● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
Signal completes encrypted local backup rollout across all platforms with version 8.30
Key points
- Signal version 8.30 adds encrypted local backups to iOS and desktop.
- Android backups now use a cross-platform format.
- Media is stored separately, and duplicate files are stored once.
- Disappearing messages set to vanish within 24 hours are excluded from backups.
Encrypted Backups Now Universal
Signal has released version 8.30, which finalizes the rollout of its secure backup feature across all supported operating systems: Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. This feature, initially introduced on Android, enables users to create end-to-end encrypted backups of their chat history and restore them on other devices.
Backup Options and Security
The backup system offers two options: Signal-hosted backups with size limitations (45 days of media, 128 KB per message for free users; 100 GB for paid plans) and on-device local backups with no size restrictions. Both options are encrypted and require a recovery key. Hosted backups include an additional rotating supplemental key within a Trusted Execution Environment for enhanced protection.
Improvements in Media Handling and Data Transfer
The update brings on-device backups to iOS and desktop, and revamps Android backups to use a consistent cross-platform format. Media is now stored separately from the backup archive, and duplicate files are stored only once, which reduces redundant data. Paying users can also purge old media from local storage, keeping only thumbnails and retrieving full files from hosted backups. The 8.30 iOS client release also enables direct iPhone-to-iPhone transfer using a local end-to-end encrypted Wi-Fi Aware link, which Signal states improves speed and reliability.
Disappearing Messages and Future Plans
Disappearing messages set to vanish within 24 hours are ignored by both backup methods and are not included in archives. Signal notes that hosted backups do not overwrite local backups. This rollout marks the completion of the first phase of Signal's backup project, with engineers now shifting focus to other non-backup systems.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
Signal released version 8.30, completing the rollout of encrypted local backup support across all its supported operating systems, including iOS and desktop. This update allows users to create end-to-end encrypted backups of chats and restore them, standardizing the backup format and improving media handling.