Signal lets users switch phone numbers

Chatting app Signal is adding an option that allows users to transfer their account to another phone number. On-going chat conversations show a notification that the number has changed.

Until now, users had to create a new account when they switched numbers. With the new option this is no longer necessary and all chats, groups and profile information are preserved. In existing chats, users are shown that a person has changed their number, with the option to update the contact.

There was already an option to transfer Signal accounts to a new phone, provided the number remained the same. That transfer function will continue to exist. Signal says more new features will be added to the Chat app this year, but it’s not yet known which ones.