London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

How to adjust your privacy settings on Signal, and protect your messages with extra encryption and face scans

How to adjust your privacy settings on Signal, and protect your messages with extra encryption and face scans

You can adjust your privacy settings on Signal to add a password, route your phone calls through an encrypted server, and more.

Signal is a messaging app that's become popular for its security. Every message you send on Signal is protected with end-to-end encryption, meaning that no one can intercept it and breach your privacy.

But despite this encryption, if someone manages to get into your phone, they'll be able to read all your Signal messages freely. That is, unless you enable some of Signal's more advanced privacy options.

Here's how to adjust your privacy settings on Signal to better protect yourself, and beef up Signal's already substantial security.

How to adjust privacy settings on Signal


Though most of Signal's privacy settings are the same on iOS and Android, there are a few settings unique to each operating system.

To get started, open Signal and tap your account avatar at the top-left of the screen. Then tap "Privacy."

Most security and privacy options can be found in the Privacy section of the Settings page.


Here are the privacy options you should consider adjusting:


*  Always Relay Calls. If you enable this option, all of your voice and video calls will be routed through Signal's server, disguising your IP address. This will apply to all your phone calls, incoming and outgoing. The downside of this choice is that it can reduce your call quality, sometimes substantially, so only do this if you genuinely need the added privacy.

*  Screen Lock. If you turn this on, Signal will require you to enter a passcode (or whatever biometric your phone uses, like fingerprint or facial scans) to unlock the app and see your messages.

*  Registration Lock. Turn this on to require a PIN when registering the app with a new phone, or reinstalling it on your existing phone. This can prevent someone from accessing your Signal account on a different device.

Enable the features that are important to you by swiping the buttons to the right.


*  Enable Screen Security (iPhone only). Turn on this setting to prevent the app's contents from appearing in the App Switcher — when flipping through apps, Signal will appear as a blank screen with the app logo.

"Enable Screen Security" masks Signal when switching apps.


*  Screen Security (Android only). Turn on this feature to prevent screenshots from being taken in the app. Note that this is only on your own phone – it doesn't prevent or warn you if someone else takes a screenshot of your conversation in Signal on their own phone.

*  Incognito Keyboard (Android Only). Turn this option on to prevent what you're typing from being sent to a third-party server. Many keyboards do this to offer auto-correct options or to personalize keyboard behavior, but there's a risk that your data can be leaked.

*  Notifications. After you've finished configuring your settings in the Privacy section, go back to the main Settings page, tap "Notifications," then tap "Show." Here you can choose how much detail about incoming messages is displayed in your notifications. You can choose to show everything (name and message), the sender's name only, or nothing.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×