Phishing Attacks

Phishing emails remain one of the most common methods used to steal personal data. Be cautious of suspicious emails asking you to enter sensitive information. eclipso Mail Europe filters out most phishing messages but cannot catch them all. Therefore, it is crucial to stay vigilant.

6. General Security Tips

• Never share your passwords or personal data with third parties.
• Change passwords regularly.
• Use different passwords for different services.
• Always log out when using public or shared devices.
• Ensure you browse only on trusted websites and avoid clicking on suspicious links.

Conclusion: Data Protection is a Continuous Process

Data Privacy Day is about raising awareness of data protection. With the right tools and habits, you can effectively safeguard your digital privacy. eclipso Mail Europe supports you with secure, privacy-friendly solutions that are easy to use.

Take the first step today by reviewing your inbox. Every small step towards better data protection counts!