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en:howto:signal_on_tails [2024/03/12 08:31] – [2.) Configure Tails] doobryen:howto:signal_on_tails [2025/12/17 14:49] (current) – [3.1) Install Signal] y
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-====== HOWTOINSTALLING AND RUNNING SIGNAL ON TAILS ======+====== How ToInstalling and running the Signal Messenger on Tails ======
  
-(heavily based on[[https://bisco.org/notes/installing-and-running-signal-on-tails/|bisco.org]] )+<note>A different how to is available [[https://0xacab.org/about.privacy/messengers-on-tails-os/-/wikis/Signal/Install-Signal-desktop|here]] or via Tor Onion Service [[http://wmj5kiic7b6kjplpbvwadnht2nh2qnkbnqtcv3dyvpqtz7ssbssftxid.onion/about.privacy/messengers-on-tails-os/-/wikis/Signal/Install-Signal-desktop|here]]</note> 
 + 
 +<note>This how to is heavily based on [[https://bisco.org/notes/installing-and-running-signal-on-tails/|bisco.org]]</note>
  
 Tested with: Tested with:
-  * Tails version 4.25 +  * Tails versions 4, 5 and 6 
-  * Signal version 5.26.1+  * Signal version 7.4.0
  
 +===== 1) Install and configure Tails =====
  
-===== 1.) Install Tails on USB-Stick ====+==== 1.1) Install Tails ====
-See howto: [[https://tails.boum.org/|Tails]] and run it.+
  
-===== 2.) Configure Tails ===== +See howto: [[https://tails.boum.org/|Tails]].
-[[https://tails.boum.org/install/expert?back=1|Tails configuration]]+
  
-  * Create a Persistent Storage: https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/ 
-  * Enable the Additional Software feature of Tails persistence: https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/additional_software/ 
-  * Enable Dotfiles feature: https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/configure/ 
  
-Reboot+==== 1.2) Boot Tails ====
  
-When logging in after the rebootunlock persistence volume and set an Administration Password.+Start Tails. Before logging in, make sure to enable the following option:
  
-===== 3.) Install Flatpak =====+  - ☑️ Set an Administration Password. 
 +  - ☑️ Enable the persistent storage
  
-The approach used to run Signal on Tails is using flatpakFlatpak is a utility for software deployment and package management for Linux (Tails is a Linux)+==== 1.3Configure Persistent Storage ====
-**WARNING**: since you download (and update) Signal from flatpak source you now depend on Flatpaks integrity!!!+
  
-Open Terminal: 
  
-''sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak''+After the first start, you will be asked to create and [[https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/configure/|configure]] the Persistent Storage. Make sure to check check the following boxes: 
 + 
 +  * ☑️ Enable persisting additionaly installed software 
 +  * ☑️ Enable Dotfiles feature 
 + 
 +===== 2) Install and configure Flatpak ===== 
 + 
 +The approach used to run Signal on Tails is using Flatpak. Flatpak is a utility for software deployment and package management for Linux (Tails is a Linux). 
 + 
 +<note important>Since you download (and update) Signal from flatpak source you now depend on Flatpaks integrity!</note> 
 + 
 +==== 2.1) Install Flatpak ==== 
 + 
 +Open Terminal and run the following command: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak --yes 
 +</code>
  
 Tails then asks if you want to add flatpak to your additional software. Choose: "Install every Time". Tails then asks if you want to add flatpak to your additional software. Choose: "Install every Time".
  
-===== 4.) Configure Flatpak =====+==== 2.2) Configure Setup script for Flatpak ====
  
-Put these commands into a script (a simple text file) in persistent folder i.e. ''/home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh'' :+In order to persist the configuration for Flatpak, some additional steps are required. Because they will be required after each boot, you will create a script to automate this
  
-<code>#!/bin/sh+=== Create script === 
 + 
 +The following terminal command will open a text editor to create a script in the directory ''/home/amnesia/Persistent/'': 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +gnome-text-editor /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh 
 +</code> 
 + 
 +Content of the file: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +#!/bin/sh
  
 mkdir -p /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak mkdir -p /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak
 mkdir -p /home/amnesia/.local/share mkdir -p /home/amnesia/.local/share
-ln -s /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak+ 
 +if ! file /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak | grep -q 'symbolic link'; then 
 +        rm -rf --one-file-system /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak 
 +        ln -s /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak 
 +fi 
 mkdir -p /home/amnesia/Persistent/app mkdir -p /home/amnesia/Persistent/app
 mkdir -p /home/amnesia/.var mkdir -p /home/amnesia/.var
-ln -s /home/amnesia/Persistent/app /home/amnesia/.var/app</code>+ln -s /home/amnesia/Persistent/app /home/amnesia/.var/app 
 +</code>
  
-  * Make script executable 
  
-''chmod +x /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh''+=== Make script executable ===
  
-  * Add script to autostart+This is required so that the text file can be executed as a program:
  
