Now Signal allows changing your number without deleting your chat

Now, Signal is rolling out a new feature that allows users to change phone numbers on their accounts without losing their existing chats, groups, and messages within the secure messaging app. It is a beneficial new feature for secure messaging apps.

To add a new number, you will still need to receive Signal messages sent to your old number. Then go to the new "Change Phone Number" option in your Signal account settings, where you'll be guided to enter both your old and new numbers. Finally, Signal will walk you through the usual signup process to set up a phone number with one of your accounts.

Once you've successfully updated your number, contacts you've been chatting with in Signal will see a new online message in their thread indicating that you've changed your phone number, along with a helpful link to update your contact card at a consequence. Most importantly, though, you won't lose your existing thread or groups you're already a part of.

The new feature is intended for users who keep their current phone but get a new phone number; If you're just upgrading to a new phone and want to keep all your stuff, you'll need to use Signal's local data transfer feature to send your data from your old device to your new one.