How to protect yourself on Signal

• Account
• Contacts and Profile Names
• Messaging
• Good Practices

Account

Never share SMS verification codes, recovery keys, passwords or payment information.

1. Concerned that your account is not active?
   • Send a message in your note to self chat. If you see at least one check mark, then Signal is working for you.
   • If your account is no longer active, you will see a yellow banner at the top of your chat list asking you to re-register or link your device.
   • If your account is no longer active, you can not change the phone number or delete the account.
      
2. Concerned about additional devices on your account?
   • Open Signal on your phone to see the list of linked devices. 
   • If you do not recognize any of the multiple devices, remove each device individually.
   • When in doubt, remove every device listed.
      
3. Concerned about who can see or message you on Signal?
   • Adjust your privacy settings to see who can discover you by managing phone number privacy settings.
   • Reminder: People can still contact you by username if you choose to set one.
   • Adjust your privacy settings to disable delivery receipts for non-contacts or people with whom you have not shared your profile with. You will still be able to receive messages from them, but they cannot see that you've received the message until you share your profile by accepting a message request. On your phone, open Signal, Settings (profile icon), Privacy, Advanced, disable sealed sender’s “allow from anyone” option.
   • Block numbers, usernames or groups. 
   • Note: If someone can see your number at the time you blocked them, they will still be able to see it even if they cannot send you a message in Signal. You can remedy this by changing your phone number privacy settings before blocking them. Then changing them back, if you want.
      
4. Concerned about losing access to your account?
   • Maintain ownership of the phone number you used to get started with Signal.
   • Always keep Signal up to date.
   • Do not share any codes including SMS, PINs, or recovery keys.
   • Adjust your security settings to enable two-step verification with registration lock.
      

Contacts and Profile Names

Signal does not verify profile names or identities.

1. Look for the saved contacts icon to ensure you are chatting with someone saved to your phone’s contact list.
   • To see this you must enable contacts permission & your contact must have privacy settings enabled to be discovered by phone number.
      
2. Set nicknames for known or trusted contacts.
   • Rename people you are chatting with to a name that you choose and only you can see. You will still see profile name changes.
      
3. Pay attention to profile name changes.
   • Consider verifying someone’s identity through another channel.
      
4. Look for banners in group chats that indicate if there are multiple group members with the same name.
    
5. Look at a contact’s info sheet to see if you have any shared groups.
   • Tap on the contact's profile picture and then tap on the arrow by their name.
      
6. Remove unwanted contacts.
   • Remove contacts so they do not appear in your Signal contact list.
   • Delete existing chats with those contacts. Note: This does not delete your chat history from their devices.
   • Block contacts.
      

Messaging

Signal will never contact you in-app. Security bots or customer service bots do not exist.

1. Look at Signal’s What’s New chat for announcements from Signal.
   • Available on Android and Desktop only.
   • You can not respond in this chat. See this page here to contact us.
      
2. Be selective when accepting message requests for new conversations.
   • Read through the Safety tips that appear above their messages to you.
      
3. Read through the contacts and profile name guidances above.
   • Signal does not verify identities.
   • Signal does not reach out to you in-app.
      
4. Pay attention to safety number change alerts for existing conversations.
   • You have the option to mark the contact as verified for yourself, ideally, after you’ve scanned the QR code in-person.
      
5. Report Spam.
   • Report spam and block from the message request.
   • Report spam from chat settings.
      
6. Block chats.
   • Report spam and block from the initial message request.
   • Block from chat settings.
   • Block from the block list in Signal, Settings, Privacy, Blocked.
      
7. Enable disappearing messages.
   • Manage this in chat settings.
   • Manage this for all new chats started by you in Signal, Settings, Privacy, Advanced, under Disappearing Messages.
      
8. Send view-once media.
    

Good Practices

1. Ensure you are using the latest version of Signal.
    
2. Keep your phone and computer OS updated to the latest version.
    
3. Slow down.
   • Be suspicious if someone tries to convince you that you must act now.
   • Read prompts and safety tips that appear on the screen.
   • Remember, Signal will never ask you to provide codes, PINs, keys, or payment information in a chat or call.
      
4. Look for typos.
   • Be suspicious of poor grammar and spelling, generic messages or copy-paste style messaging.
      
5. Do not click on suspicious links.
   • Services that shorten URLs can mask the real destination.
      
6. Do not scan QR codes.
    
7. Verify the identity over a video call and with a code word you have previously chosen with a contact.
    
8. Stop the conversation. Hang up or stop replying.
   • Remember, Signal support or Signal security does not and did not call or message you.
      
9. Block the chat.
    
10. Be aware of common scams:
    • Fake messages claiming to be about account issues.
    • Messages asking for your codes, passwords, or payment information.
    • Unsolicited calls claiming to be from tech support, a security bot, or other apps.
    • Impersonating a celebrity or someone you know.
    • Unfamiliar and unsolicited links can mask the real destination and can lead to malicious sites designed to steal your information or download malware.
    • Fake job opportunities that are designed for identity theft or trick you into paying for office supplies to start a job or overpayment of a fake paycheck.