this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2026
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Privacy

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To my understanding, Signal requires that you have a physical phone to use the desktop version. Is there any way to scan the QR code without a physical device? I'm trying to make an anonymous Signal account.

My idea:

1.) Set up Android VM on Linux laptop

2.) Use laptop camera to scan the QR code on my desktop

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[–] herseycokguzelolacak@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 month ago (2 children)

You can't make an anonymous Signal account, it is one of the biggest red flags that Signal has. You need a phone number.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago (3 children)

this stopped me from joining and it makes me wonder why it's so heavily endorsed in privacy circles.

[–] GaumBeist@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 month ago

Because privacy is a spectrum, and it makes a good stepping off point for the people that still use text messages and social media chat clients to stay in touch. I can't convince half of my nerd friends to leave Discord for literally anything less shit, but I can convince even my tech-averse mother to use Signal instead of FaceTime.

[–] herseycokguzelolacak@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I think Signal is still better that Whatsapp. But it is not the magic app that Signalbroa hype.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

haven't tried either because of my paranoia (lol) and never heard of signalroa, thanks for making me aware.

[–] sakuraba@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

is that a thing or just a typo for signalbros?

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

a typo; i cruise lemmy left the left hand and work with the right hand. lol

[–] Valarie@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 1 month ago

I use it but just barely because it is better than things like discord for mildly sensitive stuff

[–] SuspciousCarrot78@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I wonder...does it need to be a real phone number, or can it be a virtual phone number that forwards?

https://www.burnerapp.com/

You just need to authenticate once, right? Then you can drop the burner number and you're clean?

EDIT: Yup!

https://www.burnerapp.com/blog/signal-without-phone-number

[–] dragnucs@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Virtualbox would allow you to forward the webcam device to the webcam so you can use it as a regular camera on your virtual android. You then just need to figure out how to scan the qr code. If you search deeply enough, you will find ways to. Make android use an image or video as the camera source.

[–] LeapSecond@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 month ago

Also OBS studio with the virtual camera extension lets you use its output as a camera input in other programs so you can pass literally anything to the camera.

[–] onlinepersona@programming.dev 4 points 1 month ago

Just use android on Linux: waydroid

[–] jet@hackertalks.com 2 points 1 month ago

The anonymous part will depend on how you get your sms verification.

[–] lemmyreader@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago