What Is Pretty Good Privacy (PGP)?

If you’re among the many who value your digital privacy, gaining an understanding of PGP encryption will feel like discovering how a safe works—even if you have no intention of building one yourself, it’s good to know precisely your information is protected inside.

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption is a well-recognized and trusted tool for secure digital communication. Even if you do not recognize the name, it’s possible you’ve engaged with the encryption tool throughout your online life. With a reputation for being more than just “pretty good,” it has actually been a powerful privacy option since its invention in the early 1990s by Phil Zimmermann. It’s widely used today protecting emails, files, and messages from being read by anyone other than the intended recipient. 

How Does Pretty Good Privacy Work?

PGP uses a combination of two encryption systems: symmetric and asymmetric encryption.

Symmetric encryption is the concept that both the sender and receiver of the data will use the same key to encrypt and decrypt. Asymmetric encryption uses what are known as “public” and “private” keys. Encryption can happen with someone’s public key and then decryption with a private key. 

In other words: when you send someone a PGP-encrypted message, they are then the only ones with the ability to unlock it, nobody else—not the email provider, not hackers, not the government—nobody. It’s totally secure end-to-end communication.

Why Do People Still Use PGP?

Although it’s much beloved by journalists and whistleblowers alike, PGP is a good encryption option for anyone who might find themselves dealing with sensitive files, confidential emails, or personal conversations.

The PGP tool has truly stood the test of time. This is likely because it’s an open-source option, it’s flexible, and, most importantly, extremely difficult to crack (when used properly). 

Is PGP Still Relevant in 2025?

Although the technology has evolved, the OpenPGP standard (which is an open-use version of the original PGP tool) has been actively maintained and supported across a number of communication tools. Some modern platforms also integrate PGP encryption on the back end so that users don’t have to bother with any complex key exchange systems themselves. 

Despite this ongoing use, PGP isn’t perfect. It does not have the capability to encrypt subject lines, metadata or timestamps. This means that your communication is still at risk of exposure unless paired with other privacy tools (think: Dialappify).

PGP and Dialappify Privacy 

Looking for the ultimate security powerhouse duo? If you choose to let PGP handle your secure file and email exchanges, trust Dialappify to focus on protecting your voice and text communications. Dialappify gives you a second phone number so you can call and text confidently, while keeping your personal number secure. It’s the ultimate digital privacy from every possible angle.