After you collect your S/MIME certificate, you’ll need to install it on your computer before you can use it in Microsoft Outlook or Office. You can easily install the certificate using the Windows Certificate Import Wizard.
Launching the Certificate Import Wizard
- Open the directory where you saved your S/MIME certificate on your computer. This file should have the extension .pfx or .p12.
- Important: the certificate must be in PFX/PKCS#12 formatting including the private key. If the private key is saved separately, you may need to convert the certificate to the proper format.
- Right-click on the certificate file name and you should see an option to Install PFX or Install Certificate. Click this option to launch the Certificate Import Wizard.
Using the Certificate Import Wizard
Follow each step of the Certificate Import Wizard to install your certificate correctly.
- Store Location: choose to install the certificate for either:
- Current User: This installs the certificate for ONLY your user account on this computer.
- Local Machine: This installs the certificate for all user accounts on this computer.
- Select the option that works best for you and click Next.
- File to Import: Usually the wizard will automatically detect the certificate file you right-clicked.
- If it’s not detected, click the Browse… button and navigate to the directory where your certificate file is stored. Select the file and click Open. Then, click Next.
- Private Key Protection: Enter the password that was created when you collected the certificate.
- For Import options, check “Mark this key as exportable” to make a back-up later, and check “Include all extended properties”. Click Next when your options are set.
- Certificate Store: Windows should automatically select the appropriate certificate store. You should only manually select store location if you have special requirements. Click Next to proceed.
- Completing the Wizard: Review the details to confirm the certificate store and file name, then click Finish to complete the import process.
Once the Certificate Import Wizard has completed the installation, there should be a message confirming that “The import was successful.”