signal-cli (1)

Name

signal-cli - A commandline and dbus interface for the Signal messenger

Synopsis

signal-cli [--config CONFIG] [-h | -v | -a ACCOUNT | --dbus | --dbus-system] command [command-options]

Description

signal-cli is a commandline interface for libsignal-service-java. It supports registering, verifying, sending and receiving messages. For registering you need a phone number where you can receive SMS or incoming calls. signal-cli was primarily developed to be used on servers to notify admins of important events. For this use-case, it has a dbus interface, that can be used to send messages from any programming language that has dbus bindings.

For some functionality the Signal protocol requires that all messages have been received from the server. The receive command should be regularly executed. In daemon mode messages are continuously received.

Options

-h, --help: Show help message and quit.
-v, --version: Print the version and quit.
--verbose: Raise log level and include lib signal logs.
--config CONFIG: Set the path, where to store the config. Make sure you have full read/write access to the given directory. (Default: $XDG_DATA_HOME/signal-cli ($HOME/.local/share/signal-cli))
-a ACCOUNT, --account ACCOUNT: Specify your phone number, that will be your identifier. The phone number must include the country calling code, i.e. the number must start with a "+" sign.

This flag must not be given for the link command. It is optional for the daemon command. For all other commands it is only optional if there is exactly one local user in the config directory.

--dbus

Make request via user dbus.

--dbus-system

Make request via system dbus.

-o OUTPUT-MODE, --output OUTPUT-MODE

Specify if you want commands to output in either "plain-text" mode or in "json". Defaults to "plain-text"

--trust-new-identities TRUST-MODE

Choose when to trust new identities:

on-first-use (default): Trust the first seen identity key from new users, changed keys must be verified manually
always: Trust any new identity key without verification
never: Don’t trust any unknown identity key, every key must be verified manually

Commands

register

Register a phone number with SMS or voice verification. Use the verify command to complete the verification.

-v, --voice: The verification should be done over voice, not SMS.
--captcha: The captcha token, required if registration failed with a captcha required error. To get the token, go to https://signalcaptchas.org/registration/generate.html Check the developer tools for a redirect starting with signalcaptcha:// Everything after signalcaptcha:// is the captcha token.

verify

Verify the number using the code received via SMS or voice.

VERIFICATIONCODE: The verification code.
-p PIN, --pin PIN: The registration lock PIN, that was set by the user. Only required if a PIN was set.

unregister

Disable push support for this device, i.e. this device won’t receive any more messages. If this is the master device, other users can’t send messages to this number anymore. Use "updateAccount" to undo this. To remove a linked device, use "removeDevice" from the master device.

--delete-account: Delete account completely from server. Cannot be undone without loss. You will have to be readded to each group.

Caution

Only delete your account if you won’t use this number again!

updateAccount

Update the account attributes on the signal server. Can fix problems with receiving messages.

-n NAME, --device-name NAME: Set a new device name for the main or linked device

updateConfiguration

Update signal configs and sync them to linked devices. This command only works on the main devices.

--read-receipts {true,false}: Indicates if Signal should send read receipts.
--unidentified-delivery-indicators {true,false}: Indicates if Signal should show unidentified delivery indicators.
--typing-indicators {true,false}: Indicates if Signal should send/show typing indicators.
--link-previews {true,false}: Indicates if Signal should generate link previews.

setPin

Set a registration lock pin, to prevent others from registering this number.

REGISTRATION_LOCK_PIN: The registration lock PIN, that will be required for new registrations (resets after 7 days of inactivity)

removePin

Remove the registration lock pin.

link

Link to an existing device, instead of registering a new number. This shows a "sgnl://linkdevice?uuid=…" URI. If you want to connect to another signal-cli instance, you can just use this URI. If you want to link to an Android/iOS device, create a QR code with the URI (e.g. with qrencode) and scan that in the Signal app.

-n NAME, --name NAME: Optionally specify a name to describe this new device. By default "cli" will be used.

addDevice

Link another device to this device. Only works, if this is the master device.

