How to set Signal as your default SMS messaging app on Android

Signal is an encrypted messaging app that has been gaining a lot of attention lately. It was developed with the goal of focusing on user privacy.

For this reason, Signal is now considered a great alternative to WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and several other popular instant messaging apps. You can even use Signal as the default SMS messaging app on your Android phone. (Unfortunately, this feature is not yet available on iPhone.)

By setting Signal as the default SMS app on your device, you can not only text with your Signal contacts, but you can also send and receive text messages with everyone in your local address book (phone number) as usual. However, it's important to note that SMS messages sent through Signal will be encrypted just like messages between Signal users.

How to set Signal as your default SMS messaging app on Android

First, open the Signal app on your Android device. Next, tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the app.

Click on Settings .

At the top of the Settings menu , tap “ SMS and MMS ”.

Next, you will see the “ SMS Disabled ” option at the top. Click on this option.

A pop-up will ask you to choose your default SMS app. Select “ Signal ” and tap “ Set as Default ”.

Signal is set as the default SMS app on your device. Sending SMS messages on Signal is essentially the same as sending a regular online message. The contact list will show people you’ve “friended” on Signal at the top, indicated in blue. Meanwhile, contacts in your local address book will be listed below, shown in gray. This way, you can easily send Signal messages online or SMS messages from the same simple interface.

Additionally, if for some reason you want to send an SMS to a contact on Signal, you can also do that by typing a message like you normally would. However, this time, instead of tapping once, tap and hold the send button.

You will see an option to switch to “ Insecure SMS ”. As mentioned earlier, SMS messages are not encrypted like online messages on Signal.

The send button will now be gray with an unlock icon. Tap it to send the SMS message.

Done! You can now keep all of your conversations, whether Signal messages or SMS, in one place. Keep in mind that you won't be able to access SMS through the Signal Desktop app.