In today’s digital world, video calls have become the heart of communication for personal and professional connections alike. Whether it’s a team meeting, a client presentation, or simply catching up with friends, a reliable, secure video platform is essential. With its latest update, Signal — the privacy-first messaging app — is stepping up as a viable alternative to Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, offering users advanced video call features with unparalleled security and simplicity.
Introducing Signal’s “Calls” Tab: A Hub for Seamless Connections
One of the most exciting updates is Signal’s new “Calls” tab. This tab centralizes all your call management needs, allowing you to make new calls, manage call links, and easily access your call history in one place. No more searching through chat threads or creating groups just to connect — the Calls tab streamlines the experience, enabling quicker and simpler call management.
With the “Calls” tab, you can create and share links for meetings, similar to Zoom, Meet, and Teams. These links are reusable, allowing for recurring meetings without the hassle of re-creating a call link every time. Now, users can seamlessly share call links with anyone, whether it’s for a weekly team sync or a recurring social chat. Additionally, this function brings the flexibility of secure video meetings into a familiar and private environment.
Flexible Views and Management Features for Enhanced Experiences
To give users more control and customization, Signal’s desktop app now offers multiple viewing modes: grid, sidebar, and speaker view. These options make it easy to find a layout that suits your meeting style, whether you’re catching up with multiple friends, leading a client call, or focusing on a single speaker. It’s about making video calls as adaptable and comfortable as possible.
Signal has also introduced several meeting management tools, making it competitive with established platforms. With this update, hosts can name calls, approve or deny requests to join, and even kick or block disruptive participants when necessary. For larger meetings, Signal’s hand-raising feature lets attendees indicate they have a question or comment, ensuring everyone gets a chance to speak — a feature popularized by Google Meet that’s now available in Signal’s privacy-centric environment.
Why Choose Signal? A Commitment to Privacy Without Compromise
Signal has been a leader in secure communication, with encrypted group video calls introduced as early as 2020. In a landscape where privacy and data security are more important than ever, Signal stands out for its commitment to protecting user information. All video calls on Signal are encrypted, and no data is tracked, logged, or sold.
With the new updates, Signal now supports group calls of up to 50 participants, making it suitable not only for personal use but also for smaller teams and organizations. Competing messaging app WhatsApp, for example, supports up to 32 people in video calls but only introduced call links and screen sharing in 2022. Signal, however, remains ahead of the curve with its flexible tools, larger group capacity, and steadfast promise of privacy.
Signal’s Statement on the New Updates: A Look Toward the Future
Recognizing the growing reliance on video calls worldwide, Signal’s team expressed their commitment to improving the experience for users. “Video calls have become a new normal meeting place for organizations, workplaces, and groups of friends all over the world,” Signal shared in a recent blog post. “As communication norms change, Signal’s promise of a private place to communicate stays the same. To make Signal calling better overall, we’ve spent the last few months building some welcome improvements.”
With a comprehensive suite of new tools and ongoing enhancements, Signal’s dedication to privacy does not come at the cost of functionality. This new update makes it clear that Signal is here to compete with the giants of video conferencing, all while maintaining the integrity and privacy that have defined it since day one.
Available Now on iOS, Android, and Desktop
Signal is rolling out these video call updates across all platforms — iOS, Android, and desktop. For those who prioritize privacy but don’t want to compromise on features, Signal’s latest update represents an exciting step forward. As video calls continue to play a central role in both work and social spheres, Signal’s user-friendly, secure features set a high bar for what people should expect in modern communication tools.
Signal is making its case as a powerful, privacy-focused alternative to mainstream video conferencing platforms. With user-centric features and an uncompromising approach to data protection, it’s poised to become the go-to choice for individuals and organizations alike who want a reliable, flexible, and secure platform for all their video calling needs.
