Deleting your Signal account is a straightforward process that permanently removes your information from Signal’s servers. Whether you’re switching messaging apps, taking a digital break, or simply want to start fresh, knowing how to properly delete your account ensures your privacy remains protected. To delete your Signal account, go to your profile, tap Settings, select Account, and then choose Delete Account where you’ll need to confirm by entering your phone number.

Privacy-conscious users often need to completely remove their digital footprint rather than just uninstalling the app. When you delete your Signal account, your profile, message history, and connections to other users are permanently erased. This action cannot be undone, so it’s important to back up any important conversations or media before proceeding with deletion.

Signal has built its reputation on strong privacy features, which extends to how it handles account deletion. Unlike some platforms that retain your data after account deletion, Signal truly removes your information from their servers. This commitment to privacy gives users confidence that when they choose to leave the platform, their data isn’t lingering somewhere in the digital world.

How to Permanently Delete Your Signal Account (2025)

If you’ve decided to move on from Signal, you’ll want to make sure your account is completely and permanently deleted. Whether you’re switching messaging apps or taking a break from digital communication, here’s how to permanently delete your Signal account in 2025.

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1. Understand What Happens When You Delete Your Signal Account

• Your profile, messages, and contacts will be erased from Signal’s servers.
• You’ll no longer be able to send or receive messages on Signal.
• Other users won’t be able to find you or message you on Signal.
• If you reinstall Signal later, you’ll need to create a new account.

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2. Delete Your Signal Account on Android

Steps:

1. Open the Signal app on your Android device.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top-left corner.
3. Scroll down and tap Account.
4. Tap Delete Account.
5. Enter your phone number linked to Signal.
6. Tap Delete Account again to confirm.

Signal will immediately deactivate and delete your account data from its servers.

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3. Delete Your Signal Account on iPhone (iOS)

Steps:

1. Open the Signal app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top-left corner.
3. Tap Account.
4. Select Delete Account.
5. Confirm by entering your phone number.
6. Tap Delete Account to finalize the process.

Once done, your account will be removed, and Signal will delete all associated data.

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4. Unregister Your Number from Signal (Optional But Recommended)

Unregistering your number ensures that people who try to message you through Signal won’t get confused.

If you no longer have the Signal app installed:

1. Go to Signal’s Unregister Page at Signal Support.
2. Enter your phone number.
3. Follow the instructions to unregister your number from Signal’s system.

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5. Delete Signal Desktop App (Optional)

If you use Signal on your computer:

1. Delete the Signal Desktop app manually.
2. Clear any linked devices via the mobile app before deleting it.
3. Signal Desktop does not store messages once the account is deleted.

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6. After Deleting Your Account

• You won’t receive any messages from Signal users.
• If you reinstall the app in the future, you’ll need to register again as a new user.
• It may take a short time for your contacts to see your number marked as “Unregistered” in their app.

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By following these steps, you can ensure your Signal account is permanently deleted and your data is fully removed from the platform.

Official Instructions From Signal

Delete Account

You can permanently disable your phone number from being recognized as a Signal user by deleting the account from the registered mobile phone.

• Signal must be actively working on your phone to make changes to the account. You can not make changes to an account that is not registered to your phone. Register to see these options for your number.
• Deletion requests are not accepted outside of the registered app because there is no way to accurately verify whether or not a number is truly associated with the requester.

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Android

Follow steps to no longer be seen as a Signal user:

1. In Signal, tap your profile  > Account > Delete account.
2. Enter your Signal number.
3. Tap Delete account.
4. Confirm Delete account.

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iOS

Follow steps to no longer be seen as a Signal user and delete your message history on this iPhone:

1. In Signal, tap your profile  > Settings > Account > Delete Account.
2. Enter your Signal number.
3. Tap Delete account.
4. Confirm Delete account.

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Desktop

Follow these steps here to delete account and no longer be seen as a Signal user.

Use the steps below to unlink and delete your message history on Desktop. This does not delete the account.

1. Open Signal.
2. Navigate to Preferences.
   – Mac: Go to Signal > Settings.
   – Windows: Go to File > Preferences.
   – Linux: Go to File > Settings.
3. Select Privacy.
4. Choose Delete application data to confirm.
5. You will remain as a Signal user on your mobile device. Follow steps above for Android or iOS to delete account. 

Uninstall to remove Signal’s app icon and data: 

Delete ~/.config/Signal

Windows
Replace with your Windows User in the steps below

Select Uninstall Signal.exe in
C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Local\Programs\signal-desktop

Delete C:\Users\<YourName>\AppData\Roaming\Signal

macOS

Delete the Signal.app file from the /Application or ~/Application directory

Delete local data from ~/Library/Application Support/Signal

Linux

Use apt-get remove signal-desktop

For additional help visit: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007061192-Delete-Account

Key Takeaways

• Deleting your Signal account removes all messages, groups, and profile information permanently and cannot be undone.
• Back up any important conversations or media before deletion as this content will be lost forever.
• The deletion process takes only a few steps through the app’s Account settings and requires phone number verification.

