Signal is one of many instant messaging tools on the market, but it's become known due to its dedication to user data security. It even has its own security protocol that's one of the best in class. As an open-source project, it's completely free and doesn't display any ads that could be frustrating to its users.
As such, Signal's interface and features are similar to other apps that offer the same messaging service, so you can have text conversations and attach various multimedia files or voice notes. It supports video and audio calls that are also end-to-end encrypted, the same as any messages you send.
You can download Signal on your Android and iOS mobile devices, and it also has an app for Windows and macOS desktops.
Why should I download Signal?
For users who care about their privacy and don't want their personal messages to be a data source for the company that owns the messaging app, Signal is the perfect choice. It was one of the first solutions that offered full end-to-end encryption and its own security protocol to make sure that only people who are members of the conversation have access to the messages they exchange. Since Signal is an open-source product, and it's sustained by donations rather than advertisers, which allows it to remain independent and secure.
Your messages are never stored on Signal servers, and your video or audio calls are kept at the same level of security. For those who want to be extra vigilant, you can also set up disappearing messages that will auto-destruct after the defined time (1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and so on). You'll also have an option to create a PIN for your profile that will lock your conversations until you provide the correct code.
In order to use this app, you need to download Signal and register your phone number, then confirm your identity with an SMS code sent to you via a regular text message. Once it's set up, you can import your contacts, enjoy private conversations with your friends, either directly or in a group chat, send various media like photos, videos, links, and voice memos, and also make video and audio calls that can hold up to 50 people at the same time!
When chatting with a group of friends, you can mention a specific person by using the @ character and their name. Your messages can also be edited after sending them, and others can have access to the edits history. Additionally, there's also an option to customize the background for each of your conversations, and you can add other people to signal by their Signal username or a unique QR code, there is no need to share the phone number anymore.
Signal requires an internet connection, whether by WiFi or mobile data, and the app can also be used on your desktop devices, including Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems. This way, you can still communicate with your colleagues even when you don't have your phone nearby.
Is Signal free?
Yes, you can download Signal and use it completely for free on any operating system. It also doesn't have any annoying advertisements like some open-source products do.
What operating systems are compatible with Signal?
Users of Android (starting from version 4.4) and iOS (10.0 or above) smartphones can enjoy Signal on their devices, but once you have the mobile app, you can also download Signal to a Windows, macOS, or Linux desktop and use the app there. It's not possible to install and register a Signal account without the app for your mobile device, so keep that in mind when downloading the version for PC.
What are the alternatives to Signal?
For a long time, the best alternative to Signal was WhatsApp, which billions of people around the world have used. The user base shifted a little after WhatsApp was purchased by Facebook, but fortunately, its security and privacy features weren't influenced by that acquisition. With WhatsApp, you can chat with friends around the world and upload and send interactive media like images, videos, voice notes, and more. The messaging service also allows holding video and audio calls, creating disappearing messages, and limiting viewing a photo to just once, among many other features you'd expect from an instant messaging app. What's also very important is that you can be sure that any data you send is never stored on WhatsApp servers, as this tool also uses end-to-end encryption.
If you're looking for an app that has a similar approach to privacy, check out Telegram. It works on mobile devices running on Android and iOS and desktop computers on Windows and macOS, but it also has an online service accessible through a website. Just like Signal, it has its own encryption protocol and allows you to create messages that destroy on their own or set up a PIN code to access the app. For additional security, you can also turn on the settings that prevent other users from taking screenshots of your conversation. When someone tries screenshotting your messages, they will simply get a screenshot with a black screen, and there's no way for them to bypass this security measure. What's more, with Telegram, you can have group chats with up to 100,000 users and video or audio calls with no more than 30 people, but Telegram does show ads from time to time. For those who want to get rid of them, they can purchase an ad-free premium version.
If you're looking for complete privacy protection and anonymity, you could try using WickrMe (now known as AWS Wickr) which is an instant messaging software that was developed by cybersecurity experts. Available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux, this app offers full security for its users. Apart from complete encryption of all data, it also can prevent backups of account data and recovering messages, block taking screenshots, and it doesn't allow using keyboards that could possibly record what you're writing.
