Signing up to the new messaging service Signal is relatively simple. All you need to do is download the app on your device, register, and follow the steps to complete the process.
But if you change devices, is it possible to add a new one and still use Signal? In this article, well answer that question and discuss many other burning issues regarding this increasingly popular app.
How to Add New Devices in Signal
If youve installed Signal on one device before and now want to use it on another one, dont panic. You dont need to follow a complicated process to do so. However, the steps will vary depending on the operating system of your device. Moreover, whether youve changed your phone number will also affect the steps.
Adding a New Android Device With the New Phone Number
If youve recently purchased a new Android device and have a new phone number, adding Signal wont be difficult at all. But first, you need to leave groups using the old device:
- Grab the old phone and open one group chat.
- Tap on the profile photo.
- Scroll down to Leave Group.
- Repeat the steps for all groups.
Before doing this, make sure to tell your friends the reason for leaving the group. Youll be able to communicate again once you install Signal on your new device.
After this step, you need to unregister. This will ensure you dont miss any messages your friends might send while youre installing Signal:
- Launch Signal on your old phone.
- Click on the profile picture and go to Advanced.
- Select Delete account.
- Enter your number if prompted.
- Click on Delete Account and confirm.
Once you finish doing this, its time to install Signal on your new Android device:
- Download the Signal app from Google Play.
- Follow the installation steps.
- Type the new phone number to register.
- Reach out to your contacts and ask them to add you to the groups you left.
Adding a New Android Device With the Same Phone Number
If youve just upgraded to the newer Android device but still have the same phone number, the first thing you need to do is backup all media and messages:
- Launch Signal on the old phone and tap on the profile picture.
- Head over to Settings, then scroll to Chats and Media.
- Tap on the Chat backups tab and select Turn on.
- Copy the passphrase.
- Choose Enable backups.
Now that thats set, heres how to add Signal to a new Android device:
- Download Signal from Google Play.
- Launch the app.
- Paste the passphrase to confirm the backup.
- Write the phone number you used to sign up in the first place.
Adding a New iOS Device With the New Phone Number
If youve got a new iOS device and a new phone number, follow the steps below to install Signal:
- Grab your old iOS device and open Signal.
- Click on the profile photo.
- Tap Leave Group.
- Repeat the steps for all groups.
- Then, go to Advanced.
- Choose Delete account.
- Enter your number.
- Tap on Delete Account and confirm you want to remove it.
- Download Signal from App Store on your new device.
- Start the installation.
- Once the installation finishes, ask friends to add you to all groups.
Adding a New iOS Device With the Same Phone Number
The first step in installing Signal on a new iOS device with the same phone number is performing a backup:
- Grab both devices.
- Install Signal from App Store on your new device.
- Finish the registration by following the steps.
- Place the new device near the old device.
- Youll see the Quick Start on the old device.
- Select Transfer from iOS device.
- Wait for a QR code to appear on the new device.
- Place the old device over the new one to scan the code.
- Follow the steps to proceed with the backup.
- After the backup, youll have all messages and media in your Signal chats.
How to Migrate Signal iOS Conversations
Have you bought a new iPhone recently? Then youre probably wondering how to migrate all your Signal conversations to a new device. Using third-party apps can be problematic, especially if you arent sure how they operate. Fortunately, theres no need for that.
iOS users only need their old and the new device to finish the process. Heres how youll move all Signal conversations to a new iPhone:
- Have both your new and old devices close to each other.
- Make sure to download Signal on your new iPhone.
- Start the installation and follow the steps to complete it.
- Type the phone number on the new iPhone when prompted.
- There will be the Quick Start on the old device.
- Choose Transfer from iOS device.
- Wait for the migration information to appear on either of the devices and confirm you want to start the process.
- The QR code will show on your new device.
- Scan it with the old device.
Once everything is completed, your old Signal conversations will be visible in Signal on your new device.
How to Migrate Signal Android Conversations
If youre an Android user and want to move Signal conversations from the old Android device to the new one, heres what youll have to do:
- Launch Signal on your old device and tap on the three dots in the top right part of the screen.
- Select Settings.
- Then, choose Chats and media.
- Scroll to Chat backups.
- Youll see a 30-digit code on your screen.
- Write it somewhere as youll need to use it later.
- Tap on Enable Backups.
- Wait for the backup to complete.
Next, youll have to do the following:
- Find Signal in Play Store.
- Launch the file manager and search for backups.
- Move this file to Downloads.
- Open Signal on the new device and proceed with the installation.
- Then, click on the three dots in the top right corner of the screen again.
- Choose Settings and head to Chat and media.
- Go to Chat backups.
- Click on Enable Backups once again.
After this, youll need to remove the app from the new device. Then, heres what you should do next:
- Use a file manager to search for /Internal Storage/Signal.
- Look for the Backups folder.
- Remove the backup file.
- Locate the same file youve previously moved to Downloads.
- Copy it and paste it to the Backups folder.
Install the app again on your phone by following the steps weve provided above. Only this time, youll see the Restore backup tab. Click on it to migrate conversations. You might need to write the 30-digit code.
Additional FAQs
Would you like to know anything else regarding Signal? Then check out the section below.
1. How Do I Add Someone to Signal?
Adding a person to a Signal group chat is relatively simple:
Open the group chat where you want to add a member.
Click on its profile picture.
Scroll to Add members.
Write the persons name or phone number.
Confirm by selecting Add member.
If the person doesnt already use Signal, theyll first need to download the app.
2. Does Signal Sync Across Devices?
Yes, it does. Users can use Signal on one phone and up to five Desktop devices. All of them will be synced.
3. Can You Have Signal on Two Phones?
Unfortunately, users cant have Signal on two separate phones. If they get a new phone, theyll only be able to use Signal on that device. However, they can have Signal on five Desktop devices in addition to the phone version.
4. How Do I Transfer Signal to My New Phone?
If youve got a new phone and want to use Signal on it, youll have to download the app first. Depending on the device, youll either find it in the App Store or Play Store. If users dont want to perform a backup, all theyve got to do is proceed with the installation.
If they want to move chats from the old phone to the new one, they can check out the sections above to learn how to do so efficiently.
5. How Do I Know if My Friend Is Using Signal?
If youre wondering if your friend is using Signal, theres an easy way to check:
Open Signal on your phone.
Click on the blue pen icon in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Doing so will show all your contacts.
If the person has the blue letter next to their name, theyre using Signal. If its grey, they still havent downloaded this app.
A Great New Messaging System
Many users are turning to Signal because its security is much better compared to other similar systems. But if youve recently bought a new phone and want to install Signal on it, you should first backup conversations. That way, when you add Signal to the new device, youll still see your old conversations.
Have you tried Signal yet? Why did you switch to it? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.