Security News > 2024 > February > Signal rolls out usernames that let you hide your phone number
End-to-end encrypted messaging app Signal finally allows users to pick custom usernames to connect with others while protecting their phone number privacy.
"Our goal is to listen to your feedback, make adjustments, and ensure phone number privacy on Signal is easy and useful for everyone."
"Your phone number will no longer be visible to anyone on the latest version of Signal unless they have it saved in their phone's contacts. You can change this in Settings," Signal explains in the iOS beta app's changelog.
"You can now set and share an optional username to let people chat with you without giving them your phone number. A new privacy setting lets you control who can find you by your phone number on Signal."
Signal President Meredith Whittaker first mentioned in November 2022 that Signal was working on rolling out username support that would allow using the encrypted messaging service without having to disclose phone numbers linked to accounts.
"We are working on usernames, which will allow people to communicate with each other without ever sharing their phone number. You will still need a phone number for registration, but you can choose to share it with no one," Whittaker added in August 2023.