Support of POP3, IMAP, SMTP

Private.Ki does not currently support SMTP, IMAP, or POP3 access for user mailboxes.

These protocols were designed for traditional email systems where the server can store and deliver messages in a readable form.

Private.Ki works differently: Our encryption model relies on the Private.Ki web app and our own applications to encrypt, decrypt, and verify messages on your device. If we exposed your mailbox over IMAP/POP3 or allowed sending via SMTP like a standard provider, most third-party email clients would not be able to handle Private.Ki’s encryption and metadata protection correctly.

What this means in practice

At the moment, you cannot connect Private.Ki to external email clients such as:

  • Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird (via IMAP/SMTP)

  • Mobile mail apps that require IMAP/POP3

  • Any mail checker tools that log in via IMAP/POP3

You also cannot use Private.Ki as a generic SMTP relay in another client.

To use Private.Ki email today, you must use:

Desktop support is coming

We understand that many users want a desktop experience similar to traditional mail clients.

Desktop versions are in development, and we plan to provide secure ways to use Private.Ki on desktop without compromising encryption.

If you need an email client workflow today, you can still use Private.Ki in a browser on desktop.