Signal is rolling out a new feature that enables customers to change cellphone numbers on their account with out dropping all their present chats, teams, and messages throughout the safe messaging app.

In order to add a new number, you’ll nonetheless want to have the ability to get Signal messages despatched to your previous quantity. Then, head over to the brand new “Change Phone Number” possibility underneath Signal’s account settings, the place you’ll be requested to enter in each the previous and new numbers. Lastly, Signal will information you thru the usual registration process for establishing a cellphone quantity with one in all its accounts.

Once you’ve efficiently up to date your quantity, contacts you’ve been chatting with in Signal will see a brand new message inline in your thread that notes that you just’ve modified their cellphone quantity, together with a useful hyperlink to replace your contact card accordingly. Crucially, although, you gained’t lose your present thread or teams that you just’re already part of.

The new characteristic is meant for customers who’re holding their present cellphone however getting a brand new cellphone quantity — in the event you’re simply upgrading to a brand new cellphone and wish to preserve all of your stuff, you’ll want to make use of Signal’s local data transfer feature to ship over your knowledge out of your previous gadget to a brand new one.