Signal Now Lets Users Switch Numbers Without Losing Chats, Messages

Encrypted messaging app Signal is introducing a new feature that will let users switch their phone numbers on their account without losing their existing chats.

Signal Now Lets Users Switch Numbers Without Losing Chats/Credit: Signal

New Delhi: In a useful move, encrypted messaging app Signal is introducing a new feature that will let users switch their phone numbers on their account without losing their existing chats, and messages. Earlier, changing the phone number meant the user needs to start again with the groups and messages. The encrypted messaging platform made the announcement late on Monday.

"Millions of people worldwide rely on Signal every day for secure and private communication. Some of these people change their phone number, but want to continue using Signal without registering for a new account. We now provide the ability to change the phone number on your Signal account, while retaining all of your chats, profile information, and groups," Signal wrote in a blog post.

If users are keeping their existing phone, but getting a new number, Signal's Change Number feature will let them keep their profile and all of their existing messages and groups on their device, while making them reachable at the new phone number.

"If you’re getting a new phone, but keeping your old number, you can use our end-to-end encrypted device-to-device transfer on Android or iOS to carry your contacts and chat history over to your new device. Make sure you do this before wiping/recycling your old device, as Signal messages are excluded from built-in operating system and cloud backups," the company added in the blog post.

The encrypted messaging platform noted that if someone changes their phone number on Signal, users will see a chat event letting them know their number has changed.