Session is an Australian, currently Switzerland-based, cross-platform end-to-end encrypted instant messaging application emphasizing user confidentiality and anonymity. Developed and maintained by the non-profit The Session Technology Foundation, it employs a blockchain-based decentralized network for transmission. Users can send one-to-one and group messages, including various media types such as files, voice notes, images, and videos.
Session provides applications for various platforms, such as macOS, Windows, and Linux, along with mobile clients available on both iOS and Android.
On April 9, 2026, Session Technology Foundation announced that it will close operations after July 8th if it does not receive at least $1M in funding. On June 15, 2026, the STF announced they had enough resources to continue operation.
Session does not require a telephone number or email address for account creation. Instead, it utilizes a randomly generated 66-digit alphanumeric number for user identification. Communication between users, including messages, voice clips, photos, and files, is end-to-end encrypted using the Session protocol. Session uses the Loki blockchain network for transmissions. In 2021, an independent review by the third-party Quarkslab verified these claims. In 2025, Session announced that it had migrated to its own network, the Session Network — a decentralized, open-sour
From the Wikipedia article “Session (software)”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Session?
Session by Oxen Labs is open-source Windows software in the chat & messaging category. It ranks 11th by popularity among chat & messaging in this catalogue. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.18.2, released on October 13, 2026. The version history goes back to March 9, 2025: 62 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 13 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 17,302 times. The source code on GitHub (session-foundation/session-desktop) has 596 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 11 of our languages. Similar programs include Signal, Slack and Discord.
Project description on GitHub: “Session Desktop - A Decentralized, Onion Routed, Private Messenger”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 13 a year)
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Session is an open-source chat & messaging tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Key features
- Fully anonymous account creation: No phone number or email needed to create a Account ID
- Decentralised server network: No data breaches, no central point of failure
- No metadata logging: Session doesn't store, track, or log your messaging metadata
- IP address protection: Device IP addresses are never exposed to the person you're talking to or the servers holding your data
- Groups: Private, end-to-end encrypted group chats for up to 100 people
- Secure attachments: Share voice snippets, photos, and files with Session's secure encryption and privacy protections
- Multi-device syncing: One Account ID for your phone and computer
- Free and open-source: Don’t take our word for it — check Session's code yourself
AppStream · Flathub
Screenshots
Is Session safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
152B7BD7898D86ED3D7E92FCEB53AD5B1F09447E19213B9B2DBA4786CEC880E2· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 62 versions ›62 versions over 5 years · about 13 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.18.2Latest | October 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.18.1 | July 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.18.0 | April 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.17.17 | March 31, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.17.16 | March 26, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.17.15 | March 19, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.17.14 | March 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.17.13 | March 12, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Session.Session -echoco install session -yscoop install extras/sessionsession-desktop-win-x64-1.18.2.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask sessionflatpak install flathub network.loki.SessionInformation
- Publisher
- Oxen Labs
- Category
- Chat & messaging
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/session-foundation/session-desktop
- Written in
- C++
- Interface languages
- English
- Content rating
- 15+
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 1.18.2
- Released
- October 13, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 9, 2025
- Versions listed
- 62
- Updates / year
- 13.3
- Chocolatey downloads
- 17,302
- GitHub stars
- 596
- GitHub forks
- 115
- Website
- getsession.org
- winget ID
- Session.Session
- Chocolatey package
- session
- Scoop package
- extras/session
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Session
See all ›-
Open source3.4M ↓ -
Proprietary9.8M ↓ -
Proprietary882.4K ↓ -
Telegram Desktop7.3.3A cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging app with a focus on security and speed.Open source1M ↓ -
Proprietary259.3K ↓ -
Rocket.Chat4.18.5Rocket.Chat is the leading open source team chat software solution. Free, unlimited and completely customizable with on-premises and SaaS cloud hosting.Open source973K ↓ -
Pidgin2.14.14Pidgin is a universal chat client, allowing you to consolidate all your different messaging apps into a single tool.Open source175.4K ↓ -
Open source97.4K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is Session free?
Yes. Session is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is Session safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Session with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Session be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Session run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Session?
The versions page lists all 62 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 9, 2025.
Can I use Session without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Session?
Signal, Slack, Discord, Telegram Desktop and Viber. The alternatives page compares them.
