Add more email addresses (user IDs) to your existing key

It's common to have several email accounts nowadays. After creating your first key your key is usable for that single mail address you used. If you have other email addresses you also want to encrypt emails with, you can

a) add your other email addresses to your existing key or
b) create additional keys

Use User IDs in one key or use separate keys per email address?

Important: Note that all email addresses you add to your key can be connected to one identity and will be visible to anybody you share your public key with.
Example 1: You may want to have both emails in one key if you are your.name@YourDomain.org and your.name@YourFunProject.org
Example 2: You may not want to have both emails in one key if you are your.name@YourDomain.org and your.fake.alias@YourLocalActivismProject.org
Depending on your specific use-case connecting the emails to one identity could be wanted or should be avoided. Please consider this first and then proceed.

How to add a User ID to an existing key

  1. double-click the sec/pub key, to which you want to add a User ID
  2. key details will open - select User IDs tab
  3. click + to add another email address as User ID
  4. a dialog opens in which you enter Name and email address, we recommend to leave the comment field blank
  5. click Create User ID
  6. Pinentry will ask for your passphrase

k_add_UserID1.png

k_add_UserID2.png

Repeat above steps to add as many User IDs as you like. Since you now have several User IDs, it is recommended to set the most commonly used address as primary User ID. To do that:

  1. select the User ID you want to set to Primary
  2. click next to +
  3. select Primary

Important: If your key is on the key servers, don't forget to upload your updated key via menu Key > Send to Keyserver (⇧⌘K). Otherwise the change will only be local and your contacts can't benefit from the new User IDs.