This guide describes how to integrate a personal certificate for signing and encrypting emails in Evolution. To do this, you need a certificate, which must be available as a .p12 file.
How do I request a personal certificate?

Please note the information on Email Encryption.


Import certificate

  1. Open the “Preferences” via the key combination: Shift + Ctrl + S or via “Menu” - “Edit” - “Preferences”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description
    Screenshot Evolution - Edit menu
  2. Now call up the certificate settings. Navigate to the “Certificates” tab. Select the “Import” button.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description with markers on the “Certificates” tab and “Import” button
    Screenshot Evolution - Settings for certificates
  3. The file manager of your desktop environment opens. Navigate to your certificate file, select it and choose “Open”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description
    Screenshot Gnome Dateien - Open file
  4. Enter the password for your certificate and confirm with “OK”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description
    Screenshot Evolution - Unlock certificate
  5. Your certificate will now appear in “Your Certificates”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description
    Screenshot Evolution - Settings for certificates


Activate signature and encryption

  1. Open the “Preferences” via the key combination: Shift + Ctrl + S or via “Menu” - “Edit” - “Preferences”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description
    Screenshot Evolution - Edit menu
  2. Call up the settings for the mail account. You are automatically in the “Mail accounts” tab. Select your email account in the list. Select “Edit”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description with marker on the “Edit” button
    Screenshot Evolution - Settings for email accounts
  3. Navigate to the “Security” tab in the “Account Editor”. In the “Secure MIME (S/MIME)” section, click on the “Select” button for the “Signing certificate” and the “Encryption certificate”.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description with marker on the two “Select” buttons
    Screenshot Evolution - Account editor for security
  4. In the “Select certificate” window that opens, select “Imported Certificate” from the certificate dropdown and confirm with the “OK” button.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description
    Screenshot Evolution - Select certificate
  5. It is recommended to activate the options “Always sign outgoing messages when using this account” and “Always encrypt outgoing messages when using this account”. Confirm the changes by selecting the “OK” button.
  6. The setup is now complete. When you compose an email, the buttons for signing and encrypting now appear.
    Explanatory screenshot of the previous description with marker on sign and encrypt button
    Screenshot Evolution - Compose message