Signal Goes (More) Private: Messaging Without Sharing Your Phone Number

When you sign up for most messaging apps, your phone number becomes your identity. Everyone you message can see it. Anyone who has your number can find you. Signal has always been different when it comes to encryption — and now it’s different when it comes to your phone number, too.

Signal usernames let you start conversations without ever sharing your phone number. Combined with new privacy controls, you now have real, granular control over who sees your number and who can find you on Signal at all.

Here’s how to set it all up.

What Signal Usernames Are (and Aren’t)

First, let’s clear up a common misunderstanding: a Signal username is not a public handle. It’s not displayed in your chats, it’s not shown on your profile, and the people you message can’t see it. Think of it more like a private contact card — a way to let someone reach you without handing over your phone number.

Here’s what makes Signal usernames different from usernames on other platforms:

• Not searchable. There’s no public directory. Someone needs your exact username to connect with you.
• Not permanent. You can change your username whenever you want — after an event, after meeting someone, whenever you feel like it.
• Not your display name. Your profile name (what people see in chats) and your username are completely separate.
• Not required. Usernames are entirely optional. Signal works the same way it always has if you skip this feature.

How to Create Your Username

1. Open Signal and tap your profile icon (top left).
2. Tap Settings, then tap on your profile at the top.
3. Tap the @ symbol next to “Username.”
4. Type the username you’d like. Signal will automatically append two or more numbers to the end (like axolotl.99). This suffix keeps usernames unique and makes impersonation harder.
5. Tap Done.

That’s it. You now have a username you can share instead of your phone number.

Sharing Your Username: QR Codes and Links

Signal gives you three convenient ways to share your username:

• Tell someone directly. They can type your exact username into Signal’s “New Message” screen to find you.
• Show a QR code. Open your profile, tap the QR code icon, and let the other person scan it with their phone. Great for in-person meetups.
• Share a link. From the same QR code screen, tap Link to copy a shareable URL. You can text it, email it, post it — whatever works.

The beauty of this system: the other person connects with you on Signal, starts a conversation, and never sees your phone number. You stay in control.

Locking Down Your Phone Number

Usernames are just one piece of the puzzle. Signal also gives you two separate privacy settings for your phone number:

1. Who Can See My Number

This controls whether people you’re chatting with can view your phone number on your profile. The options are Everybody or Nobody.

When set to Nobody, your phone number is hidden from everyone on Signal — unless they already have it saved in their phone’s contacts. This is the default for new accounts.

2. Who Can Find Me By Number

This controls whether someone who already has your phone number can use it to find you on Signal. Again, Everybody or Nobody.

When set to Nobody, even someone who knows your phone number can’t look you up on Signal. They won’t be able to start a conversation with you, and they won’t even know you have a Signal account. The only way to reach you is through your username.

To find these settings: Settings → Privacy → Phone Number.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Let’s say you set both options to Nobody. Here’s what happens when someone tries to find you by phone number:

Signal doesn’t just hide your number — it actively tells the other person that the number isn’t associated with a Signal account. Your privacy is protected, and there’s no indication you’re even using the app.

Recommended Setup

For most people, we’d suggest:

1. Create a username — it only takes a minute and gives you a private way to connect with new people.
2. Set “Who Can See My Number” to Nobody — this hides your number from everyone in your Signal chats (people who already have your number in their contacts can still see it).
3. Leave “Who Can Find Me By Number” on Everybody — this lets friends and family who have your number find you naturally on Signal. Switch it to Nobody only if you need the highest level of privacy.

This gives you a good balance: your existing contacts can still find you, new people can reach you through your username, and nobody sees your phone number unless they already had it.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Signal still requires a phone number to register. This is an anti-spam measure. But with usernames, that number can stay completely hidden from everyone you chat with.
• Changing your username doesn’t notify anyone. Your contacts won’t know you changed it. Old usernames stop working immediately — they can’t be used by anyone else until you release them.
• You can delete your username at any time. If you decide you don’t want one, just remove it. People will only be able to reach you by phone number (subject to your privacy settings).
• Usernames work across all platforms. Set it up on your iPhone, and it works when someone searches for you from Android or desktop, too.

The Bottom Line

Signal has always been the gold standard for encrypted messaging. With usernames and phone number privacy controls, it’s now one of the few apps that lets you communicate securely and anonymously. You don’t have to hand over personal information just to have a conversation.

If you’re already using Signal, take two minutes to set up a username and check your privacy settings. If you’re not using Signal yet, there’s never been a better time to start.

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Want help getting Signal set up on your devices? Check out our guide on how to use group chats in Signal, or reach out to us — we’re happy to help.