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Signal Launches Standalone Desktop App

Previously, encrypted messaging app Signal only worked on the desktop via a Google Chrome browser app.

Michael Kan
 & Michael Kan Principal Reporter

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Encrypted messaging app Signal is now available on Windows and Mac computers as a standalone program.

Previously, Signal was available only via Google's Chrome browser. Reviews for that app were generally favorable, but some complained about crashes and the dependency on Chrome.

In a Tuesday blog post, Signal said that it had "deprecated" the Chrome app in favor of the new standalone version. "If you're a Firefox or Safari user, you don't need to install Chrome to send and receive Signal messages on your computer," the post said.

Signal Desktop

The software works with Windows 7 and above, provided you have a 64-bit system. It's also designed for macOS 10.9 and higher, along with Linux-based OSes such as Ubuntu and Debian.

The interface looks identical to the Chrome app version. To get set up, the desktop app will display a QR code that can be scanned by your smartphone's camera, syncing you with your smartphone Signal account.

Those who installed the Chrome app can also export their data to the new standalone program.

In PCMag's 2016 review, we found Signal to be the best secure messaging app for iPhone, boasting a dead-simple setup and encrypted voice calls, all powered by the open-source Signal protocol.

About Our Expert

Michael Kan

Michael Kan

Principal Reporter

My Experience

I've been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I'm currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country's technology sector.

Since 2020, I've covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I've combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink's cellular service.

I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.

I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I'm now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I'm always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.

The Best Tech I've Had:

  • My first video game console: a Nintendo Famicom
  • I loved my Sega Saturn despite PlayStation's popularity.
  • The iPod Video I received as a gift in college
  • Xbox 360 FTW
  • The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone I was proud to own.
  • The PC desktop I built in 2013, which still works to this day.

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