Every time Signal farts, there's a new update, and they're around 150mb each 🤬

[jromero2k]

• I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

---

Bug Description

For all kinds of silly reasons, even several times a day, Signal releases a new update without giving the user the option to delay or ignore it.. In the case of catastrophic vulnerabilities, it might make sense, I guess, but most of the times, it doesn't. It's 150mb, which costs a lot of $ in some places, in case you're not aware. In my case (having several relatives which I convinced to use this), the costs compound, a lot

Steps to Reproduce

1. Start Signal
2. Wait 5 minutes
3. A notification pops up about needing to restart because yet another update was downloaded

Actual Result:

Expected Result:

"There's a new update available, this is the changelog.. [update now] [remind me later] [ignore this update]"

Screenshots

Platform Info

Signal Version:

N/A

Operating System:

macOS

Linked Device Version:

Link to Debug Log

[davidmbesonen]

Signal releases a new update without giving the user the option to delay or ignore it

Is there no way (including hacks) to indefinitely disable updates? IOW, leaving updating to the complete discretion of the user.

[nrrkeene]

I've filed bugs about this before and came back today to report it again with data this time. Earlier this month on June 9 I became so frustrated by the constant updates that I began a log. Here it is.

June 9
June 15
Again on June 15
Again on June 15 9:51PM
June 21
June 22
Again June 22 at 2:06
Again June 22 at 2:38
June 24
Again June 24 at 3:51
Again June 24 at 4:51
Again June 24 at 5:35
Again June 24 at 6:08

Every single time I entered my password so that the Signal spokesperson wouldn't have the excuse of saying I should just accept them. And I don't want to accept them, I want to cancel, and have it stop bothering me. No, I don't want weekly updates. If you're releasing essential security patches every week then you need to focus on stability before releasing more features because weekly is way too often for a chat app to get hacked, especially this one.

Your users want, deserve, and are asking for a SIMPLE FEATURE to set the frequency of checking for updates.

• Check at sign-on
• Check every [ ] days (where the text box default is 1, and we can fill in any number)
• Never

Your development methodology is putting your users at risk while also driving them crazy. It is time to fix it.

[neosentry]

@nrrkeene 100% agree. The constant stream of requests to authenticate for yet another update is getting really tiresome.. so much so that I've stopped using Signal on my desktop. The annoyance factor and tendency for the client to pop an update notice at me in the middle of a video call now outweighs my desire to use it. If this can't be fixed, users are going to go elsewhere.

[hiqua]

Is there no way (including hacks) to indefinitely disable updates? IOW, leaving updating to the complete discretion of the user.

Blocking the url updates.signal.org (on Linux, by adding an entry in /etc/hosts, I don't know how that works on Windows) should prevent updates. I haven't tried it myself though. In any case you'll have to remember to reactivate it eventually (or the client will stop working after a few months)

I've filed bugs about this before and came back today to report it again with data this time. Earlier this month on June 9 I became so frustrated by the constant updates that I began a log. Here it is.

June 9
June 15
Again on June 15
Again on June 15 9:51PM
June 21
June 22
Again June 22 at 2:06
Again June 22 at 2:38
June 24
Again June 24 at 3:51
Again June 24 at 4:51
Again June 24 at 5:35
Again June 24 at 6:08

So there are dates at which you were prompted to update, but refused, right? In that case it looks less annoying to just accept the update (in particular you would have had only one notice on June 24th rather than 5). From your comment it sounds like there were 5 different updates on June 24th, but obviously that's not the case.

It seems like the real problem is not really the update frequency per se, but rather the need to authenticate for every update to take place.

[jromero2k]

It seems like the real problem is not really the update frequency per se, but rather the need to authenticate for every update to take place.

well, for many (me included), the frequency and those megabytes downloaded without consent are an issue too... I'd love to have a Data Saver switch in the app too, but given the long queue of missing things, that's a pipe dream

[hiqua]

Regarding data usage, the real solution would be to detect whether the network is metered, and delay non-urgent updates in this case.

The relevant feature request for electron is there: electron/electron#8921

So apparently it won't be implemented in electron, but there's a npm package providing this functionality, so that could be an option.

[cyraid]

Would it make sense to have an option to say there's an update and choose to update it at that point? [Ask me later] and then you can manually choose to update through the help (notification would say where to locate manual update).

eg. "There's an update to signal": [Update now], [Ask me later], [I'll manually update]

• Update now will update now.
• Ask me later will ask the next day?
• I'll manually update, will pop up another notification telling where the user could go to manually update (eg. help->update).

