Know if Someone is Online on Signal & Check Last Seen

WhatsApp has been criticized for its updated Terms of Service, effective February 8, 2021. The new policy changes how the platform processes user data when a WhatsApp business account is involved and shares it with Facebook. Users are moving towards alternatives like signals and many tech giants are approving it. According to Sensor Tower, Signal saw 2.3 million new downloads between January 6 and January 10.

WhatsApp has been around since 2010 and by mid-2019 has become the default messaging system for around 400 million users in India. It became the most popular messaging app and became an essential part of users' lives. Now, even when some users start switching to options like signal, they miss some features of WhatsApp that do not signal.

Extensive sticker pack: The stickers available on Signal are limited as opposed to the abundance of stickers on WhatsApp. However, Signal mentions that it will soon roll out features like chat wallpaper, a contact field for your Signal profile, animated sticker and media auto-download settings, and full-screen profile photos.

Status update: WhatsApp also has status update which lacks signal as it does not support status update.

Online and last seen: Shows live and active users online and last seen status on WhatsApp platform. However, the signal does not show online status or last seen and also gives users the option to disable typing indicators. There is no way to do this on WhatsApp.

Custom Chat Wallpapers: WhatsApp recently introduced a custom chat wallpaper feature that allows users to set different wallpapers for different chats. WhatsApp says that by separating your chats, users should never worry about sending messages to the wrong chat.

Third Party Backup: While WhatsApp allows users to backup their chats to third parties like Google Drive, Signal does not offer this feature to its users. However, the app gives users the option to manually set up a local backup.

WhatsApp Payments and Carts: WhatsApp launches WhatsApp's UPI-based payment feature with NPCI in late 2020 and later launches carts for WhatsApp business by monetizing the platform. Signal's Brian Acton left WhatsApp in 2017 because he didn't want to monetize the app, so there's no payment method or cart to take Signal into Acton's hands later.

Although WhatsApp has some features that are not in the signal, the signal has some features that WhatsApp does not have. The signal gives users the option to write a note to themselves instead of forming a single individual group to send notes to themselves. Signal app lets users relay their voice calls to the app server to hide their identities.

How do you know if someone is online at Signal?

Using these two methods you can easily find out the online status of the person you are chatting with using the Signal app.

1: Checking typing index

Step 1: Make sure your 'Typing Indicator' is turned on.

(You can do this by going to your account 'Settings' and tapping your profile in the top left corner or by tapping the three vertical dots at the top right of your screen and then tapping 'Privacy'. Typing indicator.)

Step 2: Go back to the chat page and then tap on the pencil icon in the bottom right. Your contacts using the Signals app will be displayed here

Step 3: Select the contact or name of the person you want to have a conversation with. Type the message and send by tapping the send arrow.

Step 4: When the adversary replies to your message, you will see the 'Typing' icon. Signal app online typing

Step 5: This typing icon appears in the chat of the signal conversation.

If you see a typing alert in the chatbox and it means that the person is online.

For this method, both you and the person you are chatting with must have their 'typing indicator' turned on.

2: Wait for messages and replies

Step 1: Open your Signals app.

Step 2: The page containing all your recent chats with different contacts will be displayed here.

Step 3: Open the chat window of the person you want to chat with.

Step 4: Type the message you want to send and then tap the send arrow.

Step 5: Once it is sent you will get a checkmark in message.sent message

Step 6: Now wait for the person to reply to your message.

About Debmalya Datta

Welcome to our blog “CYBER SUGGEST“. Debmalya Datta is a professional Blogger, Developer, Social Media Influencer, Digital Marketer and Entrepreneur. He loves doing work which makes him happy, that’s why he choose Blogging and Educate people. You will love exploring educational stuff on our blog. Live your dreams as much as you can. Be a SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTER