this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2025
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Signal will finally let you transfer your encrypted chat history to new linked devices (mas.to)
submitted 2 days ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Signal has announced new functionality in its upcoming beta releases, allowing users to transfer messages and media when linking their primary Signal device to a new desktop or iPad. This feature offers the choice to carry over chats and the last 45 days of media, or to start fresh with only new messages.

The transfer process is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring privacy. It involves creating a compressed, encrypted archive of your Signal data, which is then sent to the new device via Signal's servers. Despite handling the transfer, the servers cannot access the message content due to the encryption.

With the introduction of a cross-platform archive format, Signal is also exploring additional tools for message transfer to new devices or restoration in case of device loss or damage. Users can begin testing this feature soon, with a wider rollout expected in the coming weeks.

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[–] JohnWorks@sh.itjust.works 63 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You can on Android. If you have an iPhone you can link using the molly signal fork on an android device and then backup using that.

[–] elena@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Oooh interesting! Could you please elaborate / share any resources about this?

[–] JohnWorks@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Here's a link to their website https://molly.im/ It also links to their GitHub. If you'd want to backup what you'd do is link molly to your iphone signal instance and then the Android client or molly android client of signal allows you to make local backups on device.

Restoring it back to the iPhone won't be possible but there's a backup at least. Or rather maybe with that recent change the article talks about it might be possible in the future but not currently afaik.

[–] elena@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

This is wonderful, thank you so much!

I’ve been holding off from switching to Android (and getting a GrapheneOS x Pixel phone) because I have 5 years’ worth of messages on Signal on my iPhone… I’ll look into this method for sure

[–] mac@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I just set up molly today, along with mollysocket and an ntfy server. Liking it so far, just need to get my friends to migrate...

[–] MutilationWave@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

That's always the hard part.