FBI Extracts Deleted Signal Messages from iPhone Notifications

Encrypted messaging app's privacy protections undermined by iPhone's notification system

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:39pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D macro illustration of a smartphone's internal notification database, with pulsing neon cyan and magenta lights representing the encrypted Signal messages stored within, conceptually illustrating the persistence of private data even after an app is deleted.Encrypted messages thought to be deleted may still linger in a smartphone's notification system, exposing users' private communications.Alvarado Today

The FBI was able to extract private messages sent through the encrypted Signal messaging app from an iPhone's notification database, even after the app had been deleted from the device. This raises significant privacy concerns for Signal users who assumed their messages would be permanently deleted if they removed the app.

Why it matters

Signal is a popular encrypted messaging app used by those seeking heightened privacy and security. The revelation that the FBI can still access deleted Signal messages through the iPhone's notification system undermines the core privacy promises of the app and could erode user trust in encrypted messaging services.

The details

During a 2025 trial related to an incident at an ICE detention facility, the FBI testified that they were able to extract Signal messages from an iPhone's notification database, even though the app had been deleted from the device. The messages were set to automatically disappear, but the iPhone's notification system had retained them, allowing the FBI to access the supposedly private communications as evidence.

  • In July 2025, a group of people set off fireworks and vandalized property at the ICE Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas.
  • In mid-March 2026, all nine defendants in the trial were found guilty on charges ranging from aiding in domestic terrorism to attempted murder.

The players

Signal Private Messenger

An encrypted messaging service that promises private and secure communications.

FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which was able to extract deleted Signal messages from an iPhone's notification database as evidence in a criminal trial.

Apple

The company that manufactures the iPhone, whose notification system retained deleted Signal messages in a way that allowed the FBI to access them.

John Davisson

The deputy director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, who stated that users should reasonably expect deleted messages to be permanently removed from their devices.

Thorin Klosowski

A security and privacy activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who advised users to check the notification settings of their secure messaging apps.

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What they’re saying

“Someone who deletes a secure messaging app reasonably expects that their messages won't hang around indefinitely or be retrievable if the device falls into untrusted hands.”

— John Davisson, Deputy Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center

“In our Surveillance Self-Defense guide, we advise users to check the settings of their secure messaging tools and change them according to their security needs.”

— Thorin Klosowski, Security and Privacy Activist, Electronic Frontier Foundation

What’s next

Signal has advised users to adjust their notification settings to prevent message content from being displayed, which could help mitigate the risk of deleted messages being recovered. Apple has not yet commented on the issue, but may need to address the way its notification system handles data from deleted apps.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of carefully configuring privacy and security settings, even for encrypted messaging apps, to ensure that sensitive communications are truly protected. It also raises questions about the responsibility of tech companies to safeguard user privacy and prevent unintended data retention.