Signal Introduces Free Chat Backup and Paid Storage Option, Solving Data Loss Concerns on Secure Messaging Platform

Signal, a secure messaging platform renowned for its emphasis on privacy, has unveiled a new feature that enables users to store backups of their text conversations and the past 45 days of media at no cost. In addition, the company is introducing its first paid service, offering users up to 100GB of storage for full media backups.

Until now, Signal did not allow users to save any form of backup within the platform, which could be problematic in cases where a user loses or damages their device. Although conversations could be transferred between devices, there was previously no cloud backup available. This latest feature addresses this issue, making Signal an even more attractive choice for secure messaging.

The free tier offers 100MB of storage for text messages and the last 45 days’ worth of media. According to a blog post by the company, messages are stored after compression, with 100MB deemed sufficient for even heavy users.

For users requiring more than 45 days of media storage, Signal offers a monthly plan for $1.99, providing 100GB of storage. The company states that this charge covers the cost of storage while maintaining privacy.

To enable the secure backup feature, users can navigate to the app’s Settings, after which daily backups will commence. Signal utilizes zero-knowledge technology to secure its backups, ensuring they are not associated with a specific user or payment method. Users will receive a 64-character recovery key generated on their device to access their backups.

Unlike competitors such as WhatsApp, Signal does not offer end-to-end backup through an optional feature that users must activate. Initially, this feature is only available on the beta version of its Android app, with cross-platform availability set to arrive soon. In the future, Signal aims to let users save their backup archives wherever they choose and transfer their message history between platforms.