Signal provides
- private groups (New and Legacy) for all platforms.
- insecure MMS groups on Android.
What is a New Group?
This is a Signal group that is built on top of the new private group system technology. The Signal service has no record of your group memberships, group titles, group avatars, or group attributes. New Group features include:
- Invite via a group link or QR-code
- Mentions
- Admin controls to remove a member from the group
- Admin controls of who can edit group info and the disappearing message timer
- Optional admin approval for members joining by a group link
- Size limit of 1000
What is a Legacy Group?
This is a Signal group that is not compatible with New Group features like admins and mentions. The Signal service has no record of your group memberships, group titles, group avatars, or group attributes.
Follow these steps to start a group chat for your platform:
See also:
Android
To start a group chat
- In Signal, tap compose
then New group.
- Select contacts or enter numbers.
- An insecure MMS group has a size limit of 10.
- A New Group has a size limit of 1000.
- Tap next
to see the group type.
- Suggestion: Tap a contact name for an option to remove them.
- Insecure MMS groups will indicate SMS contact under a non-Signal contact.
- In a Legacy Group, tap Learn More to see which contacts need to update Signal.
- A New Group is only available for Signal contacts who have updated Signal on all their devices.
- Pick a Group name. Note: insecure MMS does not support names.
- Tap Create.
- Insecure MMS, you must send a message for it to appear in your chat list and the chat list for group members.
- New Group and Legacy group will appear in your chat list and the chat list for group members. A member may need to accept the message request or invitation before they can message in the group.
Signal Android users have three group types
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New Group
Need help upgrading to a New Group? Follow these troubleshooting steps. |
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Legacy Group
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Insecure MMS group
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iOS
To start a group chat
- In Signal, tap compose
then
New Group.
- Select contacts or enter numbers.
- Tap Next to see the group type.
- Suggestion: Tap a contact name for an option to remove them.
- In a Legacy Group, tap Learn More to see which contacts need to update Signal
- A New Group is only available for Signal contacts who have updated Signal on all their devices.
- Pick a Group name.
- Tap Create for it to appear in your chat list and the chat list for group members.
- A member may need to accept the message request or invitation before they can message in the group.
Signal iOS users have two group types
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Need help upgrading to a New Group? Follow these troubleshooting steps. |
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Desktop
- All group chats through Signal Desktop are private and sent over the internet connection.
- Desktop group creation and group management is not supported at this time.
- Signal Desktop supports receiving messages from two group types: New and Legacy Groups.
- Sending @mentions is not supported at this time.