Up Your Signal Game
Did you know Signal could do this??
Hi friends! And an extra welcome to all our new friends who’ve recently joined! Great to have you!
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve written, but it’s not for a lack of ideas I can assure you. I’ve been following a few stories that won’t sit still long enough for me to write about them (I’m looking at you, Flock), but perfect is the enemy of progress and all that.
That said, I’m working on a refresh around here with a new rhythm and some new formats I’m pretty excited about. Expect to see a mix of longer essays, shorter roundups, some in-progress ideas, and of course our bread and butter—the privacy how-to guides. The goal is a cadence that’s sustainable for me and more consistent for you.
To ease back in, I figured I’d start with a bit of a softball topic, so let’s get into it!
If you are not using Signal for messaging yet, have I got the article for you. Go on, click it. We’ll wait. If you are already there, *snaps*. Now, let’s dig into a few underused features that’ll give your messaging privacy the glow-up it deserves.
In the News
It was recently reported that the FBI has opened investigations into Minneapolis residents who used Signal chats to alert their communities about ICE presence near homes and schools.
This raises important free-speech questions. The First Amendment protects the right to speak and, in many cases, to record law enforcement performing official duties, according to Alex Abdo of the Knight First Amendment Institute. 🎥👮🏼♂️
Aaron Terr of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression told NBC News that speech is only unprotected when it is intended and likely to provoke imminent unlawful action. Warning neighbors or sharing information does not automatically meet that standard.
Bottom line: Knowing your rights—and protecting your communications—matters.
Let’s Talk about Signal
The only data Signal can provide under subpoena is when you installed the app and when you last used it. Message content is not stored on Signal’s servers—but messages stored on your device (or someone else’s) could still be accessed if a phone is seized or compromised.
So what can you do to reduce that risk?
Set Up Disappearing Messages
Disappearing messages let you control how long messages stay visible in a conversation.
When you send a message, your timer starts. When the recipient opens it, their timer starts. For example, if disappearing messages are set to 1 day, the message will remain visible in your chat for one day after you send it, and in their chat for one day after they read it.
Set a Default Timer for Disappearing Messages
You can set up a default timer for disappearing messages in conversations that you initiate in the app settings.
- Tap on your profile icon at the top
- Select Settings from the panel
- Go to Privacy
- Tap Disappearing Messages
- Set a time that you feel comfortable with
This default setting only applies (by default) to messages you initiate, so if you’re added to other conversations, you’ll want to…
Set Message-Specific Timers for Disappearing Messages
If you’re part of a conversation already (private or group), anyone in the conversation can change the disappearing message time.
- Open the conversation
- Tap on the profile/conversation name at the top
- Tap Disappearing Messages
- Set a time that you feel comfortable with
Remember: Disappearing messages affect everyone in the conversation, not just you.
Set Up a Username
If I’m organizing locally or talking to people I don’t know well, I prefer not to share my phone number. Signal lets you create a username so people can contact you without knowing your number.
Notes About Usernames
- Usernames are unique—someone needs your exact username to find you
- You can change your username at any time
- Changing your username will not affect existing conversations
- No one is notified when your username changes
- Your username is not visible in conversations (only your profile name appears)
- You still need a phone number to sign up for Signal, but you can control whether it’s visible to others in Settings (see the Privacy Settings section below)
Create Your Username
- Tap on your profile icon at the top
- Select Settings from the panel
- Tap on your name/profile at the top
- Tap Username
- Check out the notes about usernames because it’s good info
- Tap Set up your Username
- Create a username (it will always include numbers—you can choose them if you want)
You can share your username using the built-in QR code or by sending someone a link. Both options appear below your username.
Take Advantage of Photo & Video Features
Signal has some powerful photo and video tools you might not be using yet:
Strip metadata from photos: Sending a photo through Signal removes embedded metadata, which can include the date and time it was taken, device and camera details, and location/GPS data. If you want a metadata-free version, send the image to yourself and download it again from the conversation.
