Public Key Server Commands

HTML Forms support required!

Extract a key from the server

Submit a key to the server


Extracting a key

Here's how to extract a key:
  1. Select either the ``Index'' or ``Verbose Index'' check box. The ``Verbose'' option also displays all signatures on displayed keys.
  2. If you want a specific server, select it in the ``Server'' box.
  3. If you want a new or old server, select it in the ``Type'' box.
  4. Type ID you want to search for in the ``Search String'' box.
  5. Press the ``Do the search!'' key.
  6. The server will return a (verbose) list of keys on the server matching the given ID. (The ID can be any valid argument to a pgp -kv(v) command. If you want to look up a key by its hexadecimal KeyID, remember to prefix the ID with 0x.)
  7. The returned index will have hypertext links for every KeyID, and every bracket-delimited identifier (i.e. < marc@mit.edu>). Clicking on the hypertext link will display an ASCII-armored version of the listed public key.

Server: Type: Index: Verbose Index:

Search String:

Show PGP "fingerprints" for keys

Only return exact matches


Extract caveats:

Submitting a new key to the server

Here's how to add a key to the server's keyring:
  1. Cut-and-paste an ASCII-armored version of your public key into the text box.
  2. Press "Submit".
That's it! The keyserver will process your request immediately. If you like, you can check that your key exists using the extract procedure above.
Server currently ignored: Enter ASCII-armored PGP key here:


(Thanks to Brian LaMacchia, from whom much of this page is cribbed)

Marc Horowitz <marc@mit.edu>
Student Information Processing Board
w20-557
84 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
+1 617 253 7788


Lifted verbatim for pgp.net by postmaster@mail.pgp.net