One of the major problems with messengers is that when you change your registered mobile number on the app, you end up losing all your existing chats and you are also removed from all the groups that you were part of. But it’s all set to change now as the secure messenger, Signal, is rolling out a feature that will allow its users to change the mobile number on the app without losing any of their chats or groups.
In order to add a new number, you’ll still need to be able to get Signal messages sent to your old number. Then, head over to the new “Change Phone Number” option under Signal’s account settings, where you’ll be asked to enter both the old and new numbers. Lastly, Signal will guide you through the usual registration process for setting up a phone number with one of its accounts.
Once you’ve successfully updated your number, contacts you’ve been chatting with in Signal will see a new message inline in your thread that notes that you’ve changed their phone number, along with a helpful link to update your contact card accordingly. Crucially, though, you won’t lose your existing thread or groups that you’re already a part of.
The new feature is intended for users who are keeping their current phone but getting a new phone number — if you’re just upgrading to a new phone and want to keep all your stuff, you’ll need to use Signal’s local data transfer feature to send over your data from your old device to a new one.
