Signal is internally testing a new feature on Android that gives users more control over deleted messages. The experimental option introduces a temporary placeholder after a message is removed from your own device using “Delete for me”, allowing you to still choose to “Delete for everyone”.
This work in progress is visible in Signal’s source code for Android (GitHub commit a92079e). The feature is designed to prevent accidental mistakes when choosing between deleting a message only for yourself or removing it for all participants in a chat or group. If the time limit for deleting a message for everyone has expired, no further action is possible.
The feature is currently in development and being tested internally as part of Signal Labs, where Signal experiments with new functionality before potentially rolling it out to all users. Labs features are experimental and may still change significantly over time or even be removed entirely. Once features make it to the official release, Signal aims to make them available across all platforms.
More features in development under Labs
In addition to the improvements for deleting messages, Signal continues to experiment with new features under its Labs environment. Some of the features we discussed in our post about Signal Labs have already been released, while others, such as starred messages and story archives, are still part of this experimental environment.
As always, as soon as there’s more news, you will find it on our website and social media.
In the meantime, be sure to regularly check our release pages for Android, iOS and Desktop to see what has been released in the latest versions of Signal.
Stay Informed
Want to stay up to date with the latest Signal news, tips, and updates? Follow us on Bluesky or Mastodon.
