Use and sign up Signal Without Phone Number 2024

Posted on 17/10/24 12:09 pm

Signal Messenger Overview

Signal Messenger has been available for quite some time, but since January 2021, its popularity has surged. Millions of former users of WhatsApp and other applications are transitioning to Signal. It is also frequently compared to Telegram. In this guide, we will explore what Signal is, its features, and how you can sign up for the service without using a phone number.

The “Fall” of WhatsApp

In early January 2021, WhatsApp announced an update to its privacy policy. As of February 8, the application was scheduled to officially share user data with its parent company, Facebook. This data included users' phone numbers, contact lists, status information, profile names and photos, app data, locations, dates, shopping lists, and more.

This official intrusion into user privacy angered millions of users, prompting them to switch en masse to competitors. Many chose Signal, the focus of this article, while others moved to Telegram. In one week in January, Signal saw nearly 9 million new users, while Telegram gained over 11 million.

WhatsApp representatives later announced that they would not transfer any data to Facebook, and the privacy policy update was delayed and revised. However, this only worsened the situation, as users continued to abandon the app. Although tens of millions of users leaving may seem insignificant compared to WhatsApp's 2 billion users (as of February 2020), it significantly boosted competitors like Signal, which had previously been known only within niche communities.

Why People Choose Signal

Signal was created in 2013 and is open source. Its development is funded through private donations. You can contribute to its development through donations, and the messenger can be downloaded via this link.

Signal has received endorsements from notable figures like Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, and Edward Snowden. Snowden has been using Signal since 2015 and asserts that even the FBI cannot access his communications.

One of Signal's key features is end-to-end encryption (E2EE), meaning that only the participants in a conversation can access the information. Even the developers cannot read user correspondence. Signal does not collect user data or display advertisements.

Features of Signal

Signal is a traditional messaging application, allowing users to send messages, create individual and group chats (up to 1,000 participants), make voice or video calls (up to eight users), share photos, emojis, videos, locations, and contacts. The app can even replace your default SMS app.

Additional features include photo and video messages that disappear seconds after being viewed. Signal also verifies users' contacts, ensuring that users are corresponding with the correct person rather than an impersonator. To accomplish this, the app may request a PIN code set during registration or allow users to exchange QR codes for verification.

All communications are encrypted with strong E2EE encryption, ensuring that the data is not stored on Signal’s servers but on users' devices. Even the app's developers cannot access this data.

Signal uses its own encryption protocol, known as the Signal Protocol. It encrypts all types of information exchange, except for traditional SMS messages. Only messages sent to contacts who are not registered on Signal are unencrypted.

How to Sign Up for Signal

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to sign up for Signal without a phone number:

Run the App for the First Time
The first time you open the app, it will ask you to confirm its privacy policy and allow notifications.
Enter Your Phone Number
Signal requires a phone number to register. However, you can use the smsotpverify.com service to get a phone number for Signal registration without using your personal phone number.
Choose a Country and Service
Go to smsotpverify.com, select the country and the service you need, and press "Buy."
Get the Number
Once purchased, your phone number will appear at the top of the page.
Enter the Number in the Application
Input the number provided by smsotpverify into the Signal application.
Receive the Confirmation Code
Signal will send a confirmation code to the phone number. Go to smsotpverify and press "Get SMS" to retrieve the code.
Enter the Code
After receiving the code, return to the Signal app and enter it.
Complete Profile Setup
Once the phone number is confirmed, you will be prompted to enter your name and upload a profile photo.
Create and Confirm a PIN
Signal will request that you create and confirm a PIN for additional security.

Once these steps are completed, you will have successfully signed up for Signal.

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