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Mail: S/MIME problem with macOS Ventura 13.2.1 - decryption does not work

I have a problem with the macOS Mail.app and the S/MIME decryption.

The problem seems to have appeared with one of the latest updates of macOS Ventura 13.2.1.


Here's a list of things that work:

  • I can send and sign emails with Mail.app on macOS Ventura
  • I can read those emails and see that they are signed on macOS Ventura and iOS / iPadOS
  • I can send, sign and encrypt emails with Mail.app on macOS Ventura and on iOS / iPadOS 16.x
  • I can read those emails on my iPhone and my iPad where I have installed the same certificates.
  • I can read / decrypt emails that have been sent, signed, and encrypted from Ventura on my iPad or iPhone.


What doesn't work?

  • I can't read the signed and encrypted emails that I received on my Mac with Ventura, no matter if I send them from a Mac or from my iOS devices.


I've already removed my certificates from my keychain but this did not solve the problem. It would have surprised me as the signing and encryption seems to work as I have no trouble reading those emails on iOS / iPadOS.


I've checked older communication with clients and friends and those mail threads are not readable / decryptable anymore on Ventura. :-(

Luckily, I can still read them on my iOS devices.


Are there some known issues with the latest version of Ventura and S/MIME in Mail.app?



MacBook Pro (M1, 2020)

Posted on Mar 13, 2023 10:47 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 14, 2023 5:09 PM

Greetings Ruediger Weiss,


If you are having issues opening some Mail, these are the best steps to take.


  1. Test safe mode. Safe mode prevents certain software from opening that could be part of the issue. How to use safe mode on your Mac
  2. Ensure your Mac is fully updated, since updates can contain fixes. Update macOS on Mac
  3. Verify your Mail settings with the email provider.


We hope this helps!


Best wishes.



Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Mar 14, 2023 5:09 PM in response to Ruediger Weiss

Greetings Ruediger Weiss,


If you are having issues opening some Mail, these are the best steps to take.


  1. Test safe mode. Safe mode prevents certain software from opening that could be part of the issue. How to use safe mode on your Mac
  2. Ensure your Mac is fully updated, since updates can contain fixes. Update macOS on Mac
  3. Verify your Mail settings with the email provider.


We hope this helps!


Best wishes.



Mail: S/MIME problem with macOS Ventura 13.2.1 - decryption does not work

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