Why Signal won't open
Signal has been fully blocked in Russia since August 2024 by Roskomnadzor. The messenger doesn't open, messages don't go through, the app hangs on connecting.
A full block means one thing: without a workaround you can't reach Signal's servers, no matter how many times you restart the app or switch networks.
What makes Signal different
Signal is one of the most secure messengers: end-to-end encryption on by default in every chat, open source, minimal metadata. That's why journalists, activists and careful people use it.
Ironically, that security makes it hard to route around blocks: encrypted traffic is easy to fingerprint by signature, and it gets throttled as a whole.
How to bring Signal back with a VPN
Step 1. Install a client
Happ or INCY is easiest, FlClashX, Karing and Rabbithole work too. Import the subscription once.
Step 2. Connect a server
Turn the VPN on for all traffic. Signal can't work through point proxies, it needs a full encrypted channel, otherwise the connection to its servers never forms.
Step 3. Restart the messenger
Close Signal fully and reopen it. Undelivered messages will come through.
Step 4. If calls drop
For calls over an unstable line pick protocol Hysteria2 (runs over QUIC, reconnects fast) or XHTTP.
Why not every VPN works
Simple VPN protocols get fingerprinted and throttled too. Only masking protocols hold up:
- VLESS + Reality, looks like a normal HTTPS site
- XHTTP, masks as an API request
- Hysteria2, over QUIC, resists throttling
With them Signal recovers steadily. They run on all our servers.
FAQ
Is Signal fully blocked? Yes, since August 2024. It won't open without a workaround.
Will an SMS code or a new number help? No. The issue isn't your account, it's access to Signal's servers.
Can anyone see my messages with a VPN? No. The VPN encrypts the channel, and on top of it Signal's end-to-end encryption already works. Chats stay private.
Does Signal work through a proxy? Unreliably. Signal has its own proxying mechanism, but it fails under heavy filtering. A VPN solves it better.