SMS/MMS on Signal Desktop, via piping the message over an encrypted tunnel to phone?

[tromlet]

• I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

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Bug Description

Would it be at all possible to turn Signal Desktop into the best desktop texting application of all desktop texting applications? I realize SMS/MMS sucks, but plenty of people still haven't moved to Signal because of their walled gardens, such as the Apple platform with iMessage and such. It'd be awesome if, with desktop Signal, I could just pipe my SMS/MMS messages over a secure pipe to my phone (which would send a receipt notification upon receiving the complete piece of data), which would then pipe those out to the appropriate phone number/contact using the phone's connection to the SMS/MMS network.

Most of the carrier-brand desktop texting applications are hot garbage (Verizon's Message+ app has 1.5 out of 5 stars on the Mac App Store), so you might get some adoption with the introduction of this feature, and MAN it'd be super nice.

Steps to Reproduce

There aren't any steps to reproduce. This is a feature request.

Screenshots

There are no screenshots, as this feature does not exist in Signal yet. This is a feature request.

Platform Info

Signal Version: Signal Desktop 1.22.0

Operating System: Mac OS X 10.14.3 Mojave (64-bit)

Linked Device Version: Motorola G5 Plus - Android 8.1.0

Link to Debug Log

There is no debug log, as this feature does not exist yet. This is a feature request.

[Campano]

I realize the decision was made in the past not to implement this feature, but I can only concur that it would drive the adoption of Signal as the main messaging app, which is beneficial to the community.

This is a key feature for any Desktop messaging client, nobody wants to manage two different apps for sending messages and having to remember which app to use for which contact, it's confusing for the user not to have 100% of the app's functionality on the Desktop Client.

Last but not least: I'd rather trust an open-source Signal Foundation app with handling my unencrypted messages than a commercial product like AirDroid.

History: #496 (comment)

[wesleyboar-fka-iosulfur]

I provide extra information regarding using Signal (for Signal users) and another messaging app (for SMS).

nobody wants to manage two different apps for sending messages and having to remember which app to use for which contact

Even this option may be unavailable, if a user sets Signal to the default messages app, because Google's Messages app (or is the Android 9 OS in control of this) does not allow one to use Signal and Messages, when Signal is the default messenger. Messages must be default app, or it is not available for use (the app reports that it must be default app for it to be available for use).

When I mention Google's Messages app, this includes the Android app and the web app (https://messages.google.com/).

[schultzter]

Lack of SMS from the desktop is what keeps me from adopting Signal and sticking with SMS (i.e.: PulseSMS, previously MightyText and PushBullet - all of which enable sending SMS via your phone from the desktop/web client).

[Grosskopf]

Why not use KDEConnect for implementing this? it has some commandline sms features over wifi, is wonderfull foss and runs on almost all platforms except IOS so far :)

[curiousdan]

Gonna bump this, since it's been quiet for a few months. I was excited to switch over to Signal from Google products, but the lack of SMS forwarding to desktop clients makes this difficult. Google's messaging client has a web-interface that can be used to send and receive texts.

[jmlivingston]

Agreed! This is one of the things I really like about Google Messages for Desktop. It is also cross platform and I can use on a Mac or PC unlike assuming I'm using an Android phone. I imagine this won't be possible with an iPhone as they have SMS locked down, but at least Android support would be nice.

[mdeguzis]

I also suggest others track the subreddit on this, as there is plenty of discussion on why this isn't a thing (at least right now): https://www.reddit.com/r/signal/comments/a68dee/sending_sms_from_desktop/

[schultzter]

@mdeguzis unfortunately that thread is locked and so there isn't much reason to track it. You can just search desktop sms in the subreddit and see there's quite a bit of active discussion (same for the Signal Community forum). They all end the same way though: one side proposing everyone should just use Signal and the other side abandoning Signal because few contacts use it.

It would be great if everyone used Signal and SMS/MMS was the exception and we had one unified messenger (rant ON like iMessage is and Hangouts should have been rant OFF).

I guess my point is that if Google won't step-up and make a viable iMessage competitor then I wish someone else would - and my first choice would be Signal. There are quite a few desktop SMS solutions for Android so it's hard to sympathize with Signal's resistance.

[designsimply]

Because not everyone in the world will be able or willing to adopt Signal, being able to do SMS via Signal Desktop would be the one feature that would make me switch to using Signal as my sole messaging app.

[Campano]

Btw there's another duplicate: #1645

[whtevn]

echoing here. I just switched my default sms to signal, sent a test message over desktop, searched this out, and then switched it back to google messages.

[Cory-Watson]

echoing here. I just switched my default sms to signal, sent a test message over desktop, searched this out, and then switched it back to google messages.

I know the Signal devs have decided not to implement this feature, but I honestly feel like they underestimate how much this would increase the Signal user base. This is the one and only reason I don't use Signal anymore. I suspect that there are many others like us that don't use Signal for this very reason.

