Signal Desktop

Signal Desktop is the official client, giving you the gold-standard end-to-end encrypted messaging, calls, and groups on your Linux desktop, synced with your phone. The protocol is the one WhatsApp licensed, the organization is a nonprofit, and metadata collection is minimal by design. If your circle is on Signal, the Linux experience is complete.

It’s an Electron app that requires a phone-first account — no standalone desktop registration — and message history before linking doesn’t transfer. The official builds target Debian/Ubuntu repos; the Flatpak is community-maintained (fine in practice, worth knowing). And the eternal caveat of messengers applies: it’s only as useful as the people you can convince to use it.