Preparing to Delete Your Signal Account

Before taking the final step to delete your Signal account, it’s important to understand what happens after deletion and to save any important data you might need later. Proper preparation ensures you don’t lose valuable information.

Understanding the Implications of Permanent Deletion

When a Signal account is permanently deleted, it cannot be recovered. All message history, groups, and contacts associated with the account will be lost forever.

The deletion will remove the user from all Signal groups they belong to. Other Signal users will no longer be able to send messages to the deleted account.

Any pending messages that haven’t been delivered will be lost when the account is deleted. The phone number associated with the deleted account becomes available for registration with Signal again.

Signal’s security model means there are no cloud backups of messages or account data that can be restored after deletion. This privacy-focused approach ensures data truly disappears when requested.

Steps to Save Necessary Data Before Account Deletion

Users should save any important conversations or files before deleting their account. Signal doesn’t offer an official export tool, so manual methods are necessary.

To preserve important messages:

• Screenshot critical conversations
• Forward essential messages to an email or another messaging platform
• Save media files (photos, videos, documents) to device storage

For contact information:

• Create a separate contact backup in your phone’s address book
• Make note of important group memberships if needed

Signal’s desktop application allows for easier message review before deletion. Users can open important conversations on desktop to more efficiently save or screenshot content.

Consider informing frequent contacts about the account deletion to avoid communication gaps. This preparation ensures no vital information is lost during the permanent deletion process.

Executing Account Deletion

The process of deleting a Signal account requires following specific steps within the app. Once initiated, account deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed.

Deleting Your Account via the Signal App

To delete a Signal account, users need to open the Signal app and tap on their profile picture or avatar in the top-left corner. From there, select “Account” in the menu that appears. At the bottom of the Account page, there will be a “Delete account” option.

After tapping “Delete account,” Signal will ask users to enter their phone number for verification purposes. This security measure ensures that only the account owner can delete the account.

Once the correct phone number is entered, tap the “Delete account” button that appears. This action begins the permanent removal process of the account from Signal’s servers.

Confirming Account Removal

After tapping “Delete account,” Signal will display a final confirmation prompt. This is the last chance to reconsider before permanent deletion occurs. Confirming this prompt cannot be undone.

When confirmed, Signal will begin erasing all account data, including:

• Messages
• Photos and videos
• Group memberships
• Contact lists
• Profile information

No email confirmation is sent since Signal doesn’t use email addresses for accounts. The deletion is complete when the user is logged out and returned to the registration screen.

Users who want to use Signal again will need to set up a completely new account, as all previous data cannot be recovered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Signal users often have questions about deleting their accounts. These FAQs cover the deletion process on different devices and what happens after an account is deleted.

What is the procedure to permanently remove a Signal account on an iPhone?

To delete a Signal account on an iPhone, users need to open the Signal app and tap on their profile icon. Then they should select Settings, followed by Account.

Next, they need to tap on “Delete Account.” The app will ask them to enter their phone number to confirm. After entering their number and confirming, their Signal account will be permanently deleted.

How can one permanently deactivate a Signal account on an Android device?

On Android devices, users can delete their Signal account by opening the app and tapping on the three dots menu. They should select “Accounts” from the options.

At the bottom of the Account settings, there is a “Delete Account” option. Users need to tap this, enter their phone number for verification, and confirm the deletion. This action permanently removes their Signal account.

What are the repercussions of permanently deleting a Signal account?

When users delete their Signal account, all their messages, groups, and contacts are permanently erased. This action cannot be undone.

The deletion also means they will no longer receive messages sent to them through Signal. Their profile will disappear from their contacts’ Signal lists, and they will appear as “not on Signal” to others.

How can individuals ascertain if someone has deactivated their Signal account?

If someone deletes their Signal account, they will no longer appear in contacts’ Signal lists. When trying to message them, Signal will indicate that the user is not registered.

Messages sent to deleted accounts will show a single gray checkmark, indicating the message was sent but not delivered. Users may also notice that the person’s profile picture disappears from their contacts list.

Is it possible to eliminate a Signal account without access to the associated phone number?

No, Signal requires access to the associated phone number to delete an account. This security measure ensures only the account owner can delete their account.

If users have lost access to their phone number, they will need to regain access or contact Signal support for assistance with account deletion.

Do Signal contacts receive a notification when a user deactivates their account?

Signal does not send direct notifications to contacts when a user deletes their account. Contacts will only notice the change when they try to message the person.

The deleted account will simply disappear from contact lists, and any messages sent to that account will not be delivered. Signal focuses on privacy, so it avoids announcing user actions to others.