Signal is an open-source, encrypted messaging service for instant messaging, voice calls, and video calls. The instant messaging function includes sending text, voice notes, images, videos, and other files. Communication may be one-to-one between users or may involve group messaging.
The application uses a centralized computing architecture and is cross-platform software. It is developed by the nonprofit Signal Foundation and its subsidiary Signal Messenger LLC. Signal's software is free and open-source. Its mobile clients, desktop client, and server are all published under the AGPL-3.0-only license. The official Android app generally uses the proprietary Google Play Services, although it is designed to be able to work without them. Signal is also distributed for iOS and desktop programs for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Registration for desktop use requires an iOS or Android device.
From the Wikipedia article “Signal (software)”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Signal?
Signal by Signal Messenger, LLC (developed by Signal Messenger) is open-source Windows software in the chat & messaging category. It ranks 1st by popularity among chat & messaging in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2014. It is written in Java, JavaScript, and Swift. Besides Windows, it is available for iOS, Android, Linux and macOS.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit Windows. The main installer is 284.4 MB. 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 8.32.0, released on October 20, 2026. The version history goes back to June 20, 2021: 281 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 53 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 3,385,620 times. The source code on GitHub (signalapp/Signal-Desktop) has 16,609 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 41 of our languages. Similar programs include Telegram Desktop, Rocket.Chat and Discord.
Project description on GitHub: “A private messenger for Windows, macOS, and Linux.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 53 a year)
- Also runs on iOS, Android and Linux
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2014)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Signal is an open-source chat & messaging tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Signal safe to download?
- The file is served by updates.signal.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
BDEA93896BEC3D067DB8EBEE1656154E0D3533D4B2CFEAAC4B9C9A85DAC40A7E· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- 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 281 versions ›281 versions over 5 years · about 53 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.32.0Latest | October 20, 2026 | 284.4 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.31.0 | October 15, 2026 | 283.4 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.30.0 | October 7, 2026 | 283.5 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.29.0 | October 1, 2026 | 282.6 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.28.0 | September 23, 2026 | 281.8 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.27.0 | September 10, 2026 | 267.3 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.26.0 | September 3, 2026 | 267.2 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 8.25.0 | August 26, 2026 | 264.9 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id OpenWhisperSystems.Signal -echoco install signal -yscoop install extras/signalsignal-desktop-win-8.32.0.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask signalflatpak install flathub org.signal.SignalInformation
- Publisher
- Signal Messenger, LLC
- Developer
- Signal Messenger and Signal Foundation
- Category
- Chat & messaging
- Licence
- AGPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop
- Written in
- Java, JavaScript, and Swift
- Content rating
- 15+
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- iOS, Android, Linux, macOS
- Version
- 8.32.0
- Released
- October 20, 2026
- First release
- 2014
- Added to the catalogue
- June 20, 2021
- Versions listed
- 281
- Updates / year
- 52.7
- Chocolatey downloads
- 3,385,620
- GitHub stars
- 16,609
- GitHub forks
- 3,143
- Website
- signal.org
- winget ID
- OpenWhisperSystems.Signal
- Chocolatey package
- signal
- Scoop package
- extras/signal
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Signal
See all ›-
Telegram Desktop7.3.3A cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging app with a focus on security and speed.Open source1M ↓ -
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 ↓ -
Proprietary882.4K ↓ -
Proprietary9.8M ↓ -
Proprietary259.3K ↓ -
Open source17.3K ↓ -
Pidgin2.14.14Pidgin is a universal chat client, allowing you to consolidate all your different messaging apps into a single tool.Open source175.4K ↓ -
Mumble (client)1.5.915Low-latency and high quality voice chat primarily intended for use while gaming.Open source49.9K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is Signal free?
Yes. Signal is open-source software under the AGPL-3.0 licence.
Is Signal safe to download?
The download comes from updates.signal.org, 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 Signal 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 Signal be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Signal 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 Signal?
The versions page lists all 281 versions with links to their official installer files, back to June 20, 2021.
Can I use Signal without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Signal?
Telegram Desktop, Rocket.Chat, Discord, Slack and Viber. The alternatives page compares them.
