How to Turn Off Stories in Signal
If you use Signal for its superior privacy and encryption settings, you might not like Stories. Luckily, you can turn off Stories in Signal. Here’s how.
If you are looking for an encrypted chat and voice calls app that includes better security than Telegram or WhatsApp, Signal is a perfect choice. Signal provides end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls.
Only the sender and receiver can read or listen to messages. Even the app developers don’t even have access to your conversations. In addition, Signal doesn’t collect any user data, which ensures it is the most secure messaging app available.
However, like Instagram and other services, Signal has added a Stories feature. But you can turn off Stories in Signal if you don’t like it.
What Are Stories in Signal?
Stories on Signal are similar to Stories on Instagram, or the Stories feature on Facebook. However, the Stories you create are end-to-end encrypted like chats and calls but are only shared with friends you select.
Your Stories on Signal are deleted after 24 hours or sooner if you manually delete them. When you launch Signal, you will find the Stories button at the bottom of the screen.
Stories are a welcome feature for regular social media users who want to share short story communications with friends and family using Signal. Luckily, if you aren’t a fan of the feature and want to use Signal for secure communications only, it’s straightforward to turn off Stories in Signal on mobile or your desktop.
How to Disable Stories in Signal on Mobile Devices
If you don’t like the Stories feature, you can turn it off on your phone or desktop. First, we’ll look at how to turn off Stories in Signal on your phone.
To turn off Stories in Signal on mobile:
- Launch the Signal app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap your menu button in the top left corner of the app and select Settings from the list.
- When the Settings menu appears, tap the Stories option.
- Now, on the Stories screen, tap the Turn Off Stories option.
- When the verification message appears, tap the Turn Off and Delete Stories setting from the menu.
The Stories feature will be disabled, and you can’t view or share stories anymore. It will delete any recently shared stories you have created. After you turn off Stories in Signal, the Stories button will no longer appear at the bottom of the screen. Not having the button at the bottom of the app is excellent, so you don’t accidentally tap it and go into that part of the app.
How to Turn Off Stories in Signal on Desktop
One of the cool features available with Signal is its desktop app that allows you to follow conversations while sitting at your desk. Stories, chats, and calls sync from the mobile app with the desktop app. You can also turn off stories in Signal from the desktop app.
To turn off Stories in Signal from your desktop:
- Press the Windows key, search for Signal, and launch the app from the Start menu.
- Sign into the app if you aren’t already.
- Click the menu button at the top left of the app.
- Choose the Preferences option from the menu.
- When the verification message appears, click the Turn off stories button and click Turn off on the verification notice.
Like the mobile app, you can no longer share or view stories. Any recent stories you shared will be deleted.
It’s also important to note that turning off the Stories feature on your phone disables it on your desktop and vice versa. So if you want to enable the feature again, go back into Settings and click or tap the Turn on Stories button.
Using Signal for Secure Encrypted Communications
While Signal provides end-to-end communications, the Stories feature can make new users more comfortable using the service with a standard feature they use on Instagram, for example. Also, you can download Signal for mobile or desktop if you haven’t used it yet.
For additional help using Signal, learn how to set disappearing messages in Signal. Or check out how and why you may want to move from WhatsApp to Signal. Or, if you are new to the service, look at setting up Signal on your phone.
For more on keeping your communications secure, you can also set WhatsApp to encrypt your chats. But since Signal doesn’t collect user data, it provides a more private and secure experience. If you move to Signal from WhatsApp or Telegram, you might need to delete your Telegram account after making the transition.
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