this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2025
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The Signal messenger and protocol.

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Strange behavior trying to add a contact. (sopuli.xyz)
submitted 3 weeks ago by qyron@sopuli.xyz to c/signal@lemmy.ml
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A few days ago I tried to add a contact to Signal. The other person is already a user as none of us can find the other on the network.

On my side, I get a message that the number is still not on Signal, while on the other side the network returns an "unknown error" message when searching for my contact.

What may be causing issues, although it makes no sense for me:

  • I'm an Android user, while the other phone is an iPhone
  • we're from different countries, including different continents, with an ocean apart

Another person, on that same country, has already added my number to their Signal on an Android phone, as well as another number from my country.

This makes no sense whatsoever to me.

Any thoughts?

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[–] SteleTrovilo@beehaw.org 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It sounds like your Signal is running fine, but your friend's Signal has some sort of error or network block. Is your friend able to add other contacts?

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

Late reply. Thank you for your answer and hope this will find you well. I am their sole Signal contact, to my knowledge.

[–] Kyrex@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Maybe you can try adding them on Signal Desktop? And also the other person could try adding you on Signal Desktop

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've tried and it still fails. It simply makes no sense.

[–] Kyrex@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

Man what a bummer... The only thing left I can think of is to post your problem on the signal forum support page. There are more experienced people there. Good luck! c:

[–] vas@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Try this setting, I think it may be relevant to your case:

Android -> open Signal (or Molly) -> Settings -> Privacy -> Phone number -> Choose who can see your phone n.....

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

Late response. Thank for your answer and I hope this will find you well. I had my number set to private but I disabled the setting and regardless it still kept returning the same error. And even while being set to private, I had another person add my number to signal, just by adding my number to their phone contact list. The first message sent to me was held on waiting until I accepted it.