Signal Introduces Phone Number Hiding Feature

The developers of Signal, an open-source messenger focused on providing secure communications with end-to-end encryption, have implemented a new feature that allows users to hide the phone number linked to their account. Instead of displaying a phone number, users can now use a unique username identifier.

How the New Feature Works

Optional settings to hide your phone number from other users and to prevent being found by your phone number in searches will be available in the upcoming Signal 7.0 release, which is currently in beta testing for Android and Desktop platforms.

To add a user without sharing a phone number, the new version will introduce the ability to connect via a QR code or a special link. Users will also be able to generate a unique username identifier for their account, which can be used instead of a phone number to search for and add contacts (this identifier is separate from the display name shown in chats).

Registration and Privacy Details

The username identifier can be used to connect with others on Signal, but registering a new account will still require providing a phone number. To protect users from having their phone number discovered through their username, Signal stores the identifier as a hash using the Ristretto 25519 algorithm, rather than in plain text.