After a successful pre-beta period, popular encrypted messaging app Signal officially said goodbye to phone numbers forever, in the name of privacy.
This means you can now connect with other people on the popular encrypted messaging app using a username. You'll still need a phone number to sign up for the service, but it “will no longer be visible in Signal” to anyone running the latest version of the app who hasn't previously saved it to their phone's contacts, according to the provider.
Currently available only to beta users, the new privacy-enhancing feature is expected to roll out to everyone in the coming weeks.
How to use Signal username
“Signal's mission and sole focus is private communication. For years, Signal has kept your messages, profile information (like your name and profile photo), private contacts, private groups, and much more private. “Now we're taking that a step further, making your phone number in Signal more private,” the provider wrote in a blog post announcing the new feature.
In fact, the provider now allows you to choose whether or not you want to share your phone number with the people you chat with through the app. Instead, you can create a unique username to connect with anyone on Signal. Your phone number will not be visible to other users after doing that.
This username, the provider explains, is neither the profile name displayed in chats nor a permanent identifier visible to the people you are chatting with on Signal, but rather a way to start a chat with another user.
Simply put, Signal usernames “do not function as usernames on social media platforms” and the app does not provide a search directory for them. Signal also makes sure not to store them in plain text, meaning the provider can't easily see or produce the usernames for certain accounts.
To create a username, you need to head to Settings and click on the Profile tab. It must be unique and contain two or more numbers at the end, an option intended to minimize spoofing, the provider said. The username can be changed as often as you like and can also be deleted completely. You can even generate a QR code or link that directs people to your username to allow them to quickly connect with you on Signal.
IT'S HAPPENING! Today, Signal launches phone number and username privacy! These features allow you to use Signal without sharing your phone number with the people you talk to. Proud to add more privacy to Signal and proud of the smart, careful work the team did to make this happen ♥️ https://t.co/ ym8UhOfloYFebruary 20, 2024
Furthermore, the provider also adds another new privacy setting to give you control over who can find you by your phone number in signal. By selecting “Nobody”, you will prevent other users from finding you unless they have your exact unique username. Keep in mind that even people who have your phone number saved in their contact list won't be able to start a conversation with you.
Known for its strong commitment to the privacy and security of its users, Signal began testing the username option in November last year. The move comes as yet another effort to reduce the personal information a user needs to share in order to participate in private communications.
The update is now available only for beta users. This means that other users will still have to wait a few weeks to benefit from this increase in privacy. However, once it is fully implemented, your phone number will become private by default. You can change this option by heading to the Settings tab, clicking on Privacy and Phone Number.
It's worth mentioning that both you and the people you're chatting with must be using the latest version of the app to enjoy these new protections.
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