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There are a plethora of Messaging Applications available to download and most of them are really performing well in the market such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. Have you ever thought about how far these social messaging apps are protecting your Privacy? Well, it’s our primary duty to secure privacy as far as possible, and Signal App is known for it. Signal App is run by a non-profit organization.
If you’re thinking or already moved to the Signal app leaving other messengers behind, then must read this article to the end. We’ve rounded up the best tips and tricks to use the Signal App and get the most out of it.
Best Hidden Signal Tricks for iPhone and Android
Use Screen Lock to Secure Signal App
Instead of downloading any separate third-party app to lock Signal App, use the built-in privacy feature that allows you to use the same screen lock that you’re currently using to unlock the device, it can be Fingerprint, Face Unlock, PIN, Password, or Pattern.
- Launch the Signal app.
- Tap on your Profile icon.
- Go to Privacy.
- Enable Screen lock.
- Also, there’s an option to set Screen lock inactivity timeout, to add an extra layer of security.
Set PIN for Reinstallation
During the first set up of the Signal app, you were asked to add a four-digit PIN. This is another unique security offered by Signal, don’t mix it with the App Lock. It’s a sort of Two Factor Authorization when the Signal App is reinstalled. Meaning when the app is deleted and reinstalled, before letting your complete setup, it’ll ask the four-digit PIN to restore backup, and identity verification alongside when you reinstall the app.
- Go to the Signal app.
- Tap on the Profile icon.
- Tap Privacy.
- At the end of the screen, there’s a Registration Lock, toggle it on.
- From the same screen, you can change the PIN.
Turn Off “Contact Joined Signal” Notification
Since the Signal App is in trend, it’s obvious to receive the Contact Joined Signal notification on your device, if it is enabled. Consider it as a Signal way to indicate that your friend or colleague has joined the Signal and you can also chat with them here.
However, if you don’t want t to entertain this, it’s quite easy to disable it.
- In the Signal App, tap on your Profile icon.
- Tap Notifications.
- Under Events, disable Contact joined Signal.
Customize Notification
Customize Notifications can be defined as another privacy-oriented feature of the Signal App. Usually, when someone texts you or send anything on Signal, the notification panel will display the name of the sender along with the message, which can be read by anyone while it is upfront.
- Open the Signal App.
- Tap on the profile icon.
- Select Notifications.
- Find and tap on Show.
- And choose Name only.
Pin Chat
In Signal App, you can pin up to 4 Contacts it can be Group Chat or Normal Chat. While WhatsApp allows only 3 pinned chats. Pinned Chats makes it easy to access and send message to the people who often talks with you.
- Touch and hold the Chat that you want to pin, and select Pin.
Blur Faces
Just in the recent updates, Signal added Blue Faces that automatically blurs the part or a face of the picture that you don’t want to expose with the receiver before sending them. The Signal’s algorithm detects the face automatically and blurs it, and if it can’t identify the face, then you can manually blur the face before sending the image.
- Choose the Image and hit the Blur button.
Disappearing Messages
When Disappearing Messages is enabled, the Signal App will automatically remove the messages depending on the timer you’ve set, it is applicable for messages sent and received in the chat after they have been seen.
- Go to the Signal App.
- Tap on your desired chat.
- Tap on the three dots on the top-right corner.
- Select Disappearing messages.
- Choose 5 seconds or 10 seconds.
- Tap OK.
Block Screenshots
No one can take a screenshot of chats on Signal unless you allow them, it’s like Snapchat. Here’s how to restrict users from taking screenshots on Signal App.
- Open the Signal App.
- Hit the Profile icon.
- Select Privacy.
- Enable Screen security.
Send One-time Viewable Image
I’ve experienced this feature in Instagram DMs, where the sender gets to choose how many times the sent Video or Image can be viewed, One Time, or Multiple.
- In the Signal App, select the image and then hit the rounded-arrow labeled by 1X, and send it.
The image will disappear after its seen from both ends.
Use Built-in Notes feature
There are plenty of users who use WhatsApp as their note-taking app, sending a message in a Group that everyone has left or to the closest friend and later messaging him or her to ignore the message. To overcome this problem, Signal has added built-in Notes taking feature.
- Search Note to Self like your search to find a contact in the app.
- Tap on the Note to Self chat and start using it.
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