[jromero2k]

Blocking the url updates.signal.org (on Linux, by adding an entry in /etc/hosts, I don't know how that works on Windows) should prevent updates. I haven't tried it myself though. In any case you'll have to remember to reactivate it eventually (or the client will stop working after a few months)

well, I redirected updates.signal.org to 0.0.0.0 using etc/hosts and it's still updating.. it's like a bandwidth-eating zombie. Maybe the best solution is not using this garbage anymore 😡

[ryannathans]

How are there so many updates? Surely that's a bug in itself. I don't see update notifications ever on linux, my package manager just handles the updates maybe once a week and I'm on the beta

[cyraid]

Discord updates too automatically (it's an electron thing). There probably should be a 'beta' track we could subscribe to (with lots of updates), and a release track with less updates (only update security bugs until next big update kinda thing).

See on the other hand, I don't mind having it update lots because I have unlimited internet and I like being completely up to date.. That's why I recommend being able to subscribe to a beta / release.

[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.

[tigerhawkvok]

Just from a pure usability standpoint, the updates are too frequent. The updates should be absolutely no more frequent than once a week, barring a critical zero day.

The phone apps are great, but the desktop app is actively driving people nuts. I live in the Bay Area, everyone I know is middle or upper middle class with fast internet, and the frequent updates just put people off of using it at all even with me evangelizing Signal.

UX matters.

[cyraid]

Just from a pure usability standpoint, the updates are too frequent. The updates should be absolutely no more frequent than once a week, barring a critical zero day.

The phone apps are great, but the desktop app is actively driving people nuts. I live in the Bay Area, everyone I know is middle or upper middle class with fast internet, and the frequent updates just put people off of using it at all even with me evangelizing Signal.

UX matters.

I'm not sure if this will do what you want, but with a new update it seems like there's an option "Automatically download updates".. Might wanna check it out?

[ryannathans]

How are you updating so often? Is this bug limited to MacOS?

https://www.ubuntuupdates.org/ppa/signal

I'm only seeing new packages roughly once or twice per week?

[tigerhawkvok]

Just from a pure usability standpoint, the updates are too frequent. The updates should be absolutely no more frequent than once a week, barring a critical zero day.
The phone apps are great, but the desktop app is actively driving people nuts. I live in the Bay Area, everyone I know is middle or upper middle class with fast internet, and the frequent updates just put people off of using it at all even with me evangelizing Signal.
UX matters.

I'm not sure if this will do what you want, but with a new update it seems like there's an option "Automatically download updates".. Might wanna check it out?

it's bad security policy to do that =/

How are you updating so often? Is this bug limited to MacOS?

https://www.ubuntuupdates.org/ppa/signal

I'm only seeing new packages roughly once or twice per week?

I'm doing this on Windows -- maybe some of it is just "seeming" from using it on three different computers, but I could swear I updated Signal on this machine yesterday and I have another update request for it now.

TBH probably the best way to do it would be like Chrome -- download and install in the background, then just silently update on next restart, and only push a UI notice when it's getting very stale.

[ryannathans]

@tigerhawkvok when you update, can you check that the version number increments each time? Maybe it's just reinstalling the same version each time it checks?

[indutny-signal]

@tigerhawkvok are you on Windows? Could you send us debug logs if you'll see multiple updates per week? We usually release at most once per week.

[tobyjohnm]

Just want to jump in and voice my agreement with others. The update pace and obtrusiveness is way over the top. Even weekly is too much. I will upgrade to get new features at my convenience, thank you.

[uncaught]

It's going on my nerves as well. It feels like it's asking for a restart every time I start it. I'm not starting Signal every day, but every other day or so - and that on two PCs.

I would like to have an option to only check for important security updates. And then have the rest update monthly.

[danielittlewood0]

Personally I don't care about frequent updates, but I object very strongly to compelled updates. What if a user doesn't want to update - is that their choice, or is it the Signal developers' choice? Of course, somebody could fork the app and build it themselves. But doesn't forcing users to go along with updates go against the free software ethos a little?

[tbertels]

So there seems to be multiple requests here:

• An option to not automatically download updates: added in v5.15.0 (27 Aug 2021)
• Smaller update files (patches)
• Silent updates on restart: shouldn't be that difficult to add given that Signal already closes and updates itself when we click on the notification

Are there other reasons to disable or delay updates?

[indutny-signal]

Note that for a past month or more Signal Desktop supports incremental updates on Windows and macOS. The effect is much more noticeable on macOS, but it is still significant on Windows.

[tbertels]

I'm guessing you're referring to 26100ea
For some reason, I still have a full size (115 MB) signal-desktop-win-5.40.0.exe file in \AppData\Roaming\Signal\update-cache after today's update.
Is it intended (used by the next blockmap patch)?