--uri URI: Specify the uri contained in the QR code shown by the new device. You will need the full URI such as "sgnl://linkdevice?uuid=…" (formerly "tsdevice:/?uuid=…") Make sure to enclose it in quotation marks for shells.

listDevices

Show a list of linked devices.

removeDevice

Remove a linked device. Only works, if this is the master device.

-d DEVICE_ID, --device-id DEVICE_ID: Specify the device you want to remove. Use listDevices to see the deviceIds.

getUserStatus

Uses a list of phone numbers to determine the statuses of those users. Shows if they are registered on the Signal Servers or not. In json mode this is outputted as a list of objects.

[NUMBER [NUMBER …]]: One or more numbers to check.

send

Send a message to another user or group.

RECIPIENT: Specify the recipients’ phone number.
-g GROUP, --group-id GROUP: Specify the recipient group ID in base64 encoding.
-m MESSAGE, --message MESSAGE: Specify the message, if missing, standard input is used.
-a [ATTACHMENT [ATTACHMENT …]], --attachment [ATTACHMENT [ATTACHMENT …]]: Add one or more files as attachment.
--note-to-self: Send the message to self without notification.
-e, --end-session: Clear session state and send end session message.
--mention: Mention another group member (syntax: start:length:recipientNumber) In the apps the mention replaces part of the message text, which is specified by the start and length values. e.g.: -m "Hi X!" --mention "3:1:+123456789"
--quote-timestamp: Specify the timestamp of a previous message with the recipient or group to add a quote to the new message.
--quote-author: Specify the number of the author of the original message.
--quote-message: Specify the message of the original message.
--quote-mention: Specify the mentions of the original message (same format as --mention).

sendReaction

Send reaction to a previously received or sent message.

RECIPIENT: Specify the recipients’ phone number.
-g GROUP, --group-id GROUP: Specify the recipient group ID in base64 encoding.
-e EMOJI, --emoji EMOJI: Specify the emoji, should be a single unicode grapheme cluster.
-a NUMBER, --target-author NUMBER: Specify the number of the author of the message to which to react.
-t TIMESTAMP, --target-timestamp TIMESTAMP: Specify the timestamp of the message to which to react.
-r, --remove: Remove a reaction.

sendReceipt

Send a read or viewed receipt to a previously received message.

RECIPIENT: Specify the sender’s phone number.
-t TIMESTAMP, --target-timestamp TIMESTAMP: Specify the timestamp of the message to which to react.
--type TYPE: Specify the receipt type, either read (the default) or viewed.

sendTyping

Send typing message to trigger a typing indicator for the recipient. Indicator will be shown for 15seconds unless a typing STOP message is sent first.

RECIPIENT: Specify the recipients’ phone number.
-g GROUP, --group-id GROUP: Specify the recipient group ID in base64 encoding.
-s, --stop: Send a typing STOP message.

remoteDelete

Remotely delete a previously sent message.

RECIPIENT: Specify the recipients’ phone number.
-g GROUP, --group-id GROUP: Specify the recipient group ID in base64 encoding.
-t TIMESTAMP, --target-timestamp TIMESTAMP: Specify the timestamp of the message to delete.

receive

Query the server for new messages. New messages are printed on standard output and attachments are downloaded to the config directory. In json mode this is outputted as one json object per line.

-t TIMEOUT, --timeout TIMEOUT: Number of seconds to wait for new messages (negative values disable timeout). Default is 5 seconds.
--ignore-attachments: Don’t download attachments of received messages.

joinGroup

Join a group via an invitation link.

--uri: The invitation link URI (starts with https://signal.group/#)

updateGroup

Create or update a group. If the user is a pending member, this command will accept the group invitation.

