What Is Signal? How It Works and Is It Really Safe & Secure?

Signal is a self-claimed fully encrypted and secure private messaging app that provides complete security to its users and doesn't sell the personal data of users to Facebook, Google, or other advertising companies. With a rising interest in the use of privacy-focused apps and platforms, Signal turns out to be the best alternative to Whatsapp and other messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, iMessage, and the classic messaging services being provided by network providers with the help of a cell phone text-messaging option.

As the Signal app is also a free messaging app and lets users create accounts using their phone numbers, it could collect very minimal data and promises not to sell it too with various security features that you may not find in other end-to-end encrypted messaging apps.

Here's everything you may need to know about Signal messaging app.

What Is Signal?

Signal is a private-messaging app created by Signal Technology Foundation under Signal Messenger LLC name and it is a cross-platform centralized end-to-end encrypted messaging platform that everyone can use by creating a free account and send text messages, voice notes, files, images, and videos and also do one-to-one voice and video calls and also group calling is available in Signal. Build on JavaScript, C Language, Swift, and other relative technologies and programming languages, Signal aims to secure user's data and store as minimal data as possible.

Why Signal Is Different?

Signal messaging app is different as it is a non-profit organization that is being operated on the funds generated by donations and grants with the support of GitHub community where you can find the complete source code of Signal app for iOS, Android, and Windows platforms which are developed for Signal.

It is available for every Operating System that we are using today. Signal is completely open-source software and being updated with the latest features and bug-fixes from the coding community that everybody can see live on the official Github repository. With that, Signal is different as we can make group chats with up to 1000 people and enjoy end-to-end encryption with one-time-open photos, self-destructing messages (auto disappearing messages), no location sharing, and even the ability to hide your live option and the messages we send over Signal app is encrypted in a way that even developers and law enforcing authorities can't crack. So, there's a complete-secure private messaging app called Signal that is truly private and secure and that's why it is a different app.

How Does Signal App Work?

Having a simple motto of allowing people to use an encrypted messaging app that doesn't track its users and doesn't store or share their personal data with any third-party. Signal app is using custom-build Signal Protocol for encrypting chats with end-to-end encryption technology and without storing personal data of users such as their geo-location, IP addresses, name, profile picture, or other data. 

The company claims that they will never show any advertisement and using no-trackers and also claims that the company will never be acquired by any other company as it is an independent nonprofit organization with strong bonds of its supporters who donate for the development of the app.

What Are Some Unique Features of Signal?

There are various unique features that are privacy-focused in Signal app and some of the useful ones are mentioned right below:

• Incognito Keyboard: Let's you type without creating any history
• Delete For Everyone: Delete a thread for everyone including yourself
• Note To Self: While others are finding a way, you can send messages to yourself
• View-once Media: Send messages, photos, videos, or other files that the receiver can view once
• Disappearing Messages: Let's you send messages that auto-deletes on a given timeframe

With all other features such as full privacy of having end-to-end encryption in chats and creating or joining groups, voice, and video calls. Signal is a complete messaging app.

How To Set Up Signal App?

If you are looking for an answer about how to set up an account on Signal app, then you are saying that you don't ABC but can read our sentences (joking). You can easily set up Signal app on your smartphone and use it securely.

Here's how it works:

1. Go to App Store
2. Download and Install Signal app
3. Open it from the Menu and enter your Phone Number
4. You will receive a Pin Code, enter it in Signal app and confirm
5. Type your First Name to set up your Signal profile
6. Create a PIN of four alphanumeric digits (optional)
7. Start a secure chat with any Signal user in your contact list

This is how easily you can set up Signal app on your iOS, Android, or Windows device and enjoy a 100% secure messaging app.

Why Everyone Is Talking About Signal App?

Following the backlash of WhatsApp's new privacy policy and terms of use, WhatsApp users started to climb over the app and testing other private-messaging apps such as Threema, Telegram, and Signal. Signal app is in the news because the richest person on the earth, Elon Musk tweeted "Use Signal" and his followers started to install the app that turns out to be the biggest transformation for Signal app developers.

Even the Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and many other cyber-security experts recommended Signal app as a privacy-focused messaging app that is a true alternative to WhatsApp. That's how and why everyone is talking about Signal app.

We will be updating this article with latest and new information regarding the Signal app. Stay with us.