[DerDings]

This would create so much more consistency between mobile and Desktop apps. Users shouldn't be accustomed to a feature on mobile and later be forced conceding it because it is not fully supported throughout the ecosystem.

[janderson2k]

THIS FEATURE not existing is why I DONT use signal.

[marcusrugger]

I must say that it is disappointing to discover this issue.

I would like to replace Google Messages with Signal but being able to send SMS messages from my PC has become an integral part of my messaging needs.

[nick-benoit14]

Ditto, if this feature existed, I would never use google messages again

[Marc2112]

Same here. Lack of SMS support in Signal for Desktop makes me switch back the standard SMS app on my phone because otherwise that setting breaks functionality of my third-party SMS desktop client. It's a pity. I wish Signal for Desktop would provide full SMS support and I would not have to use other messaging tools anymore.

[soliver8]

I discovered signal today. Started using it, saw it had a desktop app, loved it, was getting ready to try to get all my friends and family to try it as their SMS/messaging app. Had a pitch written out and everything.

Realized I couldn't send them this message in the app for some reason. Googled it, found this page. Now I'm very sad. If only Signal had this feature I could completely embrace it as my main messaging app. But now I will have to dump it and go back to android messages because being able to text from my desktop is too important to give up.

Please please please reconsider this feature.

[logger24]

Cool. I was just checking new apps out today and guess I'm uninstalling this and going back to looking around. Not only is the Desktop Client all but useless... the app seems half baked as a whole; it struggles to even import sms/mms messages into it and I get large gaps of missing messages. It doesn't even have a feature to try and sync again.

[aagha]

It's a big bummer that SMS is unsupported in the Signal desktop app.

Now, by making Signal my primary SMS app, Google Messenger no longer allows me to access it and so I have no desktop mechanism to interact w/ SMS messages.

My plan had been to use one Signal to rule them all and I could convince 30-ish odd family members to use it as well, but I can't do so if it means having to jump to just one more separate app for another message. Bummer.

[jasek5]

well same here - it is sad that there is no sms support (at least on local network) for pc client

[directrix1]

A group of my friends and myself were looking for an app to migrate to since the whole Hangouts, Messages, Allo crap is being so badly fumbled. It was almost Signal until we realized we couldn't do SMS/MMS from the desktop. Oh well. Like so many others above we realize the lack of this feature alone will ensure many people will not move to this.

[1ubuntuuser]

Would be a really nice feature. How about:
When a phone is contactable over the internet or on the same wifi: SMS threads are visible
When phone is offline: SMS threads readable but greyed out.

[1ubuntuuser]

As a work around I am currently using airdroid.com. Wonderful for sending SMS from your desktop even when the default app is signal.

[lukehmcc]

I just wanted to add myself to the list of people that would like to adopt Signal as my default messaging app, but simply can't because desktop SMS integration is critical for my use case.

I'll keep an eye out, but I really don't see myself using Signal at all until this becomes possible.

I 100% agree with this. The whole allure of using signal for me is that I can still sms/mms people that I am not super close to while being annoying and forcing people I am close to to use the signal app. That means more convenience and more security all into one. The only reason I thought signal was interesting over the plethora of other secure messengers was this feature.

But at the same time I basically don't touch my phone and make 90% of my messages from my computer, so the lack of this feature means it's a no go. I'll probably continue to use google messages and for more secure stuff I'll set up a matrix server. Really disappointed that they're so dead-set on security to the point where they alienate a good chunk of possible users by not having feature parity between the desktop and mobile apps.

[lukehmcc]

This situation reminds me of trying to get the GNOME devs to add a dark mode lol

[TSIXGaming]

This is needed

[svoop]

@rebelcode-xr

This is definitely what I expected from the Desktop app, sad they don't want to implement it: any fork around?

Fair point: SMS/MMS won't die anytime soon, but Signal might as soon as a fork or competitor supports both the secure IM and legacy infrastructure protocols.

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[Campano]

I won't let a bot close this issue.

[Trapulo]

I also think that this (simple?) feature is required. In fact it is the only reason I cannot switch to signal as unique messaging app.

[schultzter]

Actually, let the bot close this and save our energy for when Google allows third-party RCS clients. Then we make sure Signal gets on that!

[humleflue]

This is still relevant. It shouldn't be closed.

[Campano]

This issue has been closed due to the feature-request-should-happen-on-the-forum policy

This is the closest equivalent found on the forum: https://community.signalusers.org/t/sms-integration-into-signal-desktop/1486/48

[hubyhuby]

Please make it happen:
WHY ?
Because the VALUE of a network is the number of persons you can reach.
With signal you can reach much less persons than Whatsapp , Facebook or Insta !
+60% of the persons I want to reach do NOT have signal.

SOLUTION :
beeing able to send SMS to contacts not on signal is a must. It lets you switsh to signal but not loose connection to your contacts.
Now when working on my desktop I whish I could do exactely the same : send SMS.

