https://wiki.debian.org/msmtp <== msmtp setup mentions creating an encrypted password file
But when you try the command you get an error
gpg --encrypt --output=.msmtp-zoho.gpg [email protected] - <<END
ThisIsMySeCrEtPassword
END
# output
gpg: no valid OpenPGP data found.
gpg: Total number processed: 0
gpg: error retrieving '[email protected]' via WKD: No fingerprint
gpg: [email protected]: skipped: No public key
gpg: [stdin]: encryption failed: No public key
That is because you need to create a private and public key with gpg first. Then the gpg --encrypt ... command above will work without error
# never expire
gpg --batch --passphrase '' \
--quick-gen-key [email protected] default default \
never
# output
gpg: revocation certificate stored as '/home/myuser/.gnupg/openpgp-revocs.d/7EdE69E0AF5F609526FD2B3773F7C72852A2127F.rev'
Note the --passphrase '' command creates an empty passphrase so you don't have to enter anything to unlock the gpg private key before it decrypts the encrypted file. Note: This empty passphrase is so you can run msmtp from the command line, which decrypts the Google app password without ever having to enter a password... effectively make the password easy to obtain.
Then you can create the encrypted password file:
gpg --encrypt --output=.msmtp-zoho.gpg [email protected] - <<END
ThisIsMySeCrEtPassword
END
# output
gpg: checking the trustdb
gpg: marginals needed: 3 completes needed: 1 trust model: pgp
gpg: depth: 0 valid: 3 signed: 0 trust: 0-, 0q, 0n, 0m, 0f, 3u
gpg: next trustdb check due at 2028-06-24
Then list your keys
Notice one key has an expiry date and the other is blank (no expiry) where it would say the expiry date
gpg --list-keys
/home/myuser/.gnupg/pubring.kbx
-----------------------------
pub ed25519 2025-06-25 [SC] [expires: 2028-06-24]
4A7560D818581F1D51104EE94F028462EA559950
uid [ultimate] [email protected]
sub cv25519 2025-06-25 [E]
pub ed25519 2025-06-25 [SC]
7EFE69E0AFCF609526FD2B3773F7C72862A2127F
uid [ultimate] [email protected]
sub cv25519 2025-06-25 [E]
Then delete one that you don't want
myuser@tgn-my-vm-test:~$ gpg --delete-secret-and-public-keys 7EFE69E0AFCF609526FD2B3773F7C72862A2127F
gpg (GnuPG) 2.4.4; Copyright (C) 2024 g10 Code GmbH
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
sec ed25519/73F7C72862A2127F 2025-06-25 [email protected]
Delete this key from the keyring? (y/N) y
This is a secret key! - really delete? (y/N) y
pub ed25519/73F7C72862A2127F 2025-06-25 [email protected]
Delete this key from the keyring? (y/N) y
During the above delete you will be prompted to delete the key twice with a text screen as follows
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