• Android
• iOS
• Desktop
• Troubleshooting sending messages

 

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Android

Signal contacts

For contacts saved to your phone's contact list, a contact icon  displays by their name in a one-to-one chat. 

Saved Signal Contact
Unsaved Signal user
Saved non-Signal Contact Insecure SMS/MMS

 

Who appears in the contact list?

1. Other Signal users who are saved to your phone's contact list. 
   • When looking at your contact list within Signal, a blue letter in the outside column will indicate it is a Signal contact
2. Other Signal users who are not saved to your phone and you share a group with, have previously messaged or have explicitly approved.
   • Your Signal PIN recovers these unsaved Signal users when you reinstall.
3. If you have Signal set as your default SMS/MMS app, then you will also see non-Signal contacts listed.

Edit your contact's name

1. Save this person to your phone's contact list to change how you see their name.
2. Open your Android contacts app and edit the contact entry to change the name. 
3. Save the contact on your phone’s internal storage/locally instead of a SIM card or "the cloud."
4. This contact icon  will appear by your contact's name in a one-to-one chat.

Edit your contact's photo

• Save this person to your phone's contact list and assign an image so you see it instead of their profile photo.
• Remove the avatar that's saved to your phone's contact list to see your contact's Signal profile photo instead.

Edit your contact's number

1. Open your Android contacts app and edit the contact entry.
2. Add the + and the country code to your contact's number.
• For numbers from Brazil, the number should start with +55 followed by the city code. For example, +55 21 (mobile number).
• For numbers from Argentina, the number should start with +549 followed by the city code. For example, +549 11 (mobile number).
3. Save the number on your phone’s internal storage/locally instead of a SIM card or "the cloud."
4. Then refresh your contact list.

Refresh your Signal contact list

1. In Signal, tap Compose to view your Signal contact list.
2. Pull down on your contact list to refresh and update. 

Re-sync your contacts

1. Go to Android Settings > Accounts > Signal > Menu > Remove Account. The alert of clearing data is incorrect, your messages will not be deleted.
2. In Signal, tap Compose to view your Signal contact list.
3. Pull down on your contact list to refresh and update. 

Remove someone from your Signal contact list

Contacts must be blocked in order to be removed from your Signal Contact List. To learn how to block someone, click here.

 

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iOS

Signal contacts

For contacts saved to your phone's contact list, a contact icon  displays by their name in a one-to-one chat. 

Saved Contact
Unsaved

 

Who appears in the contact list?

1. Other Signal users who are saved to your phone's contact list. 
2. Other Signal users who are not saved to your phone and you share a group with, have previously messaged or have explicitly approved.
   • Your Signal PIN recovers these unsaved Signal users when you reinstall.

Edit your contact's name

1. Open your iPhone Contacts app and edit the contact entry to change the name. 
2. Save the contact.

Edit your contact's number

1. Open the iPhone Contacts app and edit the contact entry. Make sure to include the area code and/or country code for your contact's phone number.
• For numbers from Brazil, the number should start with +55 followed by the city code. For example, +55 21 (mobile number).
• For numbers from Argentina, the number should start with +549 followed by the city code. For example, +549 11 (mobile number).
2. In Signal, tap Compose to view your Signal contact list.
3. Pull down on your contact list to refresh and update. 
4. Any contacts who are Signal users will be displayed. 
5. If you do not have Signal contacts you can invite your contacts to use Signal.
• For managed devices, mark Signal as a managed app through the MDM settings by an administrator or someone with a Supervised role.

Refresh your Signal contact list

1. In Signal, tap Compose to view your Signal contact list.
2. Pull down on your contact list to refresh and update. 

Remove someone from your Signal contact list

Contacts must be blocked in order to be removed from your Signal Contact List. To learn how to block someone, click here.

 

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Desktop

Signal contacts

For contacts saved to your phone's contact list, a contact icon  displays by their name in a one-to-one chat. 

Saved Contact
Unsaved

 

Where are my contacts? 

Only Signal contacts who are listed in your phone's Signal contact list will be shown on Signal Desktop. If you're not seeing any other Signal contacts, try to refresh your contact list.

Refresh your Signal contact list

1. Update your contacts on Signal Android or Signal iOS.
2. Make sure your mobile phone is connected to the internet.
3. On Signal Desktop, go to Signal Settings  >  Preferences... > Import now.

Edit your contact's name

1. Open your phone's contacts app and edit the contact entry to change the name. 
2. Save the contact.
3. On Signal Desktop, go to Signal Settings  >  Preferences... > Import now.

Remove a contact from your Signal contact list

1. Select the contact name, go to chat settings  and select Delete messages. This removes your contact from appearing in the left pane. You can still receive messages or calls from this contact. 
2. Alternatively, block this contact on mobile. You will not receive messages or calls from this contact.