I understand there are technical challenges, but that would be one of the most used features for me.

Please re-open this issue

[andykais]

cant an issue be moved to a discussion through some admin rules on the repo? Theres a lot of discussion on this issue, it would be a shame to simply start fresh over in the discussions

[Eagle3386]

It could, but

1. Devs in here don't care for closed issues, if they care for one's like this at all (IMHO, they don't).
2. Devs chose a path absolutely uncommon here on GitHub - you're asked (forced, actually) to post a feature request on a community forum (which sucks pretty much - from a software engineering point of view, at least).
3. It wouldn't change anything, because they explicitly chose to not implement a feature only available on Android but not on iOS - from my point of view, even if somebody would provide a PR that adds the necessary implementation, they'd not merge, but still refuse & drop it.

You can discuss this as much as you want, but Signal's authors chose another path down the road of mobile messengers & bring up weird argument one by one, just to continue to avoid adding requested features while adding stuff way fewer people asked for (if any).

For example, any 2FA that sends SMS, e. g. PayPal, requires me to manually delete those SMS - simply because the devs chose to prevent such conversations to use the built-in (!) auto-deleted feature, too.
To me, that pretty much shows what devs are building Signal as it clearly shows what their priorities are.

So, I for one made my peace with it by just stopping to convince people to switch from WhatsApp or even Threema to Signal - let alone donating to Signal for constantly adding useless features all the time.
I just continue to use WhatsApp most of the time due to it offering statuses & any one still sending SMS to me, I either convince them to buy a smartphone or simply gift one of my older ones to them - for them to join WhatsApp, of course. 😈

[hubyhuby]

@Eagle3386 ,
I agree in part. Some persons in the community doesn t seem to think "service design", and only think "privacy". I think both shall be of concern.
When you ask the genral public , everyone agree "privacy" is a concern...now if you want to make it mainstream you have to make it usable. Otherwise people will just give up signal.
As I already commented the mai n interest of a networking app like signal is the number of persons you may reach.
SMS is the only way you can reach the 90% of your contact that don t have signal !
The real life net effect of signal at first is to make the world LESS SECURE, because half of your contact are on whatsapp and you will have to sen them good old SMS.
Apparentely the google android SMS app offer s it :
(removed picture because some find it too big :) ) Anyhow the sms google app has it;)

Why not signal ?

[Eagle3386]

I neither speak French, nor can I read it, nor do I find it appropriate to post such gigantic screenshot within a GitHub issue.

[Campano]

Well that settles it: https://signal.org/blog/sms-removal-android

[Trapulo]

from bad to worse.

And, of course, we are going from a tlc world where interoperability was the rule, to a wall-garden-based one (not a signal specific problem). Simply an hell.

[Campano]

The answer might reside in running a Matrix server : https://matrix.org/bridges/

[Ptmc518]

I had a hard enough time getting a few contacts to join Signal. They'll quit since they still use sms for others, and I'm done with Signal as well since I can't get everyone to switch and would prefer a single app.

[schultzter]

The answer might reside in running a Matrix server : https://matrix.org/bridges/

How do those bridges work? Is there a hosted Matrix server somewhere I can easily join that has all (or most) of those bridges available or do I have to set my own to be able to use them?

[lasse-instructr]

Well that settles it: https://signal.org/blog/sms-removal-android

This was really sad to read. I know that most of the people I've persuaded into joining Signal did so because they did not need to install another app, but could replace their sms app with Signal.

This change means that these people will leave Signal, so I probably will do the same soon, as nobody is going to be using the platform.

Sad to see that Signal are taking these steps, which will ultimately result in, that it is only going to be the most paranoid people who are using the app, and not the wider population of the world.

[hubyhuby]

Ho my god this is the worst move from Signal and any community out there for a long time. They are really killing themselfs!
Please signal community react ! Where can we protest ???

As explained up, the value of a network is the number of persons you may reach.
This move will force many users to move away from signal !
Again the net effect of signal is to be LESS secure, besause people will use more SMS than previousely whatsapp in the end.

The pedagogic there were doing inciting people to move to signal (vias SMS sending) was very clever. Putting the user at the heart of theire product.
Now signal is moving to a sort of ideal thinking actually like the one they are fighting "Zukerberg and the like". Its all black or white...no people are just in the grey.

I just cannot believe this....very sad

[hubyhuby]

Please give your support here ASAP while it s open : signalapp/Signal-Android#12522

[jamiebuilds-signal]

I'm going to limit this conversation to just collaborators since this isn't the right avenue for this discussion. This issue was already closed as we ask for all feature requests to go to the community forum. For this topic specifically, I'll direct you to this post in the forum

Please know that we take community feedback very seriously, and you are welcome to talk about this more on the forum, but as contributors we need this space dedicated specifically to tracking bugs.

Thank you