-g GROUP, --group-id GROUP: Specify the recipient group ID in base64 encoding. If not specified, a new group with a new random ID is generated.
-n NAME, --name NAME: Specify the new group name.
-d DESCRIPTION, --description DESCRIPTION: Specify the new group description.
-a AVATAR, --avatar AVATAR: Specify a new group avatar image file.
-m [MEMBER [MEMBER …]], --member [MEMBER [MEMBER …]]: Specify one or more members to add to the group.
-r [MEMBER [MEMBER …]], --remove-member [MEMBER [MEMBER …]]: Specify one or more members to remove from the group
--admin [MEMBER [MEMBER …]]: Specify one or more members to make a group admin
--remove-admin [MEMBER [MEMBER …]]: Specify one or more members to remove group admin privileges
--reset-link: Reset group link and create new link password
--link LINK_STATE: Set group link state: enabled, enabled-with-approval, disabled
--set-permission-add-member PERMISSION: Set permission to add new group members: every-member, only-admins
--set-permission-edit-details PERMISSION: Set permission to edit group details: every-member, only-admins
--set-permission-send-messages PERMISSION: Set permission to send messages in group: every-member, only-admins Groups where only admins can send messages are also called announcement groups
-e EXPIRATION_SECONDS, --expiration EXPIRATION_SECONDS: Set expiration time of messages (seconds). To disable expiration set expiration time to 0.

quitGroup

Send a quit group message to all group members and remove self from member list. If the user is a pending member, this command will decline the group invitation.

-g GROUP, --group-id GROUP: Specify the recipient group ID in base64 encoding.
--delete: Delete local group data completely after quitting group.

listGroups

Show a list of known groups and related information. In json mode this is outputted as an list of objects and is always in detailed mode.

-d, --detailed: Include the list of members of each group and the group invite link.

listContacts

Show a list of known contacts with names.

listIdentities

List all known identity keys and their trust status, fingerprint and safety number.

-n NUMBER, --number NUMBER: Only show identity keys for the given phone number.

trust

Set the trust level of a given number. The first time a key for a number is seen, it is trusted by default (TOFU). If the key changes, the new key must be trusted manually.

number: Specify the phone number, for which to set the trust.
-a, --trust-all-known-keys: Trust all known keys of this user, only use this for testing.
-v VERIFIED_SAFETY_NUMBER, --verified-safety-number VERIFIED_SAFETY_NUMBER: Specify the safety number of the key, only use this option if you have verified the safety number. Can be either the plain text numbers shown in the app or the bytes from the QR-code, encoded as base64.

updateProfile

Update the profile information shown to message recipients. The profile is stored encrypted on the Signal servers. The decryption key is sent with every outgoing messages to contacts and included in every group.

--given-name NAME, --name NAME: New (given) name.
--family-name FAMILY_NAME: New family name.
--about ABOUT_TEXT: New profile status text.
--about-emoji EMOJI: New profile status emoji.
--avatar AVATAR_FILE: Path to the new avatar image file.
--remove-avatar: Remove the avatar

updateContact

Update the info associated to a number on our contact list. This change is only local but can be synchronized to other devices by using sendContacts (see below). If the contact doesn’t exist yet, it will be added.

NUMBER: Specify the contact phone number.
-n, --name: Specify the new name for this contact.
-e, --expiration EXPIRATION_SECONDS: Set expiration time of messages (seconds). To disable expiration set expiration time to 0.

removeContact

Remove the info of a given contact

NUMBER: Specify the contact phone number.
--forget: Delete all data associated with this contact, including identity keys and sessions.

block

Block the given contacts or groups (no messages will be received). This change is only local but can be synchronized to other devices by using sendContacts (see below).

[CONTACT [CONTACT …]]: Specify the phone numbers of contacts that should be blocked.
-g [GROUP [GROUP …]], --group-id [GROUP [GROUP …]]: Specify the group IDs that should be blocked in base64 encoding.

unblock

Unblock the given contacts or groups (messages will be received again). This change is only local but can be synchronized to other devices by using sendContacts (see below).

