Signal Messenger#

Install#

Within Waydroid, install Signal via one of the following methods:

Aurora Store

  1. Ensure that Waydroid is installed

  2. Ensure that the Aurora Store is installed

  3. Search for Signal Messenger within Aurora Store

    Signal Messenger application page within Aurora Store

  4. Click or tap the Install button to install Signal Messenger. Permission to allow installation of unknown applications may be required for Aurora Store to install the APK.

  5. Click or tap Install again to confirm the selection

    Signal Messenger installation confirmation prompt
APK package

  1. Ensure that Waydroid is installed

  2. Open a web browser within Waydroid

  3. Download the Signal APK

  4. Open a file manager, navigate to where you downloaded the APK, and tap the APK file to launch it

  5. Allow installation of “untrusted apps” for the file manager to install the APK from the file manager

  6. Install Signal

Configure#

Users must either create a new Signal account or import a backup file from an existing Signal Messenger account.

Transfer an account to a new device running Waydroid#

Follow the following procedure to transfer a Signal account from one device to another.

  1. If not already installed, install Signal Messenger on an Android/iOS device with the ability to receive text messages.

  2. Launch Signal Messenger on the Android/iOS device containing the Signal account to transfer.

  3. Log in to an existing Signal account to transfer, or create a new Signal account to use temporarily on this device for the purpose of Signal account creation within Waydroid. (See below for clarification.)

  4. Tap the camera icon. This device may be set aside for now. Continue to the next steps.

  5. Install Signal Messenger within Waydroid on the destination device.

  6. Change the screen resolution of Waydroid such that it operates in landscape/phone mode rather than tablet mode. This step is necessary because some report to not see “Transfer or restore account” as an option when running Signal Messenger in tablet mode.

    Tip

    To configure Waydroid running on desktop PureOS to have the same resolution settings as a Librem 5 with 1.50 display scaling:

    1. Launch a terminal emulator.

    2. Run the following commands. When running waydroid session start, wait until terminal output states Android with user 0 is ready:

      sudo waydroid container start
waydroid session start
waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.width 480
waydroid prop set persist.waydroid.height 888
waydroid session stop
waydroid session start

  7. Launch Signal Messenger for the first time within Waydroid.

  8. Tap Restore or transfer.

  9. Tap I have my old phone.

  10. Tap Next and Allow 3 times when prompted. A QR code should now appear.

  11. Pick up the source Android/iOS phone, unlock the phone if needed, and scan the QR code shown in the Waydroid session.

  12. On the same device, tap Transfer account.

  13. If this is a new account with no conversation history, you may tap Skip and continue. Otherwise, tap Back up now.

  14. Tap the best option for your needs:

    • Restore on-device backup: Restore your messages from a backup you saved on your device.

    • From your old phone: Transfer directly from your old Android.

    • Continue without transferring: Messages & media won’t be transferred. Tap Skip restore if prompted to confirm.

All done!

Known issues#

  1. Signal Messenger’s text confirmation messages are never received when creating an account within Waydroid, effectively preventing creation of a new account on the device. A known workaround is to transfer an existing Signal account from an Android/iOS device with the ability to receive text messages onto Signal within Waydroid.

  2. If Google Play Services are not installed or enabled, Signal may notify the user with one or more of the following Android notifications:

    Missing Google Play Services

    Warning prompt that Google Play services are missing

    or…

    Permanent Signal communication failure!

    Signal was unable to register with Google Play Services. Signal messages and calls have been disabled, please try re-registering in Settings > Advanc…

    Additionally, tapping on this notification will display the following:

    Enable Google Play Services

    Signal won’t work unless you enable Google Play services. [ENABLE]

    Dismissing the notifications appears to still allow basic operation.

  3. Outgoing video calls are inoperable. This will continue to be true until camera passthrough capabilities are enabled for Waydroid.

  4. Outgoing audio-only calls are immediately terminated.

  5. Incoming audio or video calls are not always notified.