Signal 8.30: encrypted local backups arrive on iOS and Desktop

With version 8.30 of its iOS app, released on September 28, 2026, Signal now lets you create end-to-end encrypted local backups on iPhone, iPad and computer. These on-device backups join Signal Secure Backups, which are hosted by Signal, and both formats now work across every supported platform.

What's new in Signal 8.30

In a post on Signal's official blog, the team looks back on a year of work on backups, which launched in September 2025. The release of iOS 8.30 makes all the new features available on every platform.

The main changes:

• end-to-end encrypted on-device backups, available for the first time on Signal Desktop and Signal iOS, and completely redesigned on Android;
• a format shared across all platforms, so you can restore your chats even when switching operating systems;
• a storage optimization option for paid subscribers, which replaces older media with thumbnails;
• recovery of older attachments on linked devices;
• a new direct iPhone-to-iPhone transfer.

On-device backups vs. Secure Backups: two approaches

Signal now offers two kinds of backups, both optional and end-to-end encrypted.

Signal Secure Backups, hosted by Signal

The free tier backs up all text messages, but only the last 45 days of media. Very long messages are sent as text attachments: up to 128 KB per message, they're backed up for free; beyond that, they follow the same 45-day limit. The paid tier covers up to 100 GB of media. Signal mentions "a small monthly fee" to cover storage costs, without giving a price in the post.

The hosted service adds an extra layer of security: an additional cryptographic key, rotated daily and kept in a trusted execution environment (TEE). It can't decrypt anything without your recovery key, but it provides a form of forward secrecy. A new backup is created every 24 hours and the previous one is deleted automatically.

On-device backups

Here, you choose the destination: internal storage, an external drive, a home NAS or a third-party storage service. According to BleepingComputer, this option isn't subject to the size limits of the hosted tier.

The trade-off: since they can't rely on the TEE, these backups don't benefit from forward secrecy. And your recovery key decrypts all older backups, wherever they're stored. Signal therefore recommends, for example, periodically deleting old backups kept on a USB stick.

On Android, the format has changed too: media is stored in a separate folder and duplicate files are only stored once, so a daily backup doesn't eat up huge amounts of space.

Turning on local backups on iPhone and iPad

About Signal outlines the steps, available from version 8.30:

1. Open Signal Settings, then Backups.
2. Tap On-device backups, then turn backups on.
3. Choose a destination folder; an iCloud Drive folder works too.
4. Write down your recovery key and keep it somewhere safe.

Once the folder is set, you can start a backup and view its details. The backup takes the form of a folder containing several files. Media is backed up incrementally and duplicates are removed. The feature works on primary devices as well as linked devices.

What about Desktop?

Signal Desktop, on Windows, macOS and Linux, also gets on-device backups, in the same cross-platform format.

One limitation to know: according to About Signal, you can't yet restore a local backup directly on Desktop. You need to move the backup to your phone manually and restore it from there.

Desktop also benefits from attachment recovery. If you open a conversation on a newly linked computer and scroll back more than 45 days, the app can request the missing files from your primary device, sent as end-to-end encrypted attachments.

One backup, five platforms

This is probably the most useful change day to day. Both Secure Backups and on-device backups can be created and restored on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. Switching from an Android phone to an iPhone, or vice versa, no longer means starting from scratch.

To restore a local backup on iOS or Android, simply reinstall Signal, choose "Restore or transfer account," then "Restore on-device backup." To restore a backup made on Android or Desktop onto an iPhone, the folder must first be moved to the iOS device's internal storage.

The recovery key is everything

All these backups rely on a 64-character recovery key. According to About Signal, it's the same key for on-device backups and Secure Backups: just one key to keep. Without it, no restore is possible.

Signal stresses that you should never share it. The Android and iOS apps can save it to the password manager of your choice. BleepingComputer points out that bad actors quickly took an interest in this key after the feature launched, which is all the more reason to protect it.

One more detail: neither method includes disappearing messages set to vanish within 24 hours. When restoring a local backup, expired disappearing messages are skipped.

Switching iPhones: a redesigned migration

Version 8.30 also overhauls iPhone-to-iPhone transfers. They now use a local, end-to-end encrypted wireless connection built on Wi-Fi Aware technology, which significantly improves speed and reliability, according to Signal. This direct transfer was already available on Android.

Who is it for?

• Users who want to stay in control of their data: on-device backups let you choose where your chats are stored, without relying on Signal's servers.
• NAS or external drive owners: the new format, with separate, deduplicated media, is better suited to regular syncing.
• People switching platforms: the shared format makes moving from Android to iOS, or the other way around, easier.
• Anyone who wants a no-effort option: free Secure Backups are enough for text, with the paid tier covering media history up to 100 GB.

Signal says this update wraps up the first phase of its backup project. Find more of our news on apps and the wider world of tech.