[CONTACT [CONTACT …]]: Specify the phone numbers of contacts that should be unblocked.
-g [GROUP [GROUP …]], --group-id [GROUP [GROUP …]]: Specify the group IDs that should be unblocked in base64 encoding.

sendContacts

Send a synchronization message with the local contacts list to all linked devices. This command should only be used if this is the master device.

sendSyncRequest

Send a synchronization request message to the master device (for group, contacts, …). The master device will respond with synchronization messages with full contact and group lists.

uploadStickerPack

Upload a new sticker pack, consisting of a manifest file and the sticker images. Images must conform to the following specification: (see https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360031836512-Stickers#sticker_reqs )

Static stickers in PNG or WebP format
Animated stickers in APNG format,
Maximum file size for a sticker file is 300KiB
Image resolution of 512 x 512 px

The required manifest.json has the following format:

{
  "title": "<STICKER_PACK_TITLE>",
  "author": "<STICKER_PACK_AUTHOR>",
  "cover": { // Optional cover, by default the first sticker is used as cover
    "file": "<name of image file, mandatory>",
    "contentType": "<optional>",
    "emoji": "<optional>"
  },
  "stickers": [
    {
      "file": "<name of image file, mandatory>",
      "contentType": "<optional>",
      "emoji": "<optional>"
    }
    ...
  ]
}

PATH: The path of the manifest.json or a zip file containing the sticker pack you wish to upload.

daemon

signal-cli can run in daemon mode and provides an experimental dbus or JSON-RPC interface. If no -a account is given, all local accounts will be exported as separate dbus objects under the same bus name.

--dbus: Export DBus interface on user bus. See signal-cli-dbus (5) for info on the dbus interface.
--dbus-system: Export DBus interface on system bus. See signal-cli-dbus (5) for info on the dbus interface.
--socket [SOCKET]: Export a JSON-RPC interface on a UNIX socket (default $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/signal-cli/socket). See signal-cli-jsonrpc (5) for info on the JSON-RPC interface.
--tcp [HOST:PORT]: Export a JSON-RPC interface on a TCP socket (default localhost:7583). See signal-cli-jsonrpc (5) for info on the JSON-RPC interface.
--ignore-attachments: Don’t download attachments of received messages.
--no-receive-stdout: Don’t print received messages to stdout.
--receive-mode: Specify when to start receiving messages (on-start, on-connection, manual)

Examples

Register a number (with SMS verification): signal-cli -a ACCOUNT register
Verify the number using the code received via SMS or voice: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT verify CODE
Send a message to one or more recipients: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT send -m "This is a message" [RECIPIENT [RECIPIENT …]] [-a [ATTACHMENT [ATTACHMENT …]]]
Pipe the message content from another process: uname -a | signal-cli -a ACCOUNT send [RECIPIENT [RECIPIENT …]]
Create a group: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT updateGroup -n "Group name" -m [MEMBER [MEMBER …]]
Add member to a group: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT updateGroup -g GROUP_ID -m "NEW_MEMBER"
Accept a group invitation: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT updateGroup -g GROUP_ID
Leave a group: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT quitGroup -g GROUP_ID
Send a message to a group: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT send -m "This is a message" -g GROUP_ID
Trust new key, after having verified it: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT trust -v SAFETY_NUMBER NUMBER
Trust new key, without having verified it. Only use this if you don’t care about security: signal-cli -a ACCOUNT trust -a NUMBER

Exit codes

1: Error is probably caused and fixable by the user
2: Some unexpected error
3: Server or IO error
4: Sending failed due to untrusted key

Files

The password and cryptographic keys are created when registering and stored in the current users home directory, the directory can be changed with --config:

$XDG_DATA_HOME/signal-cli/ ($HOME/.local/share/signal-cli/)

Authors

Maintained by AsamK <asamk@gmx.de>, who is assisted by other open source contributors. For more information about signal-cli development, see https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli.

Files

signal-cli.1.adoc

Latest commit

History

signal-cli.1.adoc

File metadata and controls

signal-cli (1)

Name

Synopsis

Description

Options

Commands

register

verify

unregister

updateAccount

updateConfiguration

setPin

removePin

link

addDevice

listDevices

removeDevice

getUserStatus

send

sendReaction

sendReceipt

sendTyping

remoteDelete

receive

joinGroup

updateGroup

quitGroup

listGroups

listContacts

listIdentities

trust

updateProfile

updateContact

removeContact

block

unblock

sendContacts

sendSyncRequest

uploadStickerPack

daemon

Examples

Exit codes

Files

Authors