Signal is testing a way to register for the messaging app without a phone number. The option is available in the Android 8.28 beta, costs a one-time US$3 fee in the current explanation, and gives users an Account ID and Account Key instead of a number-based login.
Signal without phone number registration is optional
Greyson Parrelli, Signal’s lead Android developer, outlined the feature in Signal’s beta feedback forum. During registration, users can choose the new option, pay through an in-app purchase and receive an Account ID and Account Key. Signal says the payment uses the same zero-knowledge proofs as its donation system, so it is not directly linked to the account.
The Signal without phone number option carries a US$3 fee in the official explanation, which warns that prices can differ by country. That means the figure should not be treated as a confirmed UAE price. The payment is intended to make mass account creation less attractive to spammers, rather than turn Signal into a subscription service.
The new account credentials replace the recovery path associated with a phone number. Users are pushed towards saving them in a password manager, because losing either the Account ID or Account Key permanently locks them out. There is no alternative recovery mechanism.
What happens after Signal registration?
Users can add a username after registration. That step is optional, but an account without one cannot be found by other people; it can only join chats started by the account holder. Signal’s existing username controls already let people communicate without sharing their phone number, as we covered in our look at WhatsApp’s username plans.
The beta also adds TOTP two-factor authentication through apps such as Google Authenticator. Signal says passkey support, including hardware keys, is planned. Losing all second factors can still permanently lock an account, so the company recommends adding more than one if users enable the feature.
Signal beta 8.28 is available through the beta programme, while Android Authority reports version 8.28.1 through the Play Store or Signal’s GitHub releases. The normal phone-number registration route remains available.
Can you register for Signal without a phone number?
Yes. Signal’s Android 8.28 beta adds an optional phone-numberless registration path for new accounts.
How much does Signal’s numberless registration cost?
The beta explanation gives the fee as US$3, but says prices can differ by country. A UAE price was not confirmed in the sources reviewed.
What happens if you lose the numberless Signal account details?
The Account ID and Account Key have no alternative recovery mechanism, so losing either can permanently lock the user out.
