Setting Up Signal as Your Default Messaging App

For Android users, making Signal your primary messaging application is a straightforward process. Navigate to Settings, then select Apps & notifications. Proceed to Advanced and find Default Apps. From there, choose SMS app and select Signal. Please note that this option isn’t available for iOS users, who must rely on the native messaging app.

Creating a Unique Username

Upon registering your Signal account, you have the option to create a unique username to enhance your privacy. To do this, access the Settings menu, tap on your Profile, and select the @ field. Choose a username that ends with at least two numbers and can be modified at any point in time. This feature allows you to keep your phone number private from other Signal users, providing additional security.

Managing Phone Number Visibility

If you wish to prevent others on Signal from seeing your phone number or discovering your account via your number, navigate to Settings, select Privacy, then Phone Number. Set the visibility options for Who Can See My Number and Who Can Find Me By Number to Nobody.

Enhancing Account Security with a Profile PIN

Implementing a profile PIN is one of the critical steps in securing your Signal account. This PIN aids in data recovery when switching devices and keeps your contact information safe. You can set up or change your PIN by going to Privacy and then Signal PIN within the app settings. Although initially mandatory, users can opt out of having a PIN by selecting Select more on the Create PIN screen and tapping Disable PIN. However, be aware that without a PIN, transferring contacts may become problematic, and your account information could be more vulnerable.

For additional security, enable Registration Lock from the Settings menu under Account. This feature helps prevent unauthorized users from registering your account on a new device.

Securing Notifications and Screen Privacy

To ensure that your interactions remain confidential, manage how notifications appear on your device’s lock screen. On iOS, go to Settings, then Notifications, find Signal, and set Show Previews to Never. For Android, access Settings, navigate to Apps & notifications, and either disable notifications or manage them through the Signal app itself.

Within the Signal app, tap your profile, then Notifications, to choose what is displayed for incoming messages—be it the sender’s name, message content, or complete silence. Additionally, you can mute notifications for specific conversations for varying durations, providing a customized notification experience.