Trust and authenticity
Enhanced Messaging can sign your messages so others can confirm they really came from you. Your public key is published to a shared directory keyed by callsign, so other stations can fetch your key automatically. Trust is still personal: you decide which keys to trust for a given callsign.
What signing does
A signature proves that a message came from someone who controls a specific key. It does not encrypt the message, anyone on the frequency can still read the text.
Shared directory
When your identity is set up, Radio Messenger publishes your public key to a shared directory under your callsign. Other stations can fetch that key when they message you, without a manual exchange every time.
You can still share your key directly — via QR code or Share key as file under My Public Key — when you want someone to import it by hand.
Fingerprints
Each public key has a fingerprint which is a short code derived from the key. Use it to confirm that two copies of a key are the same (for example, the key in the directory and the key someone has in their app).
Compare fingerprints over a side channel you already trust: in person, by phone, or on another channel. If you cannot meet in person, read the fingerprint aloud on a call or paste it in a message on a system you both trust, then confirm it matches before you Mark as trusted.
Message verification badge
On signed Enhanced messages, a seal badge on the bubble shows one of three states:
- Green: Authentic — The signature is valid and you trust this station’s key.
- Orange: Authentic (not trusted) — The signature is valid, but you have not marked this key as trusted.
- Red: Invalid — The signature failed verification (tampering, wrong key, or an expired timestamp).
Long-press a message and open Details for the full signature line, including the reason when verification fails.
Unsigned messages show no seal.
Shield on the conversation header
On a direct conversation, the title area shows a shield next to the station when a public key is known:
- Green shield — you marked this station’s key as trusted.
- Gray shield — a public key is known, but you have not trusted it yet.
- No shield — no public key is known for this callsign yet.
Share your key
Open Settings → My Public Key to view your fingerprint, show a QR code, or Share key as file.
Trust someone’s key
- Open Settings → Public Keys.
- Choose Import, then scan a QR code or import a key file.
- Compare the fingerprint if you received the key indirectly.
- Swipe the row and choose Mark as trusted.
After you trust a key, messages from that station show Authentic. If you revoke trust, existing messages return to Authentic (not trusted) until you trust the key again.
Back up your identity
Use Settings → Identity Backup to export your identity and import it on another device.
Treat identity backup files like a password. Store them in a safe place and do not share them with others.