How to Get Started with Encrypted Messaging

It's 2017, no more excuses.

It's time to start using an encrypted messaging app.

Why? That's easy.

Using end-to-end encryption means that

no one can see what you're sharing back and forth.

Not the government, not hackers,

not even the company that makes the app.

It's really truly private.

I'm Brian Barrett, Wired news editor

and this is your guide to staying safe on the internet.

Look, the best part about encrypted chat

is that you're probably already using

a messaging service that offers it,

or some version of it.

WhatsApp, it's on by default.

Facebook Messenger, that's what

the secret conversations feature does.

iMessage, had it for years.

And then there's the gold standard

of encrypted messaging apps, it's called Signal

and it uses an open-source cryptographic protocol

which, loosely translated, basically means it's been

poked and prodded and proven to work as advertised.

So go ahead and download that, like now,

and get your friends to download it too

because speaking of which, there are

a couple of things you need to know.

First, most import, end-to-end encrypted chat

only works if the person on the other end of the line

uses the same app, so it can't send an end-to-end

encrypted message from Signal to iMessage,

so make sure you're on the same page with your contacts.

Also, like anything else in life, it's not perfect.

Unlike Signal, most encrypted chat apps

keep what's under the hood a secret,

so it's impossible to know how well they truly work,

and while end-to-end encryption

protects messages in transit, someone can still read them

if they get physical access to your phone.

Still, a little protection beats none at all,

especially when it's so easy to use.