Keeping Signal background connection on without having the app open

Applications Android Apps
1

Hi all! I’m running SFOS without microg, so Signal uses the ‘background connection’ (websocket?) to notify for new messages etc.

I’ve noticed that closing the app also shuts off the background connection, as the persistent ‘Background connection enabled’ notification disappears and I stop receiving notifications. Sometimes the connection gets re-enabled randomly after some time even if I don’t start the app, but not always. I’d like to be able to close the app and still receive notifications.

How are you guys dealing with this? I think Whisperfish has some kind of a solution for notifications, but I’d rather use the official app.

EDIT: changed the title to be more descriptive

2

Oh… I am receiving always messages eventhough my Signal is closed from app screen.
Only if I kill the AppSupport, then messages cease to come.
But I have microG installed and in use - can that make so much difference here?

In Settings > Apps > Signal you have an option to not let background operations run. But I have always had a feeling that apps don’t respect that option and run anyways their background thingies. Anyone know better than me?

2 Likes
3

Yeah microg connects to google’s firebase for notifications so it works a bit differently. In my case I prefer to actually have signal run in the background :slight_smile:

1 Like
4

Have you disabled “Battery optimisation” for Signal?

5

I think so, although I can’t find it in the settings to check… But I think the connection wouldn’t occasionally start itself if I had it enabled. EDIT: Perhaps I should also add that the connection gets automatically enabled at system startup.

6

Okay then I’m out of ideas, sorry :confused:

1 Like
7

Np thanks for the suggestion :slight_smile:

8

For me, I just needed to go to Settings > Apps > Signal app > and enable “Allow background services to start at boot”.

1 Like
9

Maybe one should also check if “Pause app when it’s not being used” (or whatever the English wording is) is turned ON, it has to be OFF I guess.

1 Like
10

While it is not the official app, you could try Molly. https://molly.im/

And definitely give a try to Whisperfish.

2 Likes
11

Thanks for the suggestions!

I have that enabled. Does the background connection shut off for you when you close the app – and then restart?

Yep actually that’s greyed out, idk if it’s a Signal thing.

Good point, although I’d guess Molly suffers from the same issue. Could look into it!

Would love to use a native app especially since Signal’s pretty much the last android app that I need, but I’m just not comfortable with the security and stability tradeoffs that Whisperfish comes with. I also use Signal for calls so Whisperfish won’t serve me there :confused:

1 Like
12

I have Whisperfish linked to Molly, and Molly is configured to use UnifiedPush. I just turned off message notifications in Molly. Any calls that come through use Molly, and I use Whisperfish otherwise.

4 Likes
13

I may have misunderstood your question.

1 Like
14

Sounds like a nice setup, I’ll consider doing something similar!

15

Have you checked the “Danger zone” version of Signal APK here: Signal >> Signal Android APK
since this version is different and the updater also is notified through the app itself and does not point to Google playstore.

1 Like
16

Yeah that’s the version I’m using, I like to live dangerously :+1: