Signal Extends End-to-End Encrypted Backups to iOS Users
For years, the one recurring pain point for Signal's privacy-conscious users was the vulnerability of their chat history. While the messages themselves are end-to-end encrypted, the process of backing up and restoring that data—especially on iOS—was cumbersome and often led to total loss of conversation history if a phone was lost or broken.
That era is officially over. Following a successful launch on Android in September, Signal has now rolled out its secure, end-to-end encrypted backup feature for iOS users. This is a monumental moment for the platform, finally bringing a critical layer of usability and data protection to its community, without compromising the core principles of privacy and zero-knowledge security.
Why This is a Game-Changer for iOS Users
Before this feature, the only way to retain Signal chat history when moving to a new iPhone was through a direct device-to-device transfer, which required both phones to be functional and present. If your old iPhone was lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair, your entire history on the platform was gone forever.
The new Secure Backups feature fundamentally changes this by offering a mechanism to save an encrypted archive of your conversations to the cloud, accessible only by you.
Key Features of Signal's iOS Secure Backups:
Zero-Knowledge Encryption: Crucially, the backup archive is protected by a 64-character recovery key generated on your device. Signal (the company) does not have a copy of this key and cannot read, decrypt, or restore your data for you. If you lose the key, your backup is lost. This maintains Signal's iron-clad privacy stance.
Opt-In and Optional: This feature is not enabled by default. Users must actively navigate to their settings to opt-in, ensuring that those who prefer no cloud synchronization can maintain their existing setup.
Tiered Storage Options: Signal has introduced a model that caters to different needs, reflecting the cost of storing large amounts of media:
Free Tier: Backs up all text messages and media (photos, videos, files) from the last 45 days.
Paid Subscription: For $1.99 per month, users can back up all text messages and up to 100 GB of older media (beyond the 45-day limit). This paid tier is a direct response to the non-profit's need to cover the significant costs associated with providing secure, high-storage solutions without resorting to advertising or data collection.
How to Enable Secure Backups on Your iPhone
Implementing this feature is straightforward, but it is vital to secure your recovery key:
Update Signal: Ensure your app is updated to the latest version (v7.86 or higher).
Navigate to Settings: Go to Signal Settings (tap your profile icon).
Find Backups: Select Backups (it may still be tagged as 'Beta' initially).
Setup and Enable: Tap Setup > Enable Backups > Next.
Record Your Key: The app will display your unique 64-character Recovery Key. You must write this down and store it in a completely secure, non-digital location, such as a password manager or a notebook.
Confirm and Choose Plan: Confirm the recovery key, then choose between the free or paid backup plan to complete the setup.
Critical Warning: The 64-character recovery key is the only key to your encrypted archive. Unlike other services, Signal cannot reset this for you. Treat this key like your most valuable possession.
Looking Ahead: Platform Parity and Cross-OS Transfer
The extension of this feature to iOS not only benefits iPhone users but also lays the groundwork for Signal's broader development goals:
Desktop Support: Signal has indicated that Secure Backups are planned for the desktop application, which will ensure chat history consistency across all your linked devices.
Cross-Platform Transfer: With a standardized, encrypted backup mechanism now available on both Android and iOS, Signal is closer than ever to enabling seamless, secure message history transfers between the two operating systems—a feature that has long been a pain point for users switching phones.
This secure backup option removes a major usability barrier for the privacy-focused app. By offering a solution that maintains its zero-knowledge standard, Signal continues to prove that user convenience and absolute data privacy can, and must, go hand-in-hand. This is a big win for digital security and for every Signal user who values their chat history.
