Now you can securely link multiple phones to one Signal account

General News
1

You can link more devices with one phone number on Signal now, including an Android phone or iPhone. Signal already supported linking PCs and iPads, but not additional phones. When you link a device on Signal, you can check and respond to new messages across all of your linked devices. You can also choose whether or not to transfer an end-to-end encrypted copy of your previous messages to each newly linked device to mitigate the risk of devices that might be shared, lost, or compromised.

The update is rolling out now with Signal version 8.20 on Android and version 8.22 for iPhone / iPad.

https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007320551-Linked-Devices

You can link a Desktop, iPad, iPhone, or Android device (tablet or phone) to your primary Signal Device. All Signal communication on linked devices is private, just like your smartphone.

Note:

  • A device can only be linked a device during the registration flow, which appears when you first install or reinstall the Signal app on that device.
  • All your chats and the last 45 days of media can be synchronized from your mobile phone the first time you set up the linked device. Read more on the blog post here.
  • After linking a device, your phone has to come online at least once every 30 days. Otherwise, your linked devices will become unlinked.
  • Linked devices will also become unlinked after 45 days of inactivity.
  • Once linked devices are unlinked, you can only relink them again using your registered primary device.
  • There is a limit of 5 linked devices per account.

How To Link a Device To Your Phone

  1. Install Signal Desktop from our website here, install Signal iOS from the Apple App Store here, or install Signal for your Android device here.
  2. Open Signal on the device you want to link:
    1. To view the QR code on Desktop, open Signal.
    2. To view the QR code on iPad, open Signal and select Continue > Add as New Device.
    3. To view the QR code on an iPhone, open Signal and select Continue > 3-dot menu (top left corner) > Link Device.
    4. To view the QR code on an Android device, open Signal and select Continue > 3-dot menu (top left corner) > Link Device.
  3. On your phone, open Signal and navigate to Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Linked devices > Link a new device.
  4. Entering your biometrics or the same code used to unlock your device (not your Signal PIN) will open the in-app camera and allow you to continue with linking a device.
  5. Use your phone to scan the QR code.
  6. Select either Transfer Message History or Don’t Transfer.
    • If Don’t transfer is selected and you change your mind later, you’ll need to reinstall Signal on the device you want to link and choose the transfer option.
  7. Send a message from the linked device.

Edit: added Signal Support instructions

9 Likes
2

Thank you so much for the article. This is exactly the feature I need right now.

How do I actually do this? Step by step? I have two phones (GrapheneOS and iPhone) and currently have two Signal usernames. How can I have just one?

3

This is great. Signal team seems to only make good decisions for their app. Lots of good changes recently.

2 Likes
4

I found these instructions on Signal’s website

https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007320551-Linked-Devices

5

Thinking on doing the same thing. What do you use the GOS phone for?

Philosophically, I’d like to have a no telemetry option distinct from Google and Apple. But, practically, I think my hardened iPhone using Proton and Signal does what I would expect from GOS without the friction.

6

This is fantastic news!

I am guessing that even if you link multiple phones there is still a primary device? Or can a 2nd or 3rd phone be made the primary device?

Also, is the 5 device limit new or has there always been one?

7

New features are a good thing. With that said there is a warning needed here for anyone who has work and personal contacts on Signal.

Your contacts may be tempted to just load their personal Signal account onto their work phones (an issue I’ve already observed with work laptops) instead of maintaining two accounts.

This can lead to a situation where you think you are privately conversing with a friend off duty but the conversation is being sent to a linked monitored work device. This is not a fun revelation to have…especially after sending hilarious political memes.

Hypothetically of course.

2 Likes
8

There’s still a primary device. The additional phones basically are linked in the same way you’d link an iPad.

2 Likes