What Is Signal and Why Do People Use It for Private Texting

Signal is a free messaging app that encrypts every message so only you and the recipient can read it — here's how to set it up and use it.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Download Signal and verify your phone number
2.Start a conversation
3.Make encrypted voice and video calls
4.Use disappearing messages for extra privacy

Download Signal and verify your phone number

~34s

Signal is free in the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Search for "Signal - Private Messenger." Open the app and tap "Continue" on the first screen. Enter your phone number — Signal will text a 6-digit verification code to that number. Enter the code to confirm your identity. Set a name and optional profile photo. That's all — you now have a Signal account linked to your phone number.

Quick Tip

You do not need a separate username or email address. Signal uses your existing phone number, so anyone who already has your number can message you on Signal if they also have the app.

Start a conversation

~24s

Tap the pencil icon (or "New Message") to start a chat. Signal shows which of your existing contacts also use Signal — these contacts will have a small Signal logo next to their name. Tap a contact's name to open a chat. Type your message and tap Send. It looks like a regular text conversation. Messages sent between two Signal users are automatically encrypted — you do not need to turn anything on.

Make encrypted voice and video calls

~22s

Open a conversation and tap the phone icon for a voice call or the video icon for a video call. Signal calls are encrypted end-to-end, meaning no one can listen in. Call quality is generally good over WiFi. Signal calls work over WiFi and cellular data, similar to FaceTime or WhatsApp calls. The other person must also have Signal installed to receive Signal calls.

Use disappearing messages for extra privacy

~38s

Signal lets you set messages to automatically disappear after a set time — 30 seconds, 5 minutes, 1 week, or a custom amount. Open a conversation, tap the person's name at the top, then "Disappearing Messages," and choose a timer. After you send a message, it will delete itself from both phones after the timer runs out. This is useful for sensitive conversations where you do not want a permanent record. The other person is notified when you turn this on.

Quick Tip

Signal is used by many healthcare providers and therapists to communicate with patients because it meets privacy standards without requiring special equipment. If your doctor offers Signal as a contact option, it is a legitimate and secure choice.

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Signal is a free messaging app for iPhone and Android that uses end-to-end encryption for every message, call, and video chat. End-to-end encryption means the messages are scrambled in a way that only your phone and the recipient's phone can unscramble — not Signal's servers, not your phone carrier, not anyone else. It is used by journalists, doctors, lawyers, and millions of everyday people who want their conversations to stay private. It looks and works almost exactly like a regular texting app.

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