Blur faces or sensitive details in photos:
Select a photo to send in a Signal conversation (even to yourself), but don’t send it yet
Tap the Edit icon (bottom left)
Tap the Blur icon (it looks like a circle made up of smaller circles)
Turn on Blur Faces (helpful, but not perfect), or manually draw to blur specific areas
If you want to share the edited image elsewhere, send it to yourself and download it from the conversation
Back up important photos or videos by sending them to trusted friends: If your device is lost or compromised, you will still have access to copies (just be mindful of disappearing message timers if you do this). Images and videos are encrypted end-to-end and typically send in higher quality than text messages, but if you’re concerned about quality, you can always…
Adjust the Media Quality for sent photos and videos:
Tap on your profile icon at the top
Select Settings from the panel
Tap on Data Usage
Find Sent Media Quality
Set it to High if you want better quality (this uses more data, use your best judgement)
Keep In Mind: Even with metadata removed or faces blurred, always assume an image could still be shared beyond its intended audience. Send thoughtfully—there’s no ‘undo’ once it leaves your device.
Use Nicknames to Protect Yourself & Others
Nicknames can help obscure your identity (and the identities of your contacts) within conversation threads. As it turns out, full legal names make people pretty easy to identify. Go figure. 🤔
Nicknames are also end-to-end encrypted, meaning Signal cannot read them, though they should still be treated as a helpful layer of friction—not a guarantee of anonymity.
Set Your Own Nickname
Once you set a nickname, that name will appear in your conversation threads instead of your real name.
- Tap on your profile icon at the top
- Select Settings from the panel
- Tap on your name/profile at the top
- Tap on your name (next to the person icon)
- Change your name to a nickname (ideally, one that doesn’t identify you)
Set a Nickname for Others
If someone in a conversation isn’t using a nickname, you can assign one for them in your app. This won’t change how they appear on their device, but it can reduce how easily they are identified in your chat history or in screenshots.
- Open a conversation you’re part of
- Tap on the profile/conversation name at the top
- Tap on the person you want to nickname
- Tap Nickname
- Give them a nickname (ideally, one that makes them harder to identify)
That said, nicknaming everyone in a conversation is asking a lot. As a (perhaps obvious) alternative, just send them the instructions above so they can set their own nickname. 😉
Keep In Mind: No feature can stop someone from screenshotting a conversation. Disappearing Messages limit message history, and nicknames make people harder to identify, but screenshots (or photos of screens) are always possible.
A Quick Look at Some Privacy Settings
If you have not explored Signal’s privacy settings yet, there are some powerful protections you can enable right now.
Open the Settings
- Tap on your profile icon at the top
- Select Settings from the panel
Let’s go through a few:
Chats
One setting I recommend turning off is “Use Phone Contact Photos.” Similar to nicknames, the goal is to avoid pulling in identifying information about the people in your conversations. Displaying contact photos can make chats easier to trace back to real individuals.
This is also where you can clear your chat history—a useful option if you want to limit what remains on your device.
Privacy
Phone Number: In the Phone Number settings, you can control who can see your number and who can use it to find you. Make your own call here—personally, I have visibility set to Nobody and discoverability set to Everybody.
Read Receipts & Typing Indicators: I prefer to keep both of these off. I don’t need people to know when I have read a message or when I’m mid-reply. Just note that turning these off applies both ways—you will not see others’ read receipts or typing indicators either.
App Security:
Hide Screen in App Switcher: When you switch between apps and see the app preview screen, this setting ensures Signal only shows its icon, not your conversations. Turn that baby on.
Screen Lock: This lets you lock Signal using the same method you use to unlock your phone (PIN, Face ID, etc.). If your phone requires a PIN, Signal will too. You can also set a timeout, which controls how quickly Signal re-locks. I have mine set to Instant, but you can choose whatever feels like the right balance between security and convenience.
Payments Lock: I do not really use Signal for payments, but I keep Payments Lock enabled anyway, just in case.
Calling: You can control whether Signal calls show up in your phone’s recent calls list. I keep this off—I don’t need that extra record.
Advanced: The only setting I am somewhat undecided about in Advanced is Always Relay Calls. Enabling it hides your IP address, which can make it harder to determine where a call originates. If you are particularly concerned about someone learning your IP address, this may be worth turning on. For most people, this is probably not a major risk. I personally keep it off, but you should assess your own comfort level. I’ve got the rest of the Advanced settings disabled.
Wrapping It Up
Signal is a powerful privacy tool, but no app replaces good judgment. Be intentional about who you bring into conversations, how long messages stick around, and what you choose to share.
Privacy is not about paranoia—it’s about control. The more you understand your tools, the more agency you have over your digital privacy.
Keep on keepin’ on,
KL
