How to Change Your Signal PIN

If you use Signal a lot, you might want to change your PIN number. Maybe you’ve been the victim of hacking recently, or maybe you just want to keep one step ahead of the game and change your credentials on a regular basis. In fact, experts suggest changing your PIN number at least once every three to six months to protect your data and accounts from unauthorized access.

Fortunately, changing your PIN on Signal is a relatively straightforward process. This article will explain how to change your PIN on Signal for both Android or iOS systems.

Changing PIN on Signal

An exclusive feature to the Signal app, your PIN helps you recover your information (profile, settings, contacts, etc.) if you switch or lose a device. With a PIN, your information is easily recoverable. For that reason, it’s really important that you have one.

Depending on the device you use, the steps you need to take to change your PIN differs. Let’s start with Android.

Android

If you’re using an Android device, following the steps below will help you change your PIN.

1. Open the Signal app.
   
2. Go to the top left corner of the app. You’ll see “Profile Icon.” Click on it.
   
3. Then, scroll down to “Account.”
   
4. Click on the button that says “Change Your Pin.”
   
5. You’ll see a box that asks you to “Create New PIN.”
   
6. Create a new PIN and click on the “Next” button.
   

It’s that simple! If you follow these steps correctly, you’ll successfully change your PIN.

iOS

The steps for iOS users are slightly different. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Signal app.
   
2. Proceed by clicking on the “Profile Icon.” You can find that in the top left corner of your screen.
   
3. Click on the “Account” button.
   
4. Select “Change Your Pin” and click “Next.”
   
5. Confirm the PIN and select “Next.”
   
   

If you go through the steps above correctly, then you’ll successfully change your PIN in the Signal app for iOS.

Helpful Tips When Changing Your Pin

Some useful tips when changing your pin include making sure you chose something you’ll remember and always ensuring that you choose a “good” PIN. But what does this mean, exactly?

Remember Your Pin

Signal doesn’t keep records of their users’ PIN numbers. As such, the app is unable to reset or recover the data if you lose it.

If you forgot your PIN and have enabled the registration lock, you may be locked out of your account anywhere up to seven days. After seven days of inactivity, the registration local expires. While you can create a new PIN after the old one expires, information associated with the old PIN will no longer be available to you. All of which means that you will lose your contact and other information associated with the account.

So you definitely want to make sure you choose something you will remember.

Signal PINs can be at least 4-digit numbers, but can also be alphanumeric. There’s also no limit to the PIN length.

Choose a Good PIN

If you chose a series of numbers like 1111 or 2222 for your PIN it might easy for you to remember, but there are much better choices for a PIN. Why? Because if you chose something like 1111 or 1234, it’s easy to guess. Instead, you might want to think about choosing a date with personal or private significance. Your best friend’s birthday might be a good choice. Or maybe you’re really into history. Choose a date of historical relevance. If you like reading, pick the day your favorite book was released. Holidays are a good choice too. Maybe pick the day of your favorite holiday or the day you went on a favorite family vacation.

These are all ideas to help you brainstorm what may work for your PIN. Ultimately, whatever you chose is up to you.

Enter Your Pin Correctly

Signal occasionally sends PIN reminders. When prompted, make sure you enter your PIN code correctly. If you don’t the first time, reminders are sent more frequently. This is automatic and meant to help you. However, you can turn the reminders off in the “Settings Profile”.

1. Click on your avatar, go to “Account,” and click on “PIN reminders.”
2. If you enter your PIN, you can turn off the reminders by clicking “Turn off Reminders.”

If you do this, you must be sure to remember your PIN.

FAQs

What is this PIN for, anyway?

Signal created what is known as the Secure Value Recovery system, Basically, all this means is that your data isn’t stored on company servers. Instead, information such as your profile, contacts, and other data that you store and send on Signal is never seen by anyone other than you, the user, and the person you send the information to. It’s important to note here: your PIN doesn’t contain your chat history, but it does have all that other personal data you may need.

Simply put, the PIN enables you to recover your information without asking the company to do it for you.

What if I have more than one PIN?

You can’t have more than one PIN. You may be confusing the PIN with one of the following numbers: the SMS verification code given to you during the verification process, the screen lock, or, for Android phones, the 30-digit passcode to restore chat.

Can I disable my PIN?

If you want to, you can. Just remember that without the PIN, reinstalling the app on the same or another device would mean that your Signal contacts and information disappear. Disabling the PIN means you’re disabling the Secure Value Recovery. But if you still want to use the disable function, you go to the “Create PINs Screen” and: “select more Android_more.png or iOS_more.png > Disable PIN.”

Changing Your Signal Pin Is Simple and Easy

It’s relatively simple to change your Signal PIN for Android or iOS. Just be sure that when you change it, you pick something memorable and relevant. If you forget your PIN, the information isn’t recoverable. So choose something that you will remember. The last thing you want to do is lose all your precious personal data.

Have you ever changed your PIN on Signal? If so, did you use any of the tips of tricks featured in this article? Let us know in the comments section below.