Signal is now introducing the previously announced usernames for all messenger users. The new functions initially went into beta testing a few weeks ago, and now more and more clients are receiving the update in live operation. This allows Signal users to network with each other without having to reveal their phone number.
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The new username can also be shared from the app.
(Image: Signal)
Almost freely selectable
The new user name can be chosen almost freely in the account settings. It consists of a word and a number with at least two digits, connected by a dot. Third parties can use the user name to contact you, for example through a QR code that the app generates. However, registering with Signal still requires a telephone number.
In the settings, users can now choose whether the phone number should be visible to others and whether they want to be found using the number. The default setting is now that the phone number is not visible to anyone. Other users who have their contacts’ numbers saved in their phonebooks will continue to see them in Signal.
No nickname
Signal emphasizes that the user name is not displayed in the profile and is not intended as a nickname or handle, but rather serves as an alternative address to the telephone number purely for networking purposes. Anyone who knows the username can contact us. You can also generate a QR code or a link in the Signal app, which can be shared with third parties.
Signal had already announced the introduction of the username last November and began initial tests. The new features were released for users of the beta version around two weeks ago. At the time, it said the username would be rolled out to everyone “in the coming weeks.”
(vbr)