Feature Request: Option to auto-save received images/video to camera roll

[eharris]

Nearly all other chat apps allow some form of auto-save to camera roll/image gallery of received images and videos. Matching this functionality in Signal would be great option, preferably on a per-conversation/per-contact basis.

[GPMueller]

I absolutely agree that this should be available, but I suggest that in contrast to other apps, this should be opt-in (i.e. off by default).

[NiklasBr]

I also wish Signal could auto-save my sms history, (only to the encrypted iTunes backup if possible).

[p0ll3]

That feature is essential, at least if you try to get whatsapp users to join signal. Most of my Friends beef about that.

[NiklasBr]

@p0ll3 please add your voice to #2542

[ksnell88]

Old feature request but I wanted to put another vote in for being able to auto save all media to camera roll (iOS) on a chat-by-chat basis. There are some chats where I know I will want to save all media, and I have to go through the tedious process of saving them each (and being sure not to duplicate).

[Berghopper]

I also agree that this should be an option (maybe also make it configurable during first use?).
Especially in the case where, let's say your screen is broken, recovery of media can be much more difficult.

[Meteor0id]

automated saving to camera roll would go against the idea that users should never be given an option to compromise their own security without continuous consent for every time such compromise is made.
I my view Signal is setting an example for real secure messaging. Giving people the option to export images outside the encrypted app is fine, but doing it on every image without keeping the user aware is bad security practice and that options shouldn't be offered to the user because the app should alos keep the user safe from his own mistakes.

[GPMueller]

Then how about some sort of button, which would appear below each received image (or set of images)? It would make exporting much easier compared to now, as one would not have to navigate any menus. It could in principle also indicate if an export has previously taken place.

[Meteor0id]

I have no opinion about how it should look and where such button would be shown, but what you propose does resolve the privacy concern of decrypting without keeping the user aware.

Seeing the image or group of images before you activly decide if you want to save them to the camera roll is the way to go.

[Berghopper]

@GPMueller @Meteor0id
Why not a global option that is off by default? Make it per chat (type) too. I do agree automatically saving to camera roll could potentially be a privacy risk, but a lot of people are just used to the idea of having it there, which would make transition into Signal easier.

I think it should be selectable at setup time of the app as well, to highlight this option is off by default.

[eharris]

I agree this option should be off by default, but I cannot comprehend why some people think it is right to not even allow people to enable this if they want. It seems to me to be the height of arrogance to think your security preferences should be the only way that is allowed. If you don't want to do it, don't enable it, but don't disallow me from doing what I wish with my own device and my own media.

I am using Signal only for private communication, not for private storage. I do not believe that media sent to me is any more secure just because it's supposedly only accessible inside an app rather than in my camera roll, it is just a lot more inconvenient (and uselessly so) for me to use that content how I want without any security gain. Once media is sent to me, I should have the right to do with it what I want without having to jump through manual hoops every time.

[Meteor0id]

What the original post suggested was a single switch to send all inconing messages to the canera roll without further user actions. This shouldn't be allowed because it compronises security of the user, and it does so without confronting him about it.

When media are send to you in Signal, they are stored on your device as encrypted data. Even if some law enforcement (say the Chinese customs when you enter their country) were to look into your device, if they can't unlock Signal they can't see those media. If a mallicious app is installed on your phone which scans or uploads some of your media, it can't do that to media you receive on Signal because those are encrypted. An encrypted Signal media item can be deleted permanently eithout fear that it still lingers on your storage and a forenstic tool could recover it.

Signal should offer a button to export media, but that should remain a contious action of the user on a per item or per group of sekected items. By limiting this functionality to a manual action, the user is forced to consider the security risk, and to stay aware of the existance of some risks.

You not believing that your media are more secure if bot exported is just an example of how humans are not good at assesing risk ahead of time. The decision to export media should be taken when you know what this media is, not ahead of time.

Is it arrogant of anyone to not always permit you to do what you want with Signal? I don't think so. Signal is an app about secure and private messaging. Its scope is limited to secure messaging. If you want to opt for insecure, than you do have that freedom, by choosing another app.

I am not member of Signals developing team, I'm just another user, so maybe you'll get lucky and they agree with you. But my opinion is that security by design can sometimes also require that the user can't shoot himself in the foot even if he would like to.

[ksnell88]

Opt-in autosave makes perfect sense (with the ability to tweak chat-by-chat) so the default is more privacy yet a useful feature can be added.

The concerns about "shooting yourself in the foot" are unwarranted IMHO considering you can already toggle on "Show Calls in Recents" in the iOS Phone app under the Privacy settings. Signal already interfaces with the Phone app so what is the difference with the Photos app?

