Signal Private Messenger APK 8.33.2

What is Signal?

Signal is a messaging app built around privacy. Every message, voice note, photo, voice call and video call is end-to-end encrypted, so only you and the people you're talking to can read or hear it. Signal is run by the Signal Foundation, a US non-profit, and funded by donations rather than advertising, which is why it collects as little data about you as possible.

The encryption it uses, the Signal Protocol, is so well regarded that WhatsApp and other apps adopted it. Signal has passed 100 million downloads on Google Play, and it's one of the communication apps we list, alongside WhatsApp and Telegram.

What's new in Signal 8.33.2

The latest Signal APK on Google Play is version 8.33.2, updated on November 2, 2026. Signal's release notes on Play introduce:

• Registration without a phone number. You can now optionally create a Signal account without a phone number. Signal describes this as being in beta testing.
• A small one-time fee for that option. Phone-number-free sign-up costs a small one-time in-app purchase to help prevent spam. Signal says the purchase is never directly linked to the new account.

Key features

Encryption for everything

Messages, attachments, calls, group chats, stickers and even your profile name and picture are end-to-end encrypted. Signal's "sealed sender" feature also hides who sent a message from Signal's own servers.

Usernames

Set a username so people can find you without knowing your number, and choose who can see your number, from everyone to nobody. You can also share a QR code or link instead of your username.

Disappearing messages

Turn on disappearing messages for a chat, or as a default for all new chats, and messages delete themselves after a set time, from 30 seconds to four weeks.

Groups and calls

Create groups with up to 1,000 members, and hold encrypted group voice and video calls. Admins can require approval for new members and share invite links.

Stories, stickers and more

Share stories that disappear after 24 hours, react with emoji, send voice notes, share your location, and create polls. Note to Self works as a private notepad synced across your devices.

How to install Signal APK on Android

The simplest option is Signal on Google Play.

1. Check that your phone runs Android 6.0 or newer.
2. Open Google Play, search for Signal, and make sure the developer is Signal Foundation.
3. Tap Install and open the app.
4. Register with your phone number, or the new phone-number-free option where available, and set a PIN. The PIN protects your account if you change phones.

For phones without Google Play, Signal publishes an official APK at signal.org/android/apk. That version checks for and installs its own updates. Don't install Signal from any other site: the official APK page also lists the signing certificate fingerprint so you can verify the file.

Settings worth turning on

• Registration Lock. Under Settings → Account, turn on Registration Lock so nobody can register your number on another phone without your PIN.
• Screen lock. Require your fingerprint or screen lock to open Signal in Settings → Privacy.
• Default disappearing timer. Set one in Settings → Privacy so every new chat disappears automatically.
• Phone number privacy. Set "Who can see my number" to Nobody, and "Who can find me by number" to Nobody if you want people to use your username.
• Incognito keyboard. Ask the keyboard not to learn from what you type in Signal.
• Backups. Turn on chat backups so your history survives a lost or broken phone.

Is Signal APK safe?

Yes. Signal is one of the safest messaging apps available. It's published by Signal Foundation on Google Play, rated Everyone, and has no ads. Its code is open source and has been reviewed by security researchers for years.

Your biggest risks are outside the app:

• Account takeover by SMS code. Never share the six-digit code Signal texts you, even with someone claiming to be Signal support. Registration Lock blocks this kind of attack.
• Fake Signal apps. Install only from Google Play or signal.org. Unofficial "Signal Plus" style apps aren't from Signal Foundation.
• Physical access. Anyone who can unlock your phone can read your chats, so use a screen lock and Signal's own lock.

Moving to Signal from another messenger

Switching is easiest when you bring a few people with you. Signal shows which of your contacts already use it when you start a new chat, if you allow contact access; Signal checks this privately without uploading your address book in readable form. Create a group for your family or close friends and send them the invite link. You can keep using other apps for everyone else. If you're moving to a new phone, use Signal's transfer option during setup, which copies your messages directly from the old phone over Wi-Fi, or restore from a backup.

Signal vs alternatives

• WhatsApp uses the same encryption for message content and is where most people already are, but it's owned by Meta and collects more metadata.
• Telegram is great for big groups and channels, but normal chats aren't end-to-end encrypted unless you start a Secret Chat.
• Messenger now encrypts personal chats by default, and suits people whose friends are all on Facebook.

If privacy is your priority, Signal is the one to use. Ask your closest contacts to install it too, and keep your Registration Lock PIN somewhere safe.