Signal has improved how it handles notifications on devices without Google Play services, such as de-Googled phones and devices running microG. Notifications are now more reliable when standard Google Play services are missing or unstable.
On devices where Google Play services are available, Signal will continue to use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) as the default push notification system, as explained by a developer on the Signal community forum. However, if FCM fails to register properly for three consecutive days, Signal will automatically switch to a persistent WebSocket connection to maintain reliable message delivery.
On devices where Google Play services are not available, Signal will first attempt to register with FCM anyway. If this registration fails, Signal will automatically enable WebSocket mode.
For cases where the device reports that FCM is available but it isn’t working properly, a new option has been added allowing users to manually force WebSocket mode via: Settings > Data and storage > Stay connected in background.
This option enables WebSocket-based background connectivity, giving users more control in situations where FCM is unreliable or non-functional. For most devices this option is not necessary, and users should only enable it if they are experiencing notification issues.
When “Stay connected in background” is enabled, you’ll see the Signal icon with two arrows in the status bar and a persistent notification saying “Background connection enabled”. This indicates that the app will attempt to maintain a persistent background connection and automatically reconnect if that connection is interrupted.
The new update is included in Signal for Android version 8.13.
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