[z4ndr3i]

Similar to WhatsApp, there should be an option within each 1:1 or group chat to automatically save received media to the camera roll. I'm not of the opinion that it should be a global switch (like in WhatsApp), but it should be available to be turned ON/OFF on a convo-by-convo basis.

One size does not fit all & I cannot wait to get rid of WhatsApp, but I'm not going to manually save or export each [insert-your-harmless-type] picture I get from fam & friends.

[onnokleen]

I agree - I am not taking many photos myself and rely on my friends :) An opt-in per conversation would be great (for example that with my wife).

[norcon]

Please add this feature. That would be great

[themartorana]

Trying to move my family to Signal away from WhatsApp and Facebook, and this is the single complaint I've gotten from everyone. Opt in makes sense. Even a warning or periodic reminder makes sense (Google Photos started doing this with auto-sharing.)

[ghost]

This feature is what I currently miss the most at Signal. Privacy and security first, but the choice and freedom for users second! :)

[evertvh]

This issue prevents many of my contacts from using Signal.

[Meteor0id]

I personally think that adding a global option to save all incoming media in an unencrypted fashion woukd cause many users to expose their media to other apps on their device, and I think many people do not know or do not believe that there us a real risk that other apps fingerprint or even steal your media, or they don't believe it matters if any app does that.

I think Signal should not offer a global save all media unencrypted option, but should instead start writing articles or videos to explain this thread and make people aware that it really exists and that it's wise to keep media encrypted at all times.

[NiklasBr]

All iOS devices are encrypted since a very long time ago, including Data Vaults.

[eharris]

Also, what's being asked for isn't a "Global save all media" option. I, and probably most others, would be fine with a per contact or per group thread opt-in option.

Part of the problem is the arrogance of the mindset that just because some users' choices aren't your choices, that you are somehow justified in refusing to allow them to use software in the way they want, or that they need to be educated/indoctrinated to adopt your mindset. You are denying users the ability to use Signal's superior "in-transit" security when some people don't want or need super strict (and sometimes very inconvenient) "at-rest" security.

My data is exactly that: MY data. I should be able to do with it what I want, including save it automatically/conveniently.

[onnokleen]

Also, what's being asked for isn't a "Global save all media" option. I, and probably most others, would be fine with a per contact or per group thread opt-in option.

Part of the problem is the arrogance of the mindset that just because some users' choices aren't your choices, that you are somehow justified in refusing to allow them to use software in the way they want, or that they need to be educated/indoctrinated to adopt your mindset. You are denying users the ability to use Signal's superior "in-transit" security when some people don't want or need super strict (and sometimes very inconvenient) "at-rest" security.

My data is exactly that: MY data. I should be able to do with it what I want, including save it automatically/conveniently.

I agree completely. I would be even happier about a per-chat opt-in than about a global option.

[eharris]

I should also note, that for me (and likely others) LOSS of data is a much bigger concern/risk than BREACH of data. Disallowing any form of auto-save practically guarantees that people will forget to save something and thereby lose it, or when something completely innocent (from a security aspect) occurs, like when their phone gets unexpectedly broken and has to be replaced.

[Meteor0id]

The problem of an opt-in to autosaving is that you are opting-out of additional security, and you can then forget it for years to come.
You opt-out of encrypted storage in 2021, and in 2026 you have some nalware on your device which fibgerpribts or copies all your media.
Yes you should be allowed to take a risk, but you should be kept aware that you're taking risk.

I would also rather call it an opt-out of encrypted storage rather than an opt-in to saveing to unencrypted storage, to reflect thst you are not using some option rather than using an additional option.

[eharris]

Do you really think someone is going to still be using the same phone 5 years later? In any case, fine, make the option have to be reconfirmed once a year if you like, as long as the means of re-confirmation makes absolutely CERTAIN that the auto-save opt-in doesn't get accidentally turned off without the user being aware (and thus risking the unrealized loss of their data).

What you call it probably doesn't matter, as long as the functionality is there and what the option does is made clear.

[evertvh]

Is there a way we can bring more attention to this issue? Or just wait and see and hope it will be picked up at some point?

[langbnj]

Please add this as an opt-in feature, yes!

It's important to me to have photos and videos in one place (namely iCloud) so they will be backed up, rather than being locked inside one of five messaging apps.

[wali-khan]

So if am guessing it right... this isn’t considered to get developed cuz of security concern?

[thisisbhavin]

I don't understand how is this a security issue if there is a warning when users opt-in. If they consciously choose to save media then they should be allowed to do so. This is the single feature holding me from recommending my friends and family to use this app.

