What does end-to-end encryption mean for my messages?
Short answer
End-to-end encryption means only the people in the conversation can read the messages; the service provider carries them but cannot decrypt them. It protects messages in transit and on the provider’s servers, but not on a device that is unlocked, compromised or backed up without encryption.
The details
Check whether your messaging app’s cloud backups are also end-to-end encrypted, as some are optional. Use the app’s safety number or security code verification for sensitive contacts.
Terms explained
- Encryption
- Encryption transforms readable data into ciphertext that can only be turned back into readable form with the correct key.
- End-to-end encryption
- End-to-end encryption (E2EE) means data is encrypted on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted on the recipient’s device, so the service in between cannot read it.
Sources
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