[indutny-signal]

@tbertels this is expected. The installer is full size, but you only download a diff between the installer in update-cache and the new available on the website. For windows the diff is usually between 40 and 80 mb.

[tobyjohnm]

Never been the size of the download for me. Just the constant updating and nagging to update. I use my computer to get things done, not spend all day updating every time I wake it.

[rollsch]

I sent a message to the wrong person for the third time due to annoying version update at the top of the list shifting all my contacts down the list literally mid click.

Can you please at the minimum move the button to update out of the contacts list.

[redm123]

Hi all! Just got sent here... I'm also deeply annoyed by the constant bugging for updates! Now I even got a red message, that my Signal would be expired (I gave in and updated, but I guess it would have continued to work just fine...).

I basically agree with @oleschri . The messages in blue/yellow/red are very distracting! Often with no way to dismiss them. Most of the updates are not critical in any way. Also updates for me require giving admin credentials, besides download, restart, etc.

If you want, you can release twice a day. But don't bother me. Maybe put a subtle notification icon somewhere, and otherwise just leave me alone! Unless there is really something critical.

[dimme]

This constant update activity will lead people away from Signal and into less secure apps. Make it transparent or make it go away.

Signal, get your shit together.

[michaelteter]

Again, just to be very clear - not everything that goes into each release is in the release notes. As I said above, important features and bugfixes are going into every release.

If there is something more important than an emoji change, but only the emoji change is listed on the release notes, then the release notes aren't useful.

Tell us why we should update. Expire the client if it gets too out of date - fine. Just because a dev is proud of their latest achievement doesn't mean the rest of the world cares about it. This doesn't mean we are not grateful for the efforts of the Signal team, but we all have our own busy lives and more tasks and communications than we can keep up with. We must prioritize our time and attention, and I can promise that most people don't consider reverse-emojis worth their attention to authorize an update and then restart the client.

Vulnerability fixes deserve to be forced, but luxuries - including those which many of us will never use - don't warrant an upgrade.

[FinnGu]

It's been three years since this thread has been opened. Obviously people want an option to either stop receiving non-security updates or have the update process be completely in the background, why can't we have either option instead of the next emoji update?

[DigitalHype]

Why is this still not being addressed? Is there no incentive for the maintainers to pay attention to the needs/requests of PC users? The mobile application doesn't do this. There should be separate update channels depending on severity of changes. Many of us (as evidenced by this thread) have no desire to download and update the application for changes that are not critical to software function or high severity, security-related issues. Please give the PC user an option to change the update cadence to weekly, or even monthly, for these trivial changes.

[illuvattarr]

Here's another plea to just please please please do something about this. It's so damn annoying.
Either create an option to silently update in the background, or roll multiple updates into one every couple of weeks or so.

[mw108]

There is an option in the Signal Desktop settings to disable automatic updates.

File -> Preferences -> General -> At the bottom

[tobyjohnm]

Oh, so 0 updates instead of way too many updates. Hard pass.

[illuvattarr]

There is an option in the Signal Desktop settings to disable automatic updates.

File -> Preferences -> General -> At the bottom

Sorry but this is a bad solution to the reported problem. I don't want zero updates. Just don't frickin bother me with them and do them silently in the background, or update less frequently.

[jromero2k]

Sorry but this is a bad solution to the reported problem. I don't want zero updates. Just don't frickin bother me with them and do them silently in the background, or update less frequently.

Less frivolous updates are great, and the automatic updating process should indeed be more seamless, but the setting to not download automatically new updates is not a bad solution. Many people, me included, need to be able to choose when and if we should download the updates. More useful release notes would be helpful too

[mw108]

Oh, so 0 updates instead of way too many updates. Hard pass.

You can enable it every now and then when you feel like updating.

[Sethur]

Sorry but this is a bad solution to the reported problem. I don't want zero updates. Just don't frickin bother me with them and do them silently in the background, or update less frequently.

Less frivolous updates are great, and the automatic updating process should indeed be more seamless, but the setting to not download automatically new updates is not a bad solution. Many people, me included, need to be able to choose when and if we should download the updates. More useful release notes would be helpful too

I agree that users should be able to disable automatic updates and this is indeed already possible.

Unfortunately, Signal will then seize to function after a quite short and fixed amount of time, which will force users to upgrade even if there have not been any significant security fixes.

The solution here would be twofold:

1. If automatic upgrades are enabled, they should work seemless as in Chrome, VS Code, etc.
2. If automatic upgrades are disabled, the client should continue to function and ONLY be invalidated, if there is a known security risk or breaking changes to the API

My main issue right now is Signals refusal to work when the client is even a few weeks old.

