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Manage Contacts

 

Android

Signal contacts

For contacts saved to your phone's contact list, a contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by their name in a one-to-one chat. 

Saved_Contact.png

Saved Signal Contact

  • contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by the name
  • private video and audio call icons
Unsaved_Contact.png

Unsaved Signal user

  • private video and audio call icons

Insecure_Saved_Contact.png

Saved non-Signal Contact
Insecure SMS/MMS

  • contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by the name
  • insecure audio call icon insecure-call.png with an open lock

Insecure_unknown_Contact.png

Unknown non-Signal Contact
Insecure SMS/MMS

  • insecure audio call icon insecure-call.png with an open lock

 

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.
  3. If you have Signal set as your default SMS/MMS app, then you will also see non-Signal contacts listed with SMS labeled on the outside edge of the list.
    • Note: Signal is removing SMS/MMS support from Android. Read more on the blog post here.

Edit your contact's name

  • Save this person to your phone's contact list to change how you see their name.
  • Open your Android contacts app and edit the contact entry to change the name. 
  • Save the contact on your phone’s internal storage/locally instead of a SIM card or "the cloud."
  • This contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png will appear by your contact's name in a one-to-one chat.

Edit your contact's photo

  1. Save this person to your phone's contact list and assign an image so you can see it instead of their profile photo.
  2. Enable the setting to view the saved contact info.

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).
    • For numbers from Côte d'Ivoire, the number should start with +225 followed by the two digit provider code. For example, +225 07 (8-digit 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 Android_Compose.png 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.

Alert: Contacts can not be processed

  • Your phone's address book has too many contacts for Signal to process right now.
  • Try deleting entries from your phone's contact list.
  • Feel free to contact us to share feedback about this experience. Go to Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Help > Contact Us > tell us details, include a debug log, and send the email.

 

iOS

Signal contacts

For contacts saved to your phone's contact list, a contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by their name in a one-to-one chat. 

Saved_Contact_-_ios.png

Saved Contact

  • contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by the name
Unsaved_Contact_-_ios.png
 Unsaved

 

Who appears in the contact list?

  1. Other Signal users who are saved to your phone's contact list.
    • For linked iPads, the phone's contact app will be used.
  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.
    • For linked iPads, you must edit the number on the phone's contact app. 
  2. Save the contact.

Edit your contact's photo

  • Save this person to your phone's contact list and assign an image so you can see it instead of their profile photo.
    • For linked iPads, you must edit the photo on the phone's contacts app. 
  • Enable the setting to view the saved contact info.

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-outline-24.png 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.

Refresh your Signal contact list

  1. In Signal, tap compose-outline-24.png 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.

Alert: Contacts can not be processed

  • Your phone's address book has too many contacts for Signal to process right now.
  • Try deleting entries from your phone's contact list.
  • Feel free to contact us to share feedback about this experience. Go to Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > Help > Contact Us > tell us details, include a debug log, and send the email.

 

Desktop

Signal contacts

For contacts saved to your phone's contact list, a contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by their name in a one-to-one chat. 

Saved_Contact_-_desktop.png

Saved Contact

  • contact icon contact-circle-outline-32.png displays by the name
Unsaved_Contact_-_desktop.png 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 profile_avatar.png > settings_desktop.png Preferences... > Chats > Import now.

Edit your contact's name or photo

  1. Follow steps above to edit on Android or iOS
  2. On Signal Desktop, go to Signal Settings profile_avatar.png > settings_desktop.png Preferences... > Chats > Import now.

Remove a contact from your Signal contact list

  1. Select the contact name, go to chat settings desktop-chat-settings-Vector.png > select Delete > select Delete in the alert to confirm. 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.

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