# How to Install Signal Desktop on Linux **URL:** https://www.compsmag.com/blogs/how-to-install-signal-desktop-on-linux/ **Author:** Ayushi Chauhan **Published:** 2022-04-11 **Updated:** 2022-04-11 **Categories:** Blogs **Tags:** Android Guides, Apple Guides, Blogs Daily, Computer Guides, guiderobert, Guides and Tutorials, guiding12, How To Guide, How To Guides, ios Guides, Linux Guides, Tips, Tricks **Reading Time:** 5 min --- This tip is about the how to Install Signal Desktop on Linux. So read this free guide, How to Install Signal Desktop on Linux step by step. If you have query related to same article you may contact us. ## How to Install Signal Desktop on Linux - Guide Signal is a free, cross-platform messaging service that uses end-to-end encryption to provide a secure platform for exchanging encrypted text, media and calls. If you are a Signal user or want to try the app, you must install Signal Desktop on your computer to access Signal app conversations on your smartphone or switch between them on your smartphone and desktop as needed. Signal Desktop is a desktop client for the popular Signal private messaging service. It is available for all major operating systems such as macOS, Linux and Windows and works by linking to Signal Mobile application. When it launched, Signal Desktop was essentially a Chrome app that could only be linked to the Signal Android app. However, a few years later, it was replaced by a standalone desktop client (based on the Electron framework) that supports links to Android and iOS apps. Speaking of features, Signal Desktop offers pretty much the same features like the sign mobile app including all privacy features. So you can exchange text (and media) and make audio/video calls right from your desktop. Signal Desktop is available for all major Linux distributions such as Arch Linux, Debian, Fedora, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Manjaro, etc. ## How to Install Signal Desktop on Linux Signal Desktop is available for all major Linux distributions such as Arch Linux, Debian, Fedora, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Manjaro, etc. However, before diving into the installation process, there is one requirement: you need to have the Signal app defined. up and running on your smartphone as you can use it to set up the desktop client on your Linux computer. If you're already a Signal user, chances are you already have the app on your Android or iOS device. However, if you are new to Signal, you will need to download it to your mobile phone and set up an account with your phone number. Once done, you are ready to install Signal Desktop on your Linux machine. ### Install Signal on Debian-based distributions Let's start with APT as it is most people's package manager of choice and comes pre-installed on all major Linux distributions. If you are running any of the following distributions: Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint and the like, you can install Signal Desktop using APT. First, get the GPG keys using wget to securely download the Signal Desktop app: wget -O- https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/keys.asc | sudo apt-key add – Now, add the Signal repository to your system: echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main” | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial.list Update your system's package list and download the Signal Desktop client: sudo apt update sudo apt install signal-desktop On the other hand, if you are on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch Linux, Manjaro or CentOS/RHEL and you have the Snap package manager installed on your system, you can install Signal Desktop with just a single command: sudo snap install sign-desktop ### Install Signal Desktop on Fedora If you are using Fedora, you can install Signal via Flatpak by running: flatpak install flathub org.signal.Signal ### On Arch-based distributions In case you are using Arch-based Linux distributions, you can download Signal Desktop from AUR (Arch User Repository) using yay: sudo yay -Ss sign-desktop ### How to To define Up Signal workspace With Signal Desktop installed on your computer, now you need to configure it up. To do this, simply link it to the Signal app on your smartphone. First, launch the Signal Desktop client on your computer. You will see a QR code on the screen right away. Open the Signal app on your Android or iOS device to scan this code. To do this, click on the application menu button and select Settings. Here, tap on Linked Devices and hit the Plus (+) button to add a new device. On iOS, you will need to click on Link New Device. When the QR code reader appears, point the camera to the QR code displayed in the Signal Desktop app. Once done, the sign mobile app will prompt you with a device binding confirmation. Click Link New Device to approve linking. Now, you must name your new device. In Signal Desktop, enter a name and click Finish Linking phone button to complete the process. This name will be shown in the Devices Linked in Signal section mobile application. Signal Desktop will start syncing all your contacts and groups from the smartphone app. However, it will not sync your existing messages to Signal mobile app: you will only see messages that arrive after installing the desktop client. Once the sync is complete, you should have Signal Desktop running on your Linux computer with access to all Signal functionality. ## Final note I hope you like the guide How to Install Signal Desktop on Linux. In case if you have any query regards this article you may ask us. Also, please share your love by sharing this article with your friends. --- *End of Article*