Install Signal's official APK: every verified method

Published: October 7, 2026 · Updated: October 8, 2026

Illustrated walkthrough of sideloading the Signal APK: download, allow install, tap install

You can install Signal's official APK from your browser, a file manager, a computer over USB, or even another phone; the right method depends on your situation. Every guide below installs the same genuine file from signal.org/android/apk (website build 8.29.3, package org.thoughtcrime.securesms). Pick your method, follow the steps, and verify the file before you tap install.

Choose your install method

New to sideloading? Start hereBeginner walkthrough: what sideloading means and every tap explained› Install from a browser downloadChrome, Samsung Internet, and Firefox flows, warnings explained› Install with a file managerFinding the file, fixing the ".bin" rename problem, permissions› Install via ADB from a computerUSB install with one command; the reliable fallback› Share phone to phoneQuick Share, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi apps, or USB OTG. No data needed› Enable "Install unknown apps"The permission every method needs, on any brand›

Install by phone brand

Some phones hide the install permission in brand-specific menus. Pick your brand for the exact taps.

Install by Android version

Android 7 (Nougat)Global Unknown sources toggle, Doze, battery settings› Android 8 (Oreo)Per-app install permissions debut, notification channels› Android 9 (Pie)Adaptive Battery, the setting that decides delivery› Android 10Scoped storage backup notes, permissions, gestures› Android 11Install steps for Android 11› Android 12Install steps for Android 12› Android 13Install steps for Android 13› Android 14Install steps for Android 14› Android 15Install steps for Android 15› Android Go phonesInstall on low-storage Android Go phones›

On Android 8 and newer the install steps are nearly the same, so each version guide focuses on the settings that release changed.

No Play Store? Start here

Install without Google PlayThe full picture: who needs it, what changes, and which method to pick› Huawei phonesInstall and run Signal without Google services› HarmonyOS phonesInstall steps for Huawei HarmonyOS phones› GrapheneOSInstall Signal on de-Googled GrapheneOS phones› LineageOS and custom ROMsInstall on custom ROM phones› Use microG for notificationsGet push notifications without Google Play services› Using Signal in ChinaInstall and stay connected where Google is blocked› Where Signal is blockedInstall options in restricted regions› Work or managed phonesInstall when your employer manages the device›

Other devices

Fire TV StickInstall the Signal APK on a Fire TV Stick› Android TV boxInstall the Signal APK on an Android TV box› ChromebookInstall the Signal APK on a Chromebook› Foldable phonesInstall the Signal APK on foldable phones›

Switching builds & reinstalling

Illustration of the Install unknown apps toggle in Android settings

APK won't install over the Play version?Why Android refuses, and how to fix it› Move Play build to website buildBackup, uninstall, sideload, restore. Chats stay intact› Move website build to Play buildThe reverse migration, backup-first› Clean reinstall without losing chatsBackup-first procedure that fixes stubborn app problems›

Switching between the Play Store build and the website build always requires an uninstall in between. The two are signed with different keys, so Android treats them as different identities. Here is the full explanation.

File, version & download issues

Download over mobile dataGet the APK file without Wi-Fi› How much storage Signal needsDownload size, install size, and how to free space› One APK for every phoneWhy the same file works on all devices› Minimum Android versionThe oldest Android Signal still runs on› Which version do you have?Check your installed Signal version in seconds› Copy the APK from PC to phoneUSB and wireless ways to move the file› APK file won't open?Fixes in the order you should try them›

After installing

Terminal window showing the ADB install command for the Signal APK

Once Signal is on the phone:

First-run setup - Registration, backup restore, and the settings worth checking in your first ten minutes.
Post-install security checklist - Lock down your install step by step.
Verify the install - The post-install checklist: version, chats, linked devices, test message.
Permissions explained - What each permission is for, and which you can safely deny.
Fix denied permissions - Re-grant the ones you tapped "deny" on.
Auto-updates - How the website build keeps itself current without the Play Store.
Verify the SHA-256 fingerprint - Prove the file is genuinely from Signal.
Signal dropped SMS support - What changed and what to use instead.
Find your contacts on Signal - Sync your address book and invite missing contacts.
Invite friends to Signal - Every method that works.
Use Signal without a SIM card - What is actually possible.
Use Signal on two phones - How linked devices work.
Link a second Android phone - Companion mode for Android.
Signal on dual-SIM phones - Which number does what.
Two Signal accounts on one phone - Dual apps and app clones, explained.
Can Signal move to an SD card? - The honest answer.

Sources & official references

This is an independent guide. We host no files and we're not affiliated with Signal. Everything we describe traces back to Signal's own published sources:

Official APK download page: signal.org/android/apk, the only source we recommend for the APK file, and the page that prints the SHA-256 fingerprint.
Official support site: support.signal.org, Signal's own help articles for Android, including backup and registration topics.
Signal blog: signal.org/blog, release announcements and security notes from the Signal team.
Android app source & releases: github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/releases, the open-source client (AGPLv3) and its release history.

Version and package facts on this site (website build 8.29.3, package org.thoughtcrime.securesms) are checked against these sources. If anything here ever disagrees with signal.org, signal.org wins.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I download the Signal APK from?

Only from Signal's official page: signal.org/android/apk. We don't host APK files, and we don't recommend any third-party APK site.

Do I need the Play Store at all?

No. The website build installs by sideloading and updates itself afterward. The Play Store is only relevant if you prefer the Play build.

Which install method should I choose?

Browser download for the common case; file manager if the download notification vanished; ADB if the phone can't download or installs keep failing; phone-to-phone if you have no data.

Will I lose my chats reinstalling or switching builds?

Only if you skip the backup. Make an encrypted chat backup and save the recovery key first, and your history restores onto the fresh install.

How do I know the APK is genuine?

Compare the file's SHA-256 fingerprint against the one printed on signal.org/android/apk. Matching fingerprints mean the file came from Signal unmodified.

How do I install Signal on a Huawei phone without Google Play?

Open the Huawei Browser, go to signal.org/android/apk, and download the file. When your phone asks, allow app installs from the browser, then tap the downloaded file and install. Signal works fine without Google services.

Do I need a phone number to register Signal?

Yes. Registration needs a mobile number — Signal sends a verification code by SMS or call to confirm it is yours. The number stays your account identifier even after you install the APK build.

Can I use Signal on an Android tablet?

There is no tablet-only app, but the same APK runs on Android tablets. Register it with your phone number — the SMS verification code goes to that number, so keep your phone nearby. Many people use Signal Desktop on a laptop instead.

Download APK

from Signal's official site. File hosted by Signal, not by us.