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The problem that Signal has to solve, transfer of new messages to a new phone. Right now the iOS transfer is a whole lot better than the manual android process ( ive heard the former is not fool proof )

Being a house full of Pixel devices and sole IT person, I dont want to be responsible for lost messages when it comes time for a new phone.

Also if your phone is lost or bricked ( either platform ) say goodbye to messages

Moving from Android to iOS, bye messages.

I can move my savvier friends and family over, but the rest will remain on whatsapp where "its easier" compromise works.




I just migrated from a pixel 4xl -> 5 and back with signal.

Nobody noticed, no warnings about encryption keys changing, no problems whatsoever. Took about 5 minutes each time (including googling of the directions).

Just make a backup (with an encryption key), then do a restore (and enter said key). Not as convenient as if it was automatic, but it does seem like a pretty secure approach.


thats good to hear. Now I would like to see something on the desktop client


I had to relink my desktop client, but the history stayed.


on a new PC ?? the conversations came over ??


No. Had a desktop client linked to my phone. Migrated to a new phone, relinked the desktop client, and lost nothing.


You can’t move WhatsApp message history between iOS and WhatsApp.


fair enough, still whatsapp android to android OR ios to ios is easier than Signal


Exactly this. A lot of other messaging apps have this problem (read the App Store reviews of LINE for a sampler of people upset about it), and I find it baffling. Have these devs never lost a phone (or had one break unexpectedly?)

It seems like it should be trivial to back up message history to the cloud.


Well trick is, once your phone is lost, will you remember a nice secure key?

How do you protect from various evil entities from stealing your cloud backups?


The cloud backups themselves could be encrypted with a key that I control, couldn’t they?




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