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Backup and Restore Messages

Signal messages, pictures, files, and other contents are stored locally on your device.

  • If you have your old device, select the platform to transfer messages:
  • Message restoration or account transfers are not currently supported, if you:

 

Android

Use a backup to move your local Signal data between Android devices. 

  • Click here if you do not have a new Android phone and reinstalled Signal on the same phone.
  • Click here if you have a new Android phone.

What do I do if I do not have my old Android phone, restored my Android phone to factory settings, or lost my phone?

Messages are only stored on your devices. Without an existing backup file or message history accessible to you restoring is not supported.

  1. On your new device, install and open Signal, select Continue and complete registration.
  2. If you selected the Transfer or restore account option, go back or swipe close then open Signal again and select Continue.

Which devices can I transfer data from?

  • Android phone → Android phone

Requirements

  1. Make sure both devices have
  2. Your new device
    • can receive a verification code by SMS or call to complete registration.
    • is physically close to your old phone that has your existing Signal message history.
  3. Your old device
    • can open Signal and view your message history.
    • is physically close to your new phone.

Steps to move messages

  1. On your new device, install and open Signal.
  2. Select Transfer or restore account.
    android_transfer_or_restore.png
  3. Choose which way you want to move messages.

How do I transfer from an Android device?

  1. On the new phone, install Signal > select Transfer or restore account > enable permissions > select Transfer from Android device > Continue.
  2. On the old phone, go to Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Account > Transfer account > Continue.
  3. Physically move the new phone near the old phone and accept the alert on the new phone.
  4. Confirm the 7-digit code matches on both phones and select Continue on each phone.
  5. On the new phone, tap Continue registration and register the device.
  6. On the old phone, tap Done to complete.
  7. On the old phone, uninstall Signal typically in Android Phone Settings > Signal > Uninstall or through steps specific to your phone.

Need some help with the transfer?

  1. Disable your VPN that interferes with Wi-Fi Direct connections.
  2. Enable permissions for Signal:
    Android Phone Settings > Apps or Apps & Notifications > Signal > App Permissions or Permissions > Enable all permissions.

How do I restore from a backup file?

  1. On the old phone, enable a backup within Signal on the phone that has your Signal message history.
  2. Record the 30-digit passphrase.
  3. Manually move theSignal folder that contains the backup file.
    • Same phone? Manually move the backup to a computer before you reset this phone.
    • New phone? Manually move the backup file from your old phone to your new phone.
  4. On the new phone, install Signal select Transfer or restore account, select restore from backup, and enter your 30-digit passphrase to restore before submitting your phone number for registration.

How do I enable a backup? 

  1. Tap on the profile icon to access Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Chats > Chat backups > Turn on.
  2. For Android OS version 9 or earlier, go to step 3.
    For Android OS version 10 or later, select Choose folder and choose where to save the backup file.
  3. Copy the 30-digit passphrase from left to right, top to bottom. You will need this passphrase in order to restore a backup. Keep it in a safe place. 
  4. Confirm that you have written down the passphrase.
  5. Select Enable backups.
  6. Tap Create backup. You can verify whether or not a backup has completed successfully by checking the time of the last backup.
  7. Signal displays where you can find the backup under the title Backup folder. Go to that folder.
  8. Move or save a copy of the backup on a device that is not your phone.
    • A common method is to use a cable to plug your phone into your computer. Some phone's require you to use a cable that was provided with your phone in order to transfer data.

Click here to scroll up to the steps to restore messages.

What if my last backup says "Never"?

  1. Tap Create backup.
  2. Enable permissions for Signal:
    Android Phone Settings > Apps or Apps & Notifications > Signal > App Permissions or Permissions > Enable all permissions.
  3. Free up space on your phone. 
  4. Temporarily unmount or disable your external SD card so the backup can be saved to your internal memory.

Where can I find the backup file?

  • Your backup folder is listed under Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Chats > Chat backups > Backup folder. Use the files app or plug your phone into a computer to go to the folder.
  • For older versions of Signal, the backup file signal-year-month-date-time.backup can be found at  /Internal Storage/Signal/Backups or /sdcard/Signal/Backups

Where do I move the backup file?

Move the backup file signal-year-month-date-time.backup to a device that is not your phone.

