5 Proven Ways To Tell If Someone Is Online on the Signal App

Signal is a popular messaging app that has gained popularity for its strong end-to-end encryption and privacy features.

However, one common question that many Signal users have is how to tell if someone is online on the Signal app.

In this article, we’ll explore five different methods you can use to determine if someone is currently active on Signal.

How to Know When Someone Is Online on Signal

Here are the five (5) indicator signs you can use and deduce that someone is online;

Method 1: Enable Read Receipts and Check the Status

Signal’s Read Receipts feature allows users to see when their messages have been read by the recipient.

If you enable this feature and send a message to the user, you can check the status to see if they have read the message.

If the status shows that the message has been read, it may be an indication that the user is currently online and actively using the app.

Here are the steps to do so:

Open Signal on your mobile device.
Tap on your profile picture or the three-dot menu in the top left corner of the screen.
Select “Privacy” from the menu.
Scroll down to the “Messages” section and toggle on the “Read Receipts” option.

Method 2: Check for Typing Indicators

Another method to tell if someone is online on Signal is to check for typing indicators.

When a user is actively typing a message, Signal displays a typing indicator, a series of three dots next to the contact’s name in your conversation list.

This can be a good indication that the user is currently active on the app and engaged in a conversation.

To check for typing indicators, simply look for the three dots next to the contact’s name in your conversation list.

If the typing indicator is present, the user is currently typing a message to you or someone else on the app.

This can be a good way to know if someone is online and active on Signal without sending them a message or checking their profile.

Method 3: Send a Message and Check the Delivery Status

Another way to determine if someone is online on Signal is to send them a message and check the delivery status.

If the message is delivered immediately, it may be an indication that the user is currently online and actively using the app.

However, if the delivery status shows that the message was delivered at a later time, it may indicate that the user is not currently active on the app.

Method 4: Use Signal’s Disappearing Messages Feature

Signal’s Disappearing Messages feature allows users to send messages that will automatically disappear after a set period of time.

If you send a message using this feature and the recipient is online, they may be more likely to respond quickly to avoid missing the message before it disappears.

However, this method is not foolproof, as the user may still choose to respond at a later time.

Method 5: Check the Contact’s Profile Picture

One way to tell if someone is online on Signal is to check their profile picture.

If their profile picture is visible and updated, it may be an indication that they are currently active on the app.

However, this method is not foolproof, as some users may choose to keep their profile pictures the same for extended periods of time.

Does Signal Show Online Status?

Let’s get to the heart of the matter: Does Signal tell you when someone is online? The short answer is no, Signal does not show online status or the last time someone was online.

So, if you were wondering, Does Signal show when someone was last online? the answer is still no.

Signal’s approach to user presence is different from other popular messaging apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

In comparison, those other messaging apps usually show a green dot or a “last seen” timestamp to indicate when someone is online or was last online. But with Signal, there’s no such feature.

However, as shown in this article, you can certainly use different ways to determine if someone is online using the Signal app.

Conclusion

When it comes to Signal and online status, it’s clear that the app has made a conscious decision to prioritize privacy over the convenience of knowing when someone is online.

While this might be a deal-breaker for some, others find the trade-off worthwhile for the sake of enhanced security.

So, does Signal tell you when someone is online? Nope, but that’s because it’s designed to protect your privacy.

It’s up to you to decide if the benefits of using Signal outweigh the potential drawbacks.

After all, in the world of digital communication, it’s essential to find the right balance between privacy and staying connected.