We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Avatar for Username

Buscar en Ayuda

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Este tema ha sido archivado. Haz una nueva pregunta si necesitas ayuda.

Thunderbird 78 external smart card not working (GPGME)

  • 1 respuesta
  • 1 tiene este problema
  • 1 visita
  • Última respuesta de Kai Engert

mathias.muehlbacher
mathias.muehlbacher
more options

Hello everyone,

I have installed the current Thunderbird 78.2.1 and followed the manual (https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Smartcards) for enabling my external smart card. Unfortunately this does not work.

I have added my public key to the Thunderbird key store and granted it full trust. I am using Gpg4Win with Kleopatra. There I have created my primary key and different subkeys. The primary key for certifying other signatures resides on my computer while the other three (encryption, authentication & signing) resides on my smart card.

According to the manual I have added the primary key ID to Thunderbird.

Problems: I can encrypt draft email but I can't decrypt them. I cannot send myself encrypted and signed emails. Thunderbird does not even ask myself for entering a PIN to unlock my smart card.


Anyone else having similar issues?


Thanks & best regards, Mathias

Hello everyone, I have installed the current Thunderbird 78.2.1 and followed the manual (https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP:Smartcards) for enabling my external smart card. Unfortunately this does not work. I have added my public key to the Thunderbird key store and granted it full trust. I am using Gpg4Win with Kleopatra. There I have created my primary key and different subkeys. The primary key for certifying other signatures resides on my computer while the other three (encryption, authentication & signing) resides on my smart card. According to the manual I have added the primary key ID to Thunderbird. Problems: I can encrypt draft email but I can't decrypt them. I cannot send myself encrypted and signed emails. Thunderbird does not even ask myself for entering a PIN to unlock my smart card. Anyone else having similar issues? Thanks & best regards, Mathias

Modificadas por Wayne Mery el

Todas las respuestas (1)

Kai Engert
Kai Engert
more options

If you're using the external gnupg configuration, then please check that Thunderbird can load GPGME. The Thunderbird error console should show a success message mentioning gpgme if it can.

Are you using a 64 bit version of Thunderbird? It's currently know that it doesn't work, because a 64-bit version of the GPGME DLL is required, which is not yet available.

https://admin.hostpoint.ch/pipermail/enigmail-users_enigmail.net/2020-August/005731.html

If that's your issue, you could try to temporarily use the 32 bit version of Thunderbird on Windows until the issue has been resolved.

Kai