Understanding Impact of Contact Permissions on Archiving in iOS

The contact permissions you set on the CM for SGNL app for iOS determine how contact information is displayed in the archive.

To set contact permissions on CM for SGNL for iOS:

Open Settings on your mobile device .
Go to Privacy & Security.
Tap Contacts.
Select the CM for SGNL app.
Select between None, Limited Access, or Full Access.

Permission	Description	Impact in App	Impact in Archive
Full Access	The CM for SGNL app has access to your complete address book.	The name that you have saved on your phone is displayed in conversations.	When you message a client or colleague, their real name (as saved in your phone) is displayed in the archive, making it searchable for compliance officers or legal discovery. Note If you grant Full Access, the contact name saved on your phone is displayed in the archive. For example, if a contact is saved as “Recruiter” or “Lawyer,” that name appears in the archive.
Limited Access	The CM for SGNL app can access only the contacts you select.	You can manually type a phone number to select a contact. The name that you have saved on your phone is displayed in conversations only on the app.	When you message a client or colleague who is not in your Allowed list, only their phone number is displayed in the archive and not the name saved in your address book.
None	The CM for SGNL app cannot access your address book. This is an iOS security limitation.	You can manually type a