Signal gets creative: Testing nicknames and notes for your contact chaos

Signal, the widely used messaging app, recently rolled out support for usernames, giving users the option to hide their phone numbers. Now, it’s upping its game with new features like nicknames and notes to help users stay organized.

Signal shared on X (via Android Police) that it is trying out a feature where users can save custom nicknames and notes for their chat buddies, even if they are not saved as contacts on the phone.

Right now, this new feature is only accessible in the app’s beta version on Android. However, it is anticipated to also roll out to iOS, although again in beta. When exactly it will become available to all users is still up in the air. While it may not be the most exciting update, it’s definitely practical. Signal’s recent addition of usernames was handy for creating unique identifiers, but managing all your friends with just usernames can get a bit tricky. That’s where these new nicknames and notes come in handy. They make it easier to organize your contacts and keep track of who’s who.

Signal is popular, mostly because of its focus on privacy. It uses a robust end-to-end encryption protocol that scrambles messages between you and the recipient. This means only you and the intended person can read the messages, not even Signal itself or anyone else who might intercept them. This is a major advantage compared to many other messaging apps.

What is more, Signal’s code is open-source, meaning it’s available for anyone to inspect. This allows security experts to scrutinize the code for vulnerabilities, which helps ensure its overall strength.