# Make it possible to import private key during setup **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Proposal\ **Created:** [September 12, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/make-it-possible-to-import-private-key-during-setup/2720 "2023-09-12T12:58:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![link2xt](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/link2xt/32/1971_2.png) [@link2xt](https://forum.delta.chat/u/link2xt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/make-it-possible-to-import-private-key-during-setup/2720/1 "2023-09-12T12:58:01Z")
Currently it is possible to import the private key after setup (sans some problems in [DeltaChat fails to import keys](https://support.delta.chat/t/deltachat-fails-to-import-keys/2592)), but only after generating a new key. As a result, this key cannot be used to decrypt old messages. This feature proposal is about adding an option to select the key during setup in advanced settings. This can also be a place for the generated key type option requested in [Allow RSA 2048 and 4096 bit keys](https://support.delta.chat/t/allow-rsa-2048-and-4096-bit-keys/1713), a single setting with multiple options: 1. Generate ECC key (default) 2. Generate RSA key 3. Import existing key Currently `fetch_existing_msgs` setting is disabled ([fix: disable `fetch_existing_msgs` setting by default by link2xt · Pull Request #4423 · deltachat/deltachat-core-rust · GitHub](https://github.com/deltachat/deltachat-core-rust/pull/4423)) but we may consider enabling it again as an option, e.g. if the user has the key backed up and wants to get old messages from the server. ---
**Author:** ![r10s](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/r10s/32/1513_2.png) [@r10s](https://forum.delta.chat/u/r10s)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 10:47pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/make-it-possible-to-import-private-key-during-setup/2720/2 "2026-02-16T22:47:18Z")