Signal finally simplifies the transfer of messages from one smartphone to another

A new tool has just appeared in Signal. It makes it easier to transfer the history of messages from one smartphone to another. And this using a WiFi connection. This feature was deployed in version 5.5.0 of the Android and iOS application. It is still in beta version.

Thanks to the extraordinary free publicity offered by Elon Musk, Signal has grown considerably. Last January, we reported in our columns that the service welcomed millions of former WhatsApp users, especially since Facebook’s messaging app changed its terms and conditions. In particular the paragraphs about personal data.

WhatsApp, Facebook, Signal, Telegram: this is the data that apps really collect

Only to to seduce and especially to retain all disappointed with WhatsApp, Signal must raise its level of service. A few weeks ago, we listed in an article all the new features provided by version 5.3 of the application, available on iOS and Androud. And among all the new features, several were very clearly “inspired” by WhatsApp: status system, conversations wallpapers, animated stickers, etc.

Easier transfer, but still secure

This week, a new version of Signal hit the Play Store and the App Store. This brings an essential novelty: easy transfer of message history from one smartphone to another. Until now, the backup transfer was not easy. You had to create a backup of your messages, then pass this backup from the source smartphone to the target smartphone (usually via a computer) and finally restore the backup.

Now, the process is automated: you have to install Signal on the new smartphone and start a wireless transfer from the first phone to the second. To ensure end-to-end data protection, Signal does not allow data to be transferred over the Internet. You have to connect both phones to the same WiFi network and the latter must be protected. And the information flow is end-to-end encrypted.

To make the transfer, go to the settings menu, “conversations” and “account transfer”. Then let yourself be guided. Also note that this function is only offered in beta for the moment, but anyone can try it. by downloading Signal version 5.5. At the time of writing, version 5.5 is not available in France, but it should be in the next few days.

Source: Testing Catalog