Signal has been the popular privacy-focused IM that has been slowly becoming the go-to choice for most users.
Its enhanced encryption, device-specific settings, and the lack of cloud services provide a completely secure platform to chat and interact with your loved ones.
The company had always included the ability to switch devices which allowed users to upgrade their mobile devices and adopt newer models, however, the ability to switch mobile numbers was always missing from the app.
But what about this new feature update in 2022? Can you switch numbers in Signal? Let’s find out!
Related: How to Use Signal App: 12 Must-know Tips for Beginners
Can you change your number in Signal without losing data?
Yes, Signal has now finally added the ability to change your numbers without losing your data when switching network providers.
This ensures that data tied to your number and device is no longer lost when you change your numbers and also introduces the ability to recover your contact when you end up losing your phone.
Follow the guide below to help you change your number on Signal.
How to change your number in Signal
You can use the guides below to change your number on Signal depending on whether you are using an iOS or Android device.
The app has the same UI on both platforms and hence you can use the guide below for most mobile devices.
Requirements
- iOS app version | 5.27.1 or higher
- Android app version | 5.31.5 (beta) or higher
Open the Signal app on your mobile device and tap on your profile picture in the top left corner.
Tap and select ‘Settings’.
Tap on ‘Account’.
Now tap on ‘Change Phone Number’ at the bottom.
Tap on ‘Continue’.
Enter your old phone number at the top and change the ‘Country Code’ if needed.
Subsequently, enter your new phone number in the next section. Tap on ‘Done’ once you are done.
Tap on ‘Change Number’.
Signal will now verify your number. Enter the code sent to your device.
Once entered, your identity will be verified and you should get a confirmation of the same at the bottom of your screen.
And that’s it!! You will now have changed your number in Signal while retaining all your data including shared media, chat, groups, and more.
Related: How To Set Text Status on Signal
FAQs
Here are a few commonly asked questions that should help you get familiar with the new ‘Change Number’ feature in Signal.
Will other users be notified when I change my number on Signal?
Yes, other users will be notified that you have changed your number and it will show up in the conversation once you change your number.
The message will be shown in the following format with the time of the change beside it.
NNNNN changed their phone number . (time)
(time) is the time you changed and updated your phone number and NNNN is your name on Signal.
What version of Signal should I be running to use ‘Change number’?
As mentioned above, you need the following app versions to use ‘Change number’ within Signal.
As of writing this post, only the latest beta for Signal on Android supports this feature and you can use the link below to download it on your mobile device.
- Signal for Android v5.31.5 (beta) or higher | Download Link
- Signal for iOS v5.27.1 or higher
What does ‘Update Contact’ do?
‘Update Contact’ is the option shown to your contacts once you change your phone number. This option shows up under the notification for your number being changed and can be used to update your contact with the new number in the device’s contact list.
This takes away the hassle of manually updating numbers in the Contacts app whenever somebody changes their number on Signal.
What if I am changing my devices instead?
If you are changing your devices then you can use the ‘Transfer Account’ option by going to Settings > Account > Transfer Account. You can then follow the on-screen instructions to switch devices.
Sadly, you can only transfer accounts between devices on the same platform for now. This means that you can only transfer accounts from an Android device to an Android device and from an iOS device to an iOS device.
We hope this post helped you get familiar with the new ‘Change number’ feature in Signal. If you have any more questions or face any issues, feel free to reach out to us using the comments section below.
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