(Note: Android users can access Signal’s Settings menu either by tapping their profile icon or selecting the menu under the three dots in the upper-right corner, then tapping Settings. iOS users will need to tap their profile icon and then Settings to access the full menu.)

On Android, you can make Signal your default messaging app by going to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Default Apps > SMS app, and picking Signal. Just remember that not everyone you text has it installed and that an iOS user you’re texting with might check their Signal app less often than they do iMessage. (iOS still doesn’t let you change the default messaging app, sorry!)

Once you've registered your Signal account, you can pick a username if you decide to do so. (For maximizing your privacy, WIRED recommends that you do.) Simply go to Settings and tap on your Profile at the top of the settings page. Select the @ field and set your username, which must be unique and include two or more numbers at the end. You can change your username at anytime.

A benefit of having a Signal username is that you can choose to prevent other Signal users from seeing your phone number, and you can prevent people from finding you on Signal if they already know your number. To enable these options, go to Settings > Privacy > Phone Number and select Nobody under Who Can See My Number and/or Who Can Find Me By Number.

One of the most critical settings to enable is profile PINs, which will make it easier for you to keep your account data even when you transfer devices and to protect your contact lists, profile information, settings, and more. You can set one up when you join or head to Privacy > Signal PIN in your app settings to set or change yours anytime. The introduction of PINs was controversial among cryptography hard-liners, who