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How to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) for S/MIME Certificates on macOS using Keychain Access? - A step-by-step guide 

Similar Questions:  

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Overview:  

This guide walks you through the process of creating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) on a Mac, specifically for S/MIME certificates used in secure email communication. Using the built-in Keychain Access utility, you’ll learn how to generate a CSR file that can be submitted to a certificate authority (CA) like Sectigo. 

Follow these step-by-step instructions to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) for S/MIME certificates on macOS using Keychain Access.: 

Before you start, make sure you have the following: 

Step 1: Open Keychain Access 

Navigate to:  

Step 2: Launch Certificate Assistant 

Go to the menu bar: 
 

Step 3: Fill in Certificate Request Details 

Step 4: Save the CSR File 

Choose a filename and location to save the CSR. Click Show in Finder to view the file, then click Done. 

Step 5: Confirm Key Pair Generation 

In Keychain Access: 

 Step 6: Open CSR in a Text Editor 

Locate the .certSigningRequest file and open it in a text editor to view or copy its contents during the S/MIME certificate setup process. 

Step 7: CSR submission 

Submit the CSR file to Sectigo. Once the certificate is issued, import it into Keychain Access to complete the setup.