Does uninstalling Signal delete my account?

No. Uninstalling the app does not delete your Signal account. Your number remains registered. To delete your account, you must explicitly use 'Delete account' in Settings > Account before uninstalling.

What happens to groups I'm in?

You're immediately removed from all Signal groups when you delete your account. Other members will see you left. If you're an admin, promote another trusted member to admin before deletion.

Can people still see my old messages after I delete?

Yes. Messages are stored locally on each device. Recipients of your messages can still read your conversation history on their devices. Signal's end-to-end encryption means messages aren't deleted from others' devices.

Can I use the same phone number again?

Yes, immediately. You can re-register your phone number on Signal right after deletion, but you'll start completely fresh with no message history, contacts, or groups from the old account.

How do I backup my Signal messages on iPhone?

You cannot. Signal doesn't offer message backup on iOS for security and privacy reasons. Only Android has an encrypted local backup feature. iPhone users will lose all messages upon account deletion.

What data does Signal keep after deletion?

Signal keeps minimal data. After deletion, Signal servers only retain that a phone number was previously registered (for spam prevention). Signal doesn't store your messages, contacts, or profile information in the cloud.

Will my contacts be notified when I delete Signal?

No explicit notification is sent, but your profile will disappear from their Signal contacts. If they try to message you, messages will show as not delivered. In groups, they'll see you left.

How to Delete Your Signal Account - Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

Written & Verified By

Delete.Directory Content Team

Our team of privacy advocates and messaging platform specialists verify every deletion process through hands-on testing.

This guide helps you permanently delete your Signal account. We believe in digital autonomy: your right to leave any platform should be as easy as joining it. Follow these verified steps to ensure complete account deletion.

How We Verified This Guide

Methodology: Hands-on testing with live accounts

Quick Information

Time Required

3 minutes

Difficulty

easy

Steps

5 steps

Official Resources

Signal Support - Delete Your Account

Official deletion guide from Signal

Additional Resources

[1]

Signal Privacy Policy

Official privacy policy detailing minimal data collection

[2]

Signal Backup and Restore

How to backup messages before account deletion (Android only)

[3]

Transfer Signal Account

How to transfer Signal to a new phone before deletion

Step-by-Step Guide

Backup Messages (Android Only)

If using Android and want to preserve messages, create a local backup first. Go to Signal Settings > Chats > Chat backups > Create backup. Note: iOS doesn't support message backups.

Tips

•Backup is only available on Android, not iOS
•Backup is encrypted and stored locally
•Cannot restore backup after deleting account

Warnings

•iOS users cannot backup Signal messages
•Backup cannot be transferred to different phone numbers

Open Signal Settings

Launch Signal app and tap your profile icon in the top left. Then tap the gear icon or 'Settings' to access account settings.

Tips

•Make sure you're deleting from the correct device
•Consider exporting important chats before deletion

Navigate to Account Section

In Settings, scroll down and tap 'Account'. Then tap 'Delete account' at the bottom of the Account settings.

Tips

•This option is separate from 'Delete data' which only clears local messages
•'Delete account' removes your Signal registration

Review Deletion Warning

Signal will display a warning about what happens when you delete: removal from groups, deletion of profile info, and loss of message history. Read this carefully.

Warnings

•All local message history will be deleted from your device
•You'll be removed from all Signal groups
•Profile name and photo will be deleted

Confirm Account Deletion

Tap 'Delete account' to confirm. Your Signal account is immediately deleted. You're unregistered from Signal and removed from all groups. Local messages remain until you delete the app.

Warnings

•Deletion is immediate and cannot be undone
•Phone number can be re-registered immediately
•Messages sent to you after deletion will not be delivered

Important Warnings

Message History Deleted From Your Device

Signal stores all messages locally on your device, not in the cloud. When you delete your account, all messages, photos, videos, and call history are deleted from your device. There's no way to recover them unless you made an Android backup beforehand.

Removed From All Groups Immediately

Deleting your Signal account immediately removes you from all groups. Other group members will see that you left. If you're the only admin of a group, make sure to promote another member to admin before deletion.

