Signal provides end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calls by default, collects essentially no metadata, and is run by a non-profit foundation. Its encryption protocol is the one other messengers license.
Why choose Signal?
Signal provides end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calls by default, collects essentially no metadata, and is run by a non-profit foundation. Its encryption protocol is the one other messengers license.
Signal is open source, so the source code is public, the licence cannot be withdrawn, and no company can move it behind a paywall later. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and it comes from Signal Foundation rather than from a repackager — this page sends you to signal.org, the publisher's own site, so what you install is the authentic signed build.
Worth comparing before you commit: Signal vs Discord, Signal vs Telegram Desktop, Signal vs Zoom Workplace.
Signal features
- End-to-end encryption on by default
- Minimal metadata collection
- Encrypted voice and video calls
- Run by a non-profit, funded by donations
How to download and install Signal on Windows
- Use the official source. The download button on this page opens signal.org, the publisher's own site — that is the safe route. If you would rather we double-check the current link first, ask and we email it. Either way, never take a signal download from a mirror or a "download manager" portal, which is where bundled adware comes from.
- Pick the build for your system. Signal runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. On Windows take the 64-bit package unless you are on an old 32-bit installation.
- Run the installer and accept the defaults. Signal Foundation ships no bundled extra software with it, so there is nothing to untick.
- Open it once before you need it. Confirming it launches and sees your files or hardware takes a minute now and saves a problem later.
- Keep it updated. Update from inside the program or from signal.org — update prompts arriving by email or pop-up are not from the publisher.
Downloading Signal in India
Signal is the same software worldwide — there is no separate India build, no regional licence and nothing extra to pay. A signal download in India gets the identical package everyone else receives, straight from signal.org.
We link only to that official source, so a signal setup download India from this page cannot arrive wrapped in a third-party installer. That matters more than download speed: the adware people blame on "free software" almost always comes from a mirror site, never from the publisher.
Is Signal really free?
Open Source. Source code is public; free to use, study and modify. You can download and use it without paying, and without creating an account with us.
How to download Signal safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for signal.org — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic, digitally signed build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Signal. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Signal
Other free communication software worth comparing before you decide:
Discord
Voice, video and text chat built around communities.
View details
Telegram Desktop
Fast cloud-synced messaging with very large file transfers.
View details
Zoom Workplace
Ubiquitous video meetings with a usable free tier.
View details
Mozilla Thunderbird
The leading free desktop email client.
View detailsSee all Signal alternatives compared →
Compare Signal head-to-head
Frequently asked questions
Is the Signal download free?
Yes. Signal is open-source software — free to download, use and keep, with no paid edition, no trial period and no feature held behind a key.
Is Signal safe to download?
It is, provided it comes from signal.org — Signal Foundation's own site, which is where the link we send you points. We host no installer of our own and never repackage software. Nearly every "free software gave me a virus" story traces back to a third-party download portal rather than the publisher.
Which platforms does Signal run on?
Signal runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. Take the build that matches your operating system; on Windows that means the 64-bit package unless you are running an old 32-bit installation.
Do I need an account to download Signal?
Not with us — FreeSoftwareX has no accounts, no paywall and no download gate. Ask for the link and we email it to you. Signal Foundation may ask you to register on their own site, which is their choice rather than ours.
What are the best free alternatives to Signal?
The closest free communication options are Discord, Telegram Desktop, Zoom Workplace. Each is listed here with its own licence, platforms and features so you can compare them properly rather than guessing.
Tell us what went wrong — a person reads every message and replies. Corrections to this page are treated as priority fixes.
People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Signal is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from signal.org.