Signal is finally adding a cloud backup feature, a huge win for users who've lost chats when switching phones. But to keep your full history safe and sound, you'll have to pony up a monthly fee.
Signal is finally fixing its biggest headache
As Signal users know too well, the one major pain point of using Signal has always been switching phones. Unless you meticulously created a local backup and went through a clunky transfer process, you could say goodbye to your entire chat history. For a modern messenger, it was a bit of a mess. Well, according to a recent post on the Signal blog, that's all about to change.
The company is rolling out a new "Secure Backups" feature, which is currently available for Android users in the beta channel. This opt-in system creates a daily backup of your conversations, storing them securely for you. Signal is offering 45 days of message backups completely free, which is great for short-term peace of mind.
However, if you want to keep your entire chat history backed up indefinitely, you'll need to subscribe for $1.99 a month. To restore your data, you'll be given a 64-character recovery key that you absolutely must keep safe. Lose that recovery key and Signal won't be able to help you get your messages back.
Does this put Signal on more even footing with its rivals?
Signal is introducing backups, but at a cost. | Image credit — Signal
This has been Signal's Achilles' heel for years. Its main competitor, WhatsApp, has offered end-to-end encrypted backups for a long time, making the process of moving to a new phone relatively painless. The key difference is that WhatsApp piggybacks on third-party services like Google Drive and iCloud to store those backups. Signal, true to its privacy-first ethos, is building its own system from the ground up, which helps explain the subscription fee—server space isn't free.
Would you pay for a backup feature in a messaging app?
Gotta say, the proposed pricing plan is also very reasonable given that many of us probably have gbs worth of Signal data.
— u/Human-Astronomer6830, r/Signal
A small price to pay for peace of mind
Frankly, it's about time. The old local backup method was the number one reason I hesitated to recommend Signal to my less tech-savvy friends and family. This new system finally fixes that glaring issue. While some might balk at a $1.99/month subscription when competitors offer backups for free, I think it's a fair price for a solution that doesn't rely on third party cloud infrastructure.
My biggest worry is the 64-character key; I'll definitely be saving that in my password manager immediately. But if it means I can finally upgrade my phone without a 30-minute data transfer ordeal, I'm all in. This feature is perfect for anyone who loves Signal's privacy but has been burned by its unforgiving nature when it comes to device migration. It makes Signal a much more practical and user-friendly messenger.
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Johanna 'Jojo the Techie' is a skilled mobile technology expert with over 15 years of hands-on experience, specializing in the Google ecosystem and Pixel devices. Known for her user-friendly approach, she leverages her vast tech support background to provide accessible and insightful coverage on latest technology trends. As a recognized thought leader and former member of #TeamPixel, Johanna ensures she stays at the forefront of Google services and products, making her a reliable source for all things Pixel and ChromeOS.
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