  • A common method is to use a cable to plug your phone into your computer. Some phone's require you to use a cable that was provided with your phone in order to transfer data.
  • Recent phones offer steps in Android Phone Settings > Storage.
  • You may need to respond to the notification that appears on your phone to change the mode to Transfer files (MTP).

What do I do on my new phone or phone that was reset?

  1. Manually move theSignal folder with the backup file to your phone. For older versions of Signal, move it to the top most level or /Internal Storage/ on your restored or new phone.
    • A common method is to use a cable to plug your phone into your computer. Some phone's require you to use a cable that was provided with your phone in order to transfer data.
    • Recent phones offer steps in Android Phone Settings > Storage.
    • You may need to respond to the notification that appears on your phone to change the mode to Transfer files (MTP).
  2. Install Signal.
  3. Select Restore backup. If it is not available, Select Continue.
  4. If you selected Continue in step 3, then
    1. Accept the permissions.
    2. Signal will automatically detect your local backup and ask you to restore before registration. If it is not detected, try the steps below.
    3. Select Restore backup.
  5. If you selected Restore backup in step 3, choose the backup folder and file.
  6. Enter your 30-digit passphrase.

Click here to scroll up to the steps to restore messages.

What if I forget my 30-digit passphrase and need to restore messages on a new phone?

You will be unable to restore a backup without the passphrase. Think of the 30-digit passphrase as a key that can not be duplicated. You can create a new backup to create a new passphrase.

Go to Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Chats > Chat backups

  1. Tap Turn off to disable chat backups and delete all previous backups on your phone.
  2. Tap Turn on to create a new backup with a new passphrase.

I need some more help.

  • Make sure you moved the backup file to your new phone, or moved it onto your phone that was reset.
  • Some devices may need to power down and restart to see the backup file.
  • Make sure the backup file is visible. As a reminder, backup filenames follow this format: signal-year-month-date-time.backup
  • Enable all the permissions for Signal.
    • The media permission is required in order to locate backup files on your device storage. 
  • Here's another way to make sure your backup file is in the correct spot on your new phone. 
    1. On your new phone, register for Signal without a backup (your old phone will now go offline).
    2. Enable a backup on your new phone.
    3. Find the new backup on your new phone and write down where it is. Look at the file name to confirm you just made this backup.
    4. Uninstall Signal on the new phone.
    5. Carefully find your old backup. Look at the date and time in the file name. 
    6. Move the old backup to the same folder you found in step 3.
    7. Install Signal.

Click here to scroll up to the steps to restore messages.

 

iOS

You can set up Signal on a new device using information from your current device.

  • Click here if you restored to factory settings, do not have a working camera, or do not have your old iPhone.
  • Click here if you have a linked iPad but not your old iPhone.
  • Click here to jump to additional help.
  • Click here if you have an iPhone and setting up a new iPad.

Which devices can I transfer the account from?

  • iPhone → iPhone
  • iPhone → Unlinked iPad
  • iPad → iPad
  • Unlinked iPad → iPhone
  • Click here to see what is not supported.

What happens with a transfer?

  • The new device has all the account info and message history.
  • The old device deletes all the account info and message history. 
  • Message history is not copied to the other device. It is moved.

Requirements

  1. Make sure both devices have
    • Updated to the latest version of Signal v5.21.3 or later
    • iOS 12.4 or later
    • For iOS 14, enabled the Local Network permission in settingsapp.png iOS Settings > Signal
    • Wi-Fi enabled
    • Bluetooth enabled
    • Low Power mode disabled in settingsapp.png iOS Settings > Battery
  2. Your new device
    • is physically close to your old device.
    • needs to complete registration if it is an iPhone, iPod touch, or unlinked iPad.
    • can register with the same number on your old device.
  3. Your old device
    • needs a working camera.
    • will delete your message history after the transfer is complete.

How do I transfer my account and messages to a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch?

ios-transfer-animation-small.gif

Choose a time when you won't need to use either device for several minutes. 

  1. On your new device, install and open Signal, and complete registration, if prompted.
  2. Select Transfer from iOS Device and select Next (linked iPad only) to see a QR code.
    ios_button_transfer.png
  3. On your old device, select Next and physically move it to scan the QR code from step 2.
    Old_Phone_Transfer_Account.png
  4. When the transfer is complete,
    • send a message from your new device.
    • your message history is deleted from your old device. 