No Cloud Backup - iOS Users Cannot Backup

Unlike other messaging apps, Signal doesn't use cloud storage. Only Android offers local encrypted backups. iOS users have NO way to backup their Signal messages. All message history is permanently lost for iPhone users when deleting.

Your Contacts Can No Longer Reach You

After deletion, people can no longer send you Signal messages. Messages sent to your number will show as not delivered. Your profile name and photo disappear from contacts' Signal apps.

Phone Number Can Be Re-registered Immediately

Your phone number becomes immediately available for Signal registration after deletion. You (or someone else with access to your number) can create a new Signal account right away, but it will be completely fresh with no history.

Messages Remain on Recipients' Devices

Signal uses end-to-end encryption and local storage. Messages you sent to others remain on their devices even after you delete your account. Recipients can still read your conversation history.

Alternatives to Consider

Uninstall App Without Deleting Account

easy

Simply uninstall Signal without going through account deletion. Your registration remains inactive but can be restored by reinstalling Signal on the same number.

Pros

•Can return to Signal anytime
•Re-register with same number easily
•No permanent data loss on Signal's end
•Quick and reversible

Cons

•Phone number stays registered to Signal
•Messages may queue up during absence
•Contacts still see you as Signal user
•Doesn't fully address privacy concerns

1 min

Create Android Backup Before Deletion

easy

If using Android, create an encrypted local backup of your Signal messages before deletion. This preserves your message history even though you can't restore it after deletion.

Pros

•Keep complete message archive
•Backup is encrypted and secure
•Can reference old conversations later
•Store backup on external drive

Cons

•Only available on Android
•Cannot restore to deleted account
•Backup file is not easily readable
•iOS users have no backup option

5 min

Screenshot Important Conversations

easy

Before deletion, take screenshots of important conversations you want to preserve. This creates a simple backup of critical messages and media.

Pros

•Works on both iOS and Android
•Easy to reference later
•Can share screenshots if needed
•No technical knowledge required

Cons

•Time-consuming for many chats
•Screenshots aren't encrypted
•Privacy concerns with unencrypted images
•Doesn't preserve full context

20 min

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Signal stores messages locally on your device only. When you delete your account, all messages are deleted from your device and cannot be recovered. Android users can backup before deletion, but iOS users have no backup option.

References & Citations

[1]
Signal Privacy Policy
Official privacy policy detailing minimal data collection
https://signal.org/legal/
[2]
Signal Backup and Restore
How to backup messages before account deletion (Android only)
https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007059752-Backup-and-Restore-Messages
[3]
Transfer Signal Account
How to transfer Signal to a new phone before deletion
https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007062012-Register-or-Unregister-a-Phone-Number

All citations verified as of 11/8/2025. We regularly review and update all external links to ensure accuracy.

Found incorrect information?

We strive for accuracy. If something's outdated or wrong, let us know.

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Critical Warnings

Message History Deleted From Your Device
Signal stores all messages locally on your device, not in the cloud. When you delete your account, a...
Removed From All Groups Immediately
Deleting your Signal account immediately removes you from all groups. Other group members will see t...
No Cloud Backup - iOS Users Cannot Backup
Unlike other messaging apps, Signal doesn't use cloud storage. Only Android offers local encrypted b...

Last Updated

November 8, 2025

Signal Account Deletion

How We Verified This Guide

Quick Information

Official Resources

Additional Resources

Step-by-Step Guide

Backup Messages (Android Only)

Open Signal Settings

Navigate to Account Section

Review Deletion Warning

Confirm Account Deletion

Important Warnings

Message History Deleted From Your Device

Removed From All Groups Immediately

No Cloud Backup - iOS Users Cannot Backup

Your Contacts Can No Longer Reach You

Phone Number Can Be Re-registered Immediately

Messages Remain on Recipients' Devices

Alternatives to Consider

Uninstall App Without Deleting Account

Create Android Backup Before Deletion

Screenshot Important Conversations

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Citations

Found incorrect information?

Quick Navigation

Related Guides

Critical Warnings

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