[eogut]

I agree to everybody. It's super frustrating to not have this option. My phone is encrypted, I don't need this extra layer of security. Downside is that if I don't download the pictures, they will be buried somewhere in a chat, making it bothersome to bulk delete pictures that are occupying my phone's storage. Please, introduce this function.

[kaktusztea]

Hi,
while devs track only bugs on Github and feature requests were moved to the forum, could you move the conversation to there and close this ticket?

You can find the auto-save feature request topic here:
https://community.signalusers.org/t/automatically-save-attachments-to-device-and-possibly-link-to-them-from-inside-the-app/5147

You can raise the weight of that feature request by adding a ♥️ reaction to the first comment in the forum topic.

[eogut]

@kaktusztea thanks for the info. This ticket is opened by @eharris, so I can't close it.

[stale]

Is this still relevant? If so, what is blocking it? Is there anything you can do to help move it forward?

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs.

[vedal]

The lack of this feature forced me to save all family pictures manually today, again, so I really hope it will be implemented. Cant see how ill convince my family to stay, instead of return to whatsapp, otherwise

[tk1]

I would highly appreciate this feature. I don’t understand why the developers block it. It is one of the main reasons that deters non-technical users from switching from WhatsApp to Signal.

[akuma91]

Bump!!

[kaktusztea]

Please comment feature requests on the forum:
https://community.signalusers.org/t/automatically-save-attachments-to-device-and-possibly-link-to-them-from-inside-the-app/5147

Let this ticket close.

[vedal]

@kaktusztea Interesting to write the exact same thing in the suggested community thread, linking to this issue, and have the comment almost immediately "flagged by the community". Not sure why it would be.

[kaktusztea]

@vedal: yeah, I commented to it that let you guys express your opinion, but there are some strange moderators who think in 90 degree 🤷‍♂️ (and my comment was flagged also 😄)

The rule is that a simple "I support this" kinda' comment is just bumping and is not allowed. You have to add some extra thoughts to it. But I think the moderation was too harsh.

[vedal]

@kaktusztea I see.
Is there another way to record support for a feature request than 1) bumping or 2) adding "+1" such as with the emoticons of OP here (> 200 emoticons in favor of the feature).
Otherwise it seems like, in closing this issue, we would lose this useful user feedback.

[kaktusztea]

Well, the standard way for +1 is to add a ❤️ reaction to the first comment in the forum topic.
If you have other thoughts, scenarios where it could be useful then comment. Threats like "Me and my friends will uninstall Signal if you don't implement this" are kinda pointless IMHO.
Mentioning this ticket could be useful though.

But just to know: devs have a backlog and they keep track on every feature request from the forum, but also prioritize or even disagree with some implementations.

[vedal]

@kaktusztea Thanks for explanation! I added a heart at the OP and commented reference link to this issue, as you suggested. I also agree with your humble opinion, and accept (and appreciate) the constructive criticism. :)

[Herohtar]

Note that there is no need to post links to this issue, as that was already done in the 9th post, and it likely exists in others. Re-posting the link only serves to bump the topic and does not contribute to the topic, which is against the forum guidelines.

[stale]

Is this still relevant? If so, what is blocking it? Is there anything you can do to help move it forward?

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs.

[lkwg82]

Still!

[Harmelodic]

Is this still relevant?

Yes. It is a feature that still does not exist, and is still highly desirable - given it is the most 👍 'd issue for this repository.

If so, what is blocking it?

Other than the developers prioritising other features, I genuinely have no idea.
If the devs need help working through a design for how this might work, then I'm happy to contribute.

Is there anything you can do to help move it forward?

Other than attempting to prevent a bot from marking it as stale and continuing to ask the developers to implement the feature, and offer to contribute in some way?...not sure!

[Cerberus0]

Please ignore the stale bot, it does not know the difference between bugs and feature requests because this is no longer the right place to submit or discuss feature requests. As requested by others earlier, please let this GitHub issue be closed and continue this discussion on the community forum:

https://community.signalusers.org/t/automatically-save-attachments-to-device-and-possibly-link-to-them-from-inside-the-app/5147

Thanks!

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[lkwg82]

Still relevant.

[Dahaniel]

Still very relevant. In addition: this is creating issues as the Signal db is accumulating media files, occupying huge amounts of storage on my device. The only practical solution would currently be to delete them all which is not where I want to go.

[EvanHahn-Signal]

As was mentioned, we'd like to use GitHub for bug reports, not feature requests. Please use this community forum thread to discuss this feature further, and the community forums to discuss other feature requests in general.

#4916 may be a better place to discuss this if there's an actual bug.