this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2025
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771
Signal will finally let you transfer your encrypted chat history to new linked devices (mas.to)
submitted 1 week ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
108 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Signal has announced new functionality in its upcoming beta releases, allowing users to transfer messages and media when linking their primary Signal device to a new desktop or iPad. This feature offers the choice to carry over chats and the last 45 days of media, or to start fresh with only new messages.

The transfer process is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring privacy. It involves creating a compressed, encrypted archive of your Signal data, which is then sent to the new device via Signal's servers. Despite handling the transfer, the servers cannot access the message content due to the encryption.

With the introduction of a cross-platform archive format, Signal is also exploring additional tools for message transfer to new devices or restoration in case of device loss or damage. Users can begin testing this feature soon, with a wider rollout expected in the coming weeks.

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[–] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 111 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Holy shit no way, basic functionality needed at absolutely all times, in my signal? More likely than you think!

Kudos to the Devs! Maybe time to give this app another shot!

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[–] vollkorntomate@infosec.pub 97 points 1 week ago (5 children)

I’m still waiting for the day that I can make a full backup of my chats and save it on an external hard drive so that I won’t lose all of my message history when I lose my phone.

[–] JohnWorks@sh.itjust.works 64 points 1 week ago (2 children)

You can on Android. If you have an iPhone you can link using the molly signal fork on an android device and then backup using that.

[–] pedroapero@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 days ago

indeed, I have this daily archive backed-up via syncthing like any other data.

[–] elena@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Oooh interesting! Could you please elaborate / share any resources about this?

[–] JohnWorks@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Here's a link to their website https://molly.im/ It also links to their GitHub. If you'd want to backup what you'd do is link molly to your iphone signal instance and then the Android client or molly android client of signal allows you to make local backups on device.

Restoring it back to the iPhone won't be possible but there's a backup at least. Or rather maybe with that recent change the article talks about it might be possible in the future but not currently afaik.

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[–] SexualPolytope@lemmy.sdf.org 38 points 1 week ago (2 children)

You can already do it. I have Signal create daily backups, sync it to my NAS using Syncthing with versioning enabled.

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[–] TheDarkQuark@lemmy.world 58 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Original announcement: https://signal.org/blog/a-synchronized-start-for-linked-devices/

[–] derin@lemmy.beru.co 29 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Blogs like these drive me fucking crazy: there's a primary source out there, why not just link to that at the end of your (evidently pointless) opinion piece?

It's almost like they know their commentary isn't adding anything and they're worried we'll click away immediately.

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[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago

Yay Signal!

[–] baatliwala@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Finally I can transfer my one and only chat to my PC

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

I know right. I wish more people used it. It's nice and simple. No fuss in the way. And especially now with chat transfers. Should be Gucci.

[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Thanks, I love Signal, but can we get Android tablet linking?

Molly has it.

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (6 children)

What's Molly in this context?

[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 18 points 1 week ago (3 children)

https://molly.im/

A hardened Signal fork that works with Signal's servers and adds features I like that Signal doesn't support.

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[–] hogmomma@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

in this context? haha

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[–] steal_your_face@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Do they allow you to use it without a phone number yet?

[–] Shape4985@lemmy.ml 2 points 6 days ago

You need a phone number to register but then you can create a username and choose to hide your number

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