Signal-desktop: Signal Desktop does not sync with cell phone

[afoldes]

• [ ] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates
  

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Bug description

Signal Desktop does not sync with cell phone

Steps to reproduce

1. opening Signal app on the phone
2. opening Signal app on Desktop
3. linking Signal of my mobile phone
4. waiting for Signal to refresh "Loading" + blue bubbles
5. trying to find messages on the Desktop in already existing message threads, which messages are visible on the phone

Actual result:

Some messages that are available on the phone are nowhere to find on the desktop version

Expected result:

Phone and desktop should synchronize

Screenshots

I cannot give screenshots, because I use Signal for enhanced privacy and don't want to share my messages.

Platform info

Signal version:

Signal 4.24.8 - on the phone

v1.15.1 Signal Desktop

Operating System:

64-bit - Windows 7 Professional

Linked device version:

Android 8.0.0 , Sony Xperia G8441

Link to debug log

phone:
https://debuglogs.org/37c7ae85506d2d31057fdd9e0249ab6790e497edf534bdc4f1b6544791290eee

desktop:
https://debuglogs.org/14b774baf423c8002f289c5db573adcb391bf3f66cc88301f75790762ddb3204

[NS110]

Duplicate of #643

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

Can you talk about what exactly you mean by "trying to find messages on the Desktop in already existing message threads, which messages are visible on the phone"

When you send a new message, does that show up on desktop? Only new messages will show up in desktop - old messages from your phone will not be transferred.

[sotel]

When you send a new message, does that show up on desktop? Only new messages will show up in desktop - old messages from your phone will not be transferred.

No?
But this was the standard behaviour until the last Update!
So - how to reproduce the exact problem:

1.) send some messages from a phone
2.) open the app on a desktop installation under the same account than in the phone
3.) Last message typed on the phone ist missing.

The list of the last messages isn't synchron!

That's not the expected behaviour.

Otherwise the message threads on the desktop installation and on the phone using the same account are completely different. This would be complete nonsense.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

In your log I see a couple instances of bugs which are fixed in the latest version. Do you see all messages sync properly on v1.15.4?

[oxoocoffee]

I created bug for this last week. I just updated to latest 1.15.4 and still see same issue.
Related bug: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/2605

[afoldes]

@sotel I made the three steps you suggested. Sent a message to a friend and she replied. Now both messages are visible both on Desktop and on my phone. This is fine, however I had both my desktop and phone on.

@scottnonnenberg @sotel
My persisting problem is the following. I receive a message on my phone in Signal. It may be a regular SMS or it may be a message from someone also using Signal. My reply would be too long to write it on the phone, so I want to use the Desktop. When I open the Desktop it does not show those messages that I received on my phone (while my Desktop was not running).

You indicated that some bugs have been fixed. Signal on my phone is up to date and I don't know whether I have to deinstall and reinstall my desktop signal or not.

+1 I would like to have the entire chat threads synced, does not matter how old the messages are.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@afoldes Remember, SMS messages will never show up on your Signal Desktop instance. Signal messages, however, should. If those are missing whenever you receive one when your Signal Desktop is not running, let's work together to get a reliable set of steps to make that happen. Maybe try that same scenario with a friend and then send me the debug log? You can also reach out to me directly and we can run through some tests together.

[m0urs]

@scottnonnenberg-signal I would like to test with you as I have this issue with iOS and Windows Desktop as well. If Windows desktop is not running then messages I get via Signal and which show up on my iPhone will not be synced to the Desktop after I have started it. If Windows desktop is running then everything appears on all devices. My desktop on Mac is working fine. Windows worked fine as well until some weeks ago.

[m0urs]

Unfortunately I was not yet able to create a reproducable scenario. All my test conversations today were successfully shown on my Windows desktop even if the software has not been running at the time the message was sent. Maybe it happens if the desktop software has not been started for some time (a day or so?) Will do further testing.

[oxoocoffee]

@m0urs I think you might be onto something. I use desktop version not too often. So your comment about problem possibly showing up when Desktop was not started for 1-2 days might be the case

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

One thing to keep in mind is that the server only keeps 1000 messages in its mailbox for your desktop device. If you ever see Signal Desktop count up to 1000 as it is loading messages on startup, it's likely that it has lost some messages.

[m0urs]

Today I started my Windows Signal Desktop after I did not start it for 2 or 3 days. However I still can see all messages which were sent/received in the meantime . So currently everything seems to work. Still not sure how to reproduce it :-( BTW: It counted up to about 100 this morning.

[cheesi]

Hey, I also have a problem.
Today, I installed Signal Desktop on my PC, linked it with my smartphone.
Contacts got synced, howerver the Messages not :(

Is there anything I can do to help you fix this issue?

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@cheesi Old messages are not synced from your mobile to Desktop. New messages sent and received after you link Desktop will be shown on Desktop.

[cheesi]

Hey @scottnonnenberg-signal !

Thanks for your response, that seems to be right. New messages are synced. Is there any specific reason, why old messages are not synced?

[redfoxbluefox]

It really makes no sense that old messages are not synced. The whole point of syncing something is that both copies are exactly the same. Imagine if Dropbox said "Sorry, only new files will sync. Old files that were on your desktop before you opened Dropbox on your laptop will not appear." I think Signal should really make an effort to truly sync the desktop version. That would be the most useful case. If that's not possible, at least rename the function to say "Download new messages" just so it's clear that a true sync is not available.

[kenpowers-signal]

Signal Desktop acts as its own standalone device and sends/receives messages on its own, directly connected to the service, without using your phone as a proxy. It's a different model than most other private messaging apps.

Dropbox isn't a very good analog because they store your files on a central service. Signal is distributed by nature and different clients can be in different states depending on what each client has received/deleted/ignored due to compatibility issues etc.

[ffru]

I understand it is implemented this way, but seeing different conversation state on every device makes no sense for me. It will effectively make this smartphone-only-messaging, as I cannot afford to not see a message from my colleagues.

Being restricted to the smartphone makes certain workflows much slower.
I understand all this is not easy to do, I would be happy to pay for these features.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@ffru You've commented on a very old issue. Please enter a new bug, and detail the behavior you're seeing. Please also provide a debug log - it will help us identify what has gone wrong.