Can I merge my message history?

No. Your old device becomes the new one. Your old device will be disabled. 

How do I enable a backup? Can I use an iCloud backup?

  • Storing messages outside of your active Signal device is not supported. 
  • Messages are only stored locally.
  • An iTunes or iCloud backup does not contain any of your Signal message history.

Does this use my Signal PIN?

This migration is separate from registration and your Signal PIN but you will need to complete both before transferring.

I need some more help.

What is the issue?

Steps to resolve
Registered too often.

Please wait an hour then try to register again.
The Local Network permission is missing.

On each device,

  1. Visit https://signal.org/install to see if you can update.
  2. Confirm your phone is updated to iOS 14 or later.
  3. Go to the iPhone Settings App > General > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy on the device then swipe close Signal and open it again.
The Transfer Account option does not appear or is stuck.

On the new phone,

  1. Swipe to close Signal.
  2. Use the camera app to scan the QR code that is shown on the old phone.
The QR code does not scan.
  1. Increase the brightness of the screen.
  2. Hold the camera very close to the QR code and hold it steady.
  3. Follow steps from Apple's support page to
    • make the font size smaller and
    • disable bold font.
  4. Take a screenshot of the QR code, open the screenshot in Photos, pinch-to-zoom in on it, and scan this code.
  5. Rotate your phone to landscape mode.
There is an alert Wrong Device after scanning the QR-code.

You can not transfer from a linked iPad to your phone.

  1. On your iPad, select the option to Add as New Device.

  2. Follow steps to link the iPad to your phone.

There is information about linking a device.

  • Link New Device
  • Linking Device Failed
  • QR code is not valid

This is not the account transfer option.

The old phone scanned the QR code and is stuck at Connecting... 

transfer_connecting.png
  1. Restart your old phone.
  2. Pay particular attention to the requirements and steps listed above.

There is an alert the Transfer couldn't complete.

transfer-could-not-complete.png

  1. Restart both devices.

  2. After scanning the QR code, physically place the phones to touch.

  3. Do not move the phones while the transfer is in progress.

The transfer moved off your old phone and you are asked to register again.

unregistered_banner_ios.png
  1. On your new phone, register a second time.
  2. On your new phone, enter your PIN.
  3. On your new phone, select "Register without Transferring" to see your transferred chats and to start messaging again.

 

Can I transfer from Signal iPad or Signal Desktop to my phone? I still see messages on my linked iPad or Desktop.

No. Linked devices do not have the same account information as your phone. On your new phone, select the option to Register without Transferring to continue.

What do I do if I do not have my old device, restored my phone to factory settings, or lost my phone?

Messages are only stored on your devices. Without an existing message history accessible to you account transfers are not supported.

  1. On your new device, install and open Signal, and complete registration, if prompted.
  2. Select the option to Register without Transferring or Add as New Device (iPad Only).
    Button_-_Register.png
    ipad-transfer-linked.png

 

Desktop

Which devices can I transfer data from?

  • Signal Desktop does not support transferring message history to or from any device.
  • Time Machine for macOS is not supported.

How do I resolve issues if I transferred one computer OS to another?

Manually transferring folders is not supported and may result in errors. Signal uses a stateful protocol, meaning that you cannot simply copy files to another instance of Signal or copy files after linking and using Signal.

To resolve Chat Refreshed, Bad Mac, Error handling incoming message, or Message received was out of sync errors, follow these steps: 

  1. On your old computer, shutdown and quit Signal Desktop. 
  2. From your mobile device, unlink Signal Desktop.
  3. On your new computer, restart Signal Desktop.
  4. From your mobile device, link Signal Desktop on your new computer.
  5. On your old computer, uninstall and delete all data for Signal Desktop:
    • Windows
      Replace <YourName> with your Windows User in the steps below
      1. Select Uninstall Signal.exe in
        C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Local\Programs\signal-desktop
      2. Delete C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\Signal
    • macOS
      1. Delete the Signal.app file from the /Application or ~/Application directory
      2. Delete local data from ~/Library/Application Support/Signal
    • Linux
      1. Use apt-get remove signal-desktop
      2. Delete ~/.config/Signal

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