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Software & Apps

Signal Messenger: Everything You Need To Know About The Messaging App

If you have downloaded the app, there are things you should know before using it. If you are about to download it, this information is also important for you.
Timothy Iyekowa
By Timothy Iyekowa - Technical Writer
8 Min Read
Signal Messenger
Signal Messenger

Signal Messenger is growing every day. This is because WhatsApp wanted to go sideways. Now, many users have switched to the app. But that isn’t all we know. Signal is a secure messaging platform that encrypts your messages end-to-end.

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The private messaging app recorded a high number of users who joined the app in the last few months. They want to keep them by introducing some of the best WhatsApp features. These features include a wallpaper for different chats.

The messaging app uses the same technology WhatsApp uses to secure and encrypt its users’ messages. This technology ensures that no one can decrypt your message, not even the government.

The messaging app is far behind in terms of features. However, new features are coming. Signal would start including those interesting ones from WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has been sharing users’ data with Facebook since 2016. Users were able to opt out and still use the app.

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But the new WhatsApp Policy changes everything. You will need to agree to the terms before using the app.

At this moment, WhatsApp is trying their users back, and Signal wants to keep them.

Away from that, here’s everything you need to know about the Signal Private Messenger, and what’s coming next.

Everything you need to know about Signal is here. And if you have been following the news, you know what happens.

If you have downloaded the app, there are things you should know before using it. If you are about to download it, this information is also important for you.

The messaging app is free

Just like WhatsApp Messenger, Signal is free to use. You can get started by downloading the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

You can do everything for free. Using the app, you might want to donate to the platform. You can do this through the donate button at the bottom of the app settings.

Signal Messenger is open-source

What does open-source mean? The code is publicly available for everyone to see. Unlike WhatsApp, which is private and only available to the company.

With the app being open source, no one can secretly program a back door for personal or government use. The code is available to everyone, and anybody can contribute to the app library.

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You can make voice and video calls

If a messaging app doesn’t have this feature, many people would avoid using it. Signal makes voice and video calling easy for its users.

Messaging on Signal Messenger feels seamless and easy to type on, as well as video calling your family and friends. If you want to make calls, you just have to tap on the button in your preferred chat.

Signal Messenger is end-to-end

The messaging app is encrypted. That’s why everyone is running to the app in the first place. The messaging app uses end-to-end encryption technology to encrypt your message. This ensures that no one else can decrypt it.

Signal says it doesn’t view messages. The company can’t spy on anyone. Once the message is encrypted, it can’t be decrypted according to the technology that’s used.

Signal uses the same technology WhatsApp uses to secure messages, the company developed the Signal Encryption protocol.

Disappearing messages are on Signal

Signal has disappearing messages just like WhatsApp. The disappearing message feature allows you to set a timer to automatically delete messages when the time elapsed.

To use the disappearing messages on Signal, you must first enable the feature. Set up the time you want messages to disappear in a specific chat.

After you’ve selected the time in a chat, the messages you sent will begin to disappear. They will automatically vanish once the selected time is reached.

Signal acts like SMS app

You can use Signal as a normal text messaging app to receive SMS. The only popular messaging app doing this is Messenger. You can start using it by turning on the feature in the Account settings.

Signal security features

Signal security comes with some interesting features. From the Privacy tab in your settings, you can block screenshots of your chats. You can also lock the app with your phone security lock and explore many more features.

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You can block your IP address when calling by relaying your calls through the Signal server. Use your Signal Pin to protect your account.

Signal with some features

Managing storage is now a thing. The messaging app now allows you to manage your storage. It shows you things that take up most of the storage space. You can manage Signal storage from your account settings.

With all the messaging app having dark mode, Signal doesn’t want to be left out. The app has a dark mode. It can be enabled with just a few clicks on the Settings page, in the Appearance section.

Signal local backup

With backup being the next thing, I’m sure why Signal decided to backup chats locally (encryption). Signal uses a passphrase to store your backup on your device. Don’t lose the passphrase, or you can’t restore the backup.

If you lose access to your old phone, you cannot retrieve your previous chats. If you install Signal on your new phone, you’ll start with no prior chat history. The company says all messages, pictures, files, and other contents are stored locally on your device.

If you have access to your phone with Signal, you can transfer all your Signal data to the new device. Ensure you don’t change your phone number before doing it.

You can use Signal on all devices

Of course, you can use Signal on all major devices. It is available on Android, iPhone, iPad, and your computer.

Unlike WhatsApp, if you use Signal on a computer, your chat won’t be available. Signal stores its chats locally on your device.

You can link Signal to your PC or Mac using the “Linked” feature from your account settings. Once you link it, all your chats on mobile won’t appear on your computer.

Signal collects just your phone number

According to Signal’s privacy policy, it is “designed to never collect or store any sensitive information.” The only data that Signal collects is your Contact Info, which is the phone number.

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All messages and calls on the app are end-to-end encrypted, and nobody can access them. All information is encrypted, including your profile name and picture.

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ByTimothy Iyekowa
Technical Writer
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As a seasoned content writer with 5+ years of experience in consumer technology, Timothy has been a dedicated author and editor at Techvocast since its inception. Specializing in addressing user concerns, his articles offer effective solutions for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac-related issues. Timothy's expertise also extends to crafting content about social media and various applications. Through his daily articles, he consistently aids users in overcoming their technology challenges.
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