Signal launches encrypted backup feature with optional paid plan

Signal has introduced a new secure backup feature that lets users archive their conversation history in an end‑to‑end encrypted format. The opt‑in service is currently available in a beta release for Android and will later expand to iOS and desktop platforms. Backups refresh daily and, for free, include all text messages and the most recent 45 days of media. Users who need to retain older media or a longer message history can subscribe for US$1.99 per month.

The feature is designed to preserve Signal’s privacy‑first ethos: backup archives are stored without linking to a specific user account, and the encryption keys remain unknown to Signal. This marks the first paid offering from the nonprofit Signal Technology Foundation, aimed at covering the storage costs of large media files while maintaining the app’s no‑ads, no‑data‑selling model.