Signal has introduced a new opt-in feature that helps users create end-to-end encrypted backups of their chats, allowing them to restore messages even if their phones are damaged or lost.

Secure backups are already available in the latest Signal beta version for Android users and will also be rolled out to iOS and desktop devices after this testing phase.

"If you do decide to opt in to secure backups, you'll be able to securely back up all of your text messages and the last 45 days' worth of media for free. If you want to back up your media history beyond 45 days, as well as your message history, we also offer a paid subscription plan for US$1.99 per month," said Jim O'Leary, Signal's VP of Engineering.

"This is the first time we've offered a paid feature. The reason we're doing this is simple: media requires a lot of storage, and storing and transferring large amounts of data is expensive."

The free tier includes 100 MiB of message storage, covering photos, videos, GIFs, files, and other attachments, while the storage size limit for paid backups is 100 GB.

​After you enable secure backups from the Signal Settings menu, your device will automatically back up your chats daily (excluding messages scheduled to disappear within the next 24 hours and view-once messages), replacing the previous day's archive.

When enabling secure backups, Signal generates a 64-character recovery key on the device, which will never be shared with Signal and will be the only way to decrypt backups when restoring your messages.

"Your recovery key is the only way to 'unlock' your backup when you need to restore access to your messages. Losing it means losing access to your backup permanently, and Signal cannot help you recover it. You can generate a new key if you choose," O'Leary added.

In January, Signal introduced end-to-end encrypted synchronization of old messages from their primary iOS or Android devices to newly linked devices, such as iPads and desktop computers.

Four months later, it enabled 'screen security' by default on all Windows 11 devices, a feature designed to protect users' privacy by blocking Microsoft's AI-powered Recall feature from taking screenshots of their conversations.

Last year, Signal also announced that users could choose custom usernames to connect with others and hide their phone numbers.