[QuietCoder1007]

Oh, so 0 updates instead of way too many updates. Hard pass.

You can enable it every now and then when you feel like updating.

I'm on Manjaro and that doesn't appear to be an option for me inside Settings > General > Bottom of Page

[Herohtar]

I'm on Manjaro and that doesn't appear to be an option

That's because the Linux client doesn't have an auto updater. You choose when to apply updates already.

[QuietCoder1007]

I'm on Manjaro and that doesn't appear to be an option

That's because the Linux client doesn't have an auto updater. You choose when to apply updates already.

Ah okay, that makes sense

[redm123]

There is an option in the Signal Desktop settings to disable automatic updates.

File -> Preferences -> General -> At the bottom

This just does not really help in any way...
You are still constantly annoyed with huge screaming blue, yellow and red notifications. And eventually after relatively short time, they lock you out entirely, because Signal allegedly has "expired"... (which probably almost always is artificially created nonsense. And if they really break their protocol every other week, they should rather reconsider their software design..)

[ctp-placebo]

Its still at it, update it and a new update comes the next day, every day.
For me it's an ubuntu Snap, for which the notifications are huge and persistent. While I quite like signal, I hate signal for the constant updates it seems to require.

Is there a fix? it's 2024 and this complaint first appeared many years ago.

[dmcondolora]

Found this thread, and agree with many of the sentiments.

Bottom line, it seems that Signal doesn't trust or respect its users. Even with auto-updates disabled, I have 30 days to use the Desktop client before I'm forced to update or stop using it. That's absurd, and disrespectful to Signal users.

It reminds me of a similar issue with Notifications. I intentionally have left notifications disabled in the Signal mobile client. Yet, Signal asks me to enable them every couple of weeks. I emailed support, and while they understood that I was keeping notifications off intentionally, they said that they have no intention of ceasing to nag me. Completely ridiculous and disrespectful.

The tool is here to serve the users, not the other way around.

Ultimately, I should be able to use Signal without updating until it just plain no longer works. And when that happens, tell me that it's likely not working because my version is badly out of date. Leave auto-updates on by default, for novice users. Fine. But when I turn them off, I should be in control. Not you.

[dooberdoober]

Im here to add my frustration about these updates BEING FORCED.
Making an app 100% unusable if user doesnt want to update the app is such a crooked, wrong, obviously-you-dont-care-about-the-customer, thing to do.

SIGNAL DOESNT CARE ABOUT US, EVERYONE!

This will be the 2nd time THIS YEAR, ive seriously contemplated ceasing use of Signal.

[jromero2k]

btw this CrowdStrike incident should serve as a cautionary tale about over zealous, forced, automatic updates. Imagine a threat actor (and for Signal there's plenty of them) that manages to compromise the release pipeline

[bossagypsy1]

As of 14 August 2024, I'm getting an even worse "update". It is continually loading the same exe file as an update into the temp folder - ie signal-desktop-win-7.19.1.exe each at 125mb at the rate of about 1 per hour . My signal temp folder is now 3,5GB . I appreciate its free, and the Android app is good - but do any of the devs know why this is happening?

[indutny-signal]

@bossagypsy1 this should not be happening, I'm so sorry. Could you send me your debug logs, please?

[bossagypsy1]

main.log
app.log

the update requests appear in both the main and the app log (Im assuming these are your debug logs)
until the computer runs out of space

[indutny-signal]

@bossagypsy1 thank you! Perhaps, unsurprisingly but it is currently in an "out-of-space" error mode. Could you try restarting, and then submit a debuglog again after a couple of hours?

(These temp files should be deleted upon restart)

[bossagypsy1]

It was not out of space (as indicated in the logs) until the Signal started to fill up the computer - so far with about 3.5GB, which have since been deleted.

And as you can see from the logs , the update requests were being made before the Out of Space error occured

I cant be UAT for this , sorry I dont have time

[indutny-signal]

@bossagypsy1 I understand. Could you check the update-cache folder next to the temp? Is it empty?

[rollsch]

I also experienced this. It got to 1tb and took over an hour to delete the folders with a 980 m2 ssd due to the overwhelming number of folders. Since a restart and manually deleting them it has gone away. I think it was well over a million folders and would crash Explorer deleting them, had to be done via cmd line.

[indutny-signal]

Thank you for the info! I think we identified one case where the folder may not be deleted immediately and the fix is coming out soon.

@rollsch if you still have the app installed, could you check the folder count yet again and if it is substantial - send a debug log? Thank you ❤️