Skip to Main Content
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Signal for iPhone Gets Desktop Support

Signal on desktop previously only linked up with Android devices.

September 28, 2016
Signal

Secure chat app Signal is now a bit more useful for iPhone users.

The latest Signal for iPhone release allows users to move their messaging from the iPhone to the desktop and back. Once the iPhone and desktop clients are linked, users can switch their conversations to either device regardless of whether your phone is online or not.

After offering a beta app through an invite-only program earlier this year, Signal arrived on the desktop in April via the Chrome Web Store. At the time, though, it only linked up with Android devices. Developer Open Whisper Systems promised an iOS version down the line, and that day has now arrived.

Signal Desktop for iOS

Signal is one of the more popular messaging apps for those who value privacy and anonymity because, like rival Telegram, Signal supports end-to-end encryption.

In a 2014 review of the Signal iPhone app, PCMag gave it points for providing free, fully encrypted VoIP calls on the iPhone, but it lost points for some design and usability issues. The Android app fared better in our November 2015 review, earning high praise for being a "complete replacement for your existing SMS app letting you send unencrypted messages to non-Signal users, and even make encrypted VoIP calls.

"It's the best secure messaging app we've tested," according to Max Eddy, who gave it our Editors' Choice.

Like What You're Reading?

Sign up for SecurityWatch newsletter for our top privacy and security stories delivered right to your inbox.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.


Thanks for signing up!

Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!

Sign up for other newsletters

TRENDING

About Don Reisinger

Don Reisinger is a longtime freelance technology journalist and product reviewer. He covers everything from Apple to gaming to start-ups. You can follow him on Twitter @donreisinger.

Read Don's full bio

Read the latest from Don Reisinger