-Create a file: ''/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart/FlatpakSetup.desktop'' +<code> 
-(Most probably you will have to create folders named ''.config'' and ''autostart''. You may have to use admin password and make hidden files and folders visible.)+chmod +x /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh 
 +</code>
  
-Put this to the text file named ''FlatpakSetup.desktop'' :+=== Run the script ===
  
-<code>[Desktop Entry]+Run the set up script: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +bash /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh 
 +</code> 
 + 
 +=== Add script to autostart === 
 + 
 + 
 +Now you create an entry in the autostart folder at ''/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart'' 
 + 
 +Create the directory if it doesn't already exists: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +mkdir -p /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart/ 
 +</code> 
 + 
 +Open the file with the text editor: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +gnome-text-editor /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart/FlatpakSetup.desktop 
 +</code> 
 + 
 +Content of the file: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +[Desktop Entry]
 Name=FlatpakSetup Name=FlatpakSetup
 GenericName=Setup Flatpak on Tails GenericName=Setup Flatpak on Tails
Line 63: Line 120:
 Exec=/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh Exec=/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh
 Terminal=false Terminal=false
-Type=Application</code>+Type=Application 
 +</code>
  
-Reboot+==== 2.3) Configure package repository for Flatpak ====
  
-When logging in after the reboot, unlock persistence volume and set an Administration Password.+You will need to tell Flatpak from which URL to fetch the software packages:
  
-===== 5.) Install Signal with Flatpak =====+<code> 
 +torsocks flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo 
 +</code>
  
-Open Terminal:+===== 3) Install and configure Signal  =====
  
-<code>torify flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo</code>+==== 3.1) Install Signal ====
  
-<code>torify flatpak install flathub org.signal.Signal</code>+Install SignalThis command will take quite a couple of minutes:
  
-(This will take quite a couple of minutes.)+<code> 
 +torsocks flatpak --user install flathub org.signal.Signal 
 +</code>
  
-===== 6.) Configure Signal ===== 
  
-Put these commands into a script (a simple text filein persistent folder i.e. ''/home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh'' :+==== 3.2Configure Signal ====
  
-<code>#!/bin/sh+Configure Signal to use Tor for connecting to the internet:
  
-export HTTP_PROXY=socks://127.0.0.1:9050 +<code> 
-export HTTPS_PROXY=socks://127.0.0.1:9050 +flatpak override --user --env=HTTP_PROXY=socks://127.0.0.1:9050 org.signal.Signal 
-flatpak run org.signal.Signal</code>+flatpak override --user --env=HTTPS_PROXY=socks://127.0.0.1:9050 org.signal.Signal 
 +</code>
  
-  * Make script executable 
  
-''chmod +x /home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh''+==== 3.3) Create menu entry for Signal updates ====
  
-  * Add script to applications+<note important>In this step, you will create a menu entry called "Update Flatpak apps", which will invoke the update command in a terminal to check for updates for Signal and other apps installed via Flatpak. 
  
-Create a file: ''/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/applications/Signal.desktop'' +Note that you will still need to run it manually by opening the menu entry!</note>
-(Most probably you will have to create folders named ''.local'', ''share'' and ''applications''. You may have to use admin password and make hidden files and folders visible.)+
  
-Put this to the text file named ''Signal.desktop'' :+Create the directory for menu custom menu entries:
  
-<code>[Desktop Entry] +<code> 
-Name=Signal +mkdir -p /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/applications 
-GenericName=Signal Desktop Messenger +</code>
-Exec=/home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh +
-Terminal=false +
-Type=Application +
-Icon=/home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak/app/org.signal.Signal/current/active/files/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/org.signal.Signal.png</code>+
  
-Reboot and unlock persistence volume. (You need to unlock persistence volume every time you want to use Signal)+Create the menu entry:
  
-Signal now shows as part of the Gnome applications with a nice Signal icon (hit "windows" button and search for "Signal").+<code> 
 +gnome-text-editor /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/applications/update-flatpak.desktop 
 +</code>
  
-It's possible to start Signal like this as well:+Content of the file: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +[Desktop Entry] 
 +Name=Update Flatpak apps 
 +GenericName=Update Flatpak apps 
 +Exec=/usr/bin/torsocks /usr/bin/flatpak update --user -y 
 +Terminal=true 
 +Type=Application 
 +</code>
  
-''cd /home/amnesia/Persistent && ./signal.sh''+This file will now show up in your menu (when you hit the windows button) as "Update Flatpak apps"
  
-===== 7.Update of Signal =====+===== 4Done =====
  
-**IMPORTANT**: to check for updates and update Signal you have to manually run:+You're all set. On subsequent reboots will only need to unlock the persistent volume.
  
-''torify flatpak update''+Setting an administrator password will not be necessary, except you wish to do any changes to the setup.
en/howto/signal_on_tails.1710228682.txt.gz · Last modified: by doobry

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