After the WhatsApp privacy policy fiasco, Signal Private messenger witnessed a massive boost in the number of downloads. It has now become one of the most popular secure messaging apps.
But as they say, “With great power comes great responsibility.” The non-profit Signal’s responsibility is to keep the app working. However, there could be times when the app is non-responsive.
So, in this article, we will tell you the common Signal issues and what you need to do if Signal stops working.
Is Signal banned? Is it just me?
Given the private nature of Signal and how it is the perfect tool to hide your chats from the government, it makes sense that some countries would try to get rid of the encrypted chat service.
The app has been banned in China, along with its official website. If you live in China, then you can use the app with the help of a good VPN service.
Is Signal down? Check for Signal outage
If the app is not banned in your country, the next thing you want to do is check if the Signal server is down. Thankfully, you can do that on the official Signal Status website or you can also check their Twitter handle to see if they have posted any updates regarding the server.
If you are not able to access the official portals to check if Signal is down or not, you can also use third-party websites such as downdetector.com.
The last Signal outage occurred back in January where the messages were shown as sent but nothing was being delivered.
Is Signal Blocked only for you?
It is entirely possible that the app is non-responsive only on your device. This happens when you are on a closed network or the app is not part of the list of apps allowed by your employee.
In that case, try running the app on a private network or a private profile. You can also use a VPN for Android to run the app.
Check your internet connection
Although this is probably the first thing that you may have checked. But if you haven’t, make sure your internet connection is stable and working properly.
Sometimes, frequent dips in the internet connection can cause problems while using a messaging app. If that’s the case, try restarting the router or calling a technician if nothing else works.
Signal app not working?
If the Signal server is working fine, chances are the Signal app is problematic. Depending on the platform, you can generally fix that by clearing the cache, resetting the app or with a fresh install.
If you are using Signal on Android, go to Settings > Apps and Notifications > Select Signal > Storage and cache.
Clear cache and see if the app is working fine. If not, go back to the app settings and clear the storage which will reset the app. If both options don’t help, try reinstalling the app.
If you are using Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features > Select Signal > Select Advanced options > Reset the app or uninstall it.
How do I fix the Out of sync messages on Signal?
If you’re having trouble receiving messages, and particularly getting the “Out of Sync” error on the Signal app, here’s what you need to do —
- Go to the chat where you are getting the “Out of Sync” error
- Tap on the menu icon in the top right corner
- Select ‘Reset Secure session’ and this will fix the issue.
Not able to send or receive messages on Signal?
If your message is stuck with the sending status and is not being delivered or you are not receiving messages, the first thing you need to do is check if the app has the necessary permissions to run the app.
You will find permissions allowed to Signal in Android Settings > Apps and Notifications > Signal > App Permissions.
If that doesn’t solve the problem, see if a firewall or VPN is causing the issue. Try disabling or modifying VPN or firewall, whatever is limiting Signal’s connection to the internet.
Why does it say “Unsecured SMS” while sending a message on Signal?
If you are seeing “Unsecured SMS” in the text box while sending a message on Signal then that means you are sending a normal text/SMS. You will also see the send icon as grey which is another indication of an unsecure SMS.
This can happen if the other person is not a Signal user or if your internet has stopped working.
So these were some of the things that you can check if Signal is not working on your Android or iOS device. Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments down below.
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