Signal – Backup and Restore Messages

2 years ago
Gavin Killackey
6 minutes

How do I transfer from an Android device?

  1. On the new phone, install Signal > select Transfer or restore account > enable permissions > select Transfer from Android device > Continue.
  2. Before proceeding you will need to Unlock Signal on your Streamline3 Admin Console
  3. Navigate to https://my.ubtsupport.com and login with your admin credentials
  4. Navigate to Devices > Select your device/s
  5. Select button and tick the Unlock App option.
  6. Select Signal from the drop down

    Note* this will need to be done on both your OLD and NEW phones.
  7. On the old phone, go to Signal Settings > Account > Transfer account > Continue.
  8. Physically move the new phone near the old phone and accept the alert on the new phone.
  9. Confirm the 7-digit code matches on both phones and select Continue on each phone.
  10. On the new phone, tap Continue registration and register the device.
  11. On the old phone, tap Done to complete.
  12. On the old phone, uninstall Signal typically in Android Phone Settings > Signal > Uninstall or through steps specific to your phone.

Still having trouble?

  1. Enable permissions for Signal:
    Android Phone Settings > Apps or Apps & Notifications > Signal > App Permissions or Permissions > Enable all permissions.

How do I restore from a backup file?

  1. On the old phone, enable a backup within Signal on the phone that has your Signal message history.
  2. Record the 30-digit passphrase.
  3. Manually move the Signal folder that contains the backup file.
    • Same phone? Manually move the backup to a computer before you reset this phone.
    • New phone? Manually move the backup file from your old phone to your new phone.
  4. On the new phone, install Signal select Transfer or restore account, select restore from backup, and enter your 30-digit passphrase to restore before submitting your phone number for registration.

How do I enable a backup? 

  1. Tap on the profile icon to access Signal Settings  > Chats > Chat backups > Turn on.
  2. For Android OS version 9 or earlier, go to step 3.
    For Android OS version 10 or later, select Choose folder and choose where to save the backup file.
  3. Copy the 30-digit passphrase from left to right, top to bottom. You will need this passphrase in order to restore a backup. Keep it in a safe place. 
  4. Confirm that you have written down the passphrase.
  5. Select Enable backups.
  6. Tap Create backup. You can verify whether or not a backup has completed successfully by checking the time of the last backup.
  7. Signal displays where you can find the backup under the title Backup folder. Go to that folder.
  8. Move or save a copy of the backup on a device that is not your phone.
    • A common method is to use a cable to plug your phone into your computer. Some phone’s require you to use a cable that was provided with your phone in order to transfer data.

What if my last backup says “Never”?

  1. Tap Create backup.
  2. Enable permissions for Signal:
    Android Phone Settings > Apps or Apps & Notifications > Signal > App Permissions or Permissions > Enable all permissions.
  3. Free up space on your phone. 
  4. Temporarily unmount or disable your external SD card so the backup can be saved to your internal memory.

Where can I find the backup file?

  • Your backup folder is listed under Signal Settings  > Chats > Chat backups > Backup folder. Use the files app or plug your phone into a computer to go to the folder.
  • For older versions of Signal, the backup file signal-year-month-date-time.backup can be found at  /Internal Storage/Signal/Backups or /sdcard/Signal/Backups

Where do I move the backup file?

Move the backup file signal-year-month-date-time.backup to a device that is not your phone.

  • A common method is to use a cable to plug your phone into your computer. Some phone’s require you to use a cable that was provided with your phone in order to transfer data.
  • Recent phones offer steps in Android Phone Settings > Storage.
  • You may need to respond to the notification that appears on your phone to change the mode to Transfer files (MTP).

What do I do on my new phone or phone that was reset?

  1. Manually move theSignal folder with the backup file to your phone. For older versions of Signal, move it to the top most level or /Internal Storage/ on your restored or new phone.
    • A common method is to use a cable to plug your phone into your computer. Some phone’s require you to use a cable that was provided with your phone in order to transfer data.
    • Recent phones offer steps in Android Phone Settings > Storage.
    • You may need to respond to the notification that appears on your phone to change the mode to Transfer files (MTP).
  2. Install Signal.
  3. Select Restore backup. If it is not available, Select Continue.
  4. If you selected Continue in step 3, then
    1. Accept the permissions.
    2. Signal will automatically detect your local backup and ask you to restore before registration.
    3. Select Restore backup.
  5. If you selected Restore backup in step 3, choose the backup folder and file.
  6. Enter your 30-digit passphrase.

What if I forget my 30-digit passphrase and need to restore messages on a new phone?

You will be unable to restore a backup without the passphrase. Think of the 30-digit passphrase as a key that can not be duplicated. You can create a new backup to create a new passphrase.

Go to Signal Settings  > Chats > Chat backups

  1. Tap Turn off to disable chat backups and delete all previous backups on your phone.
  2. Tap Turn on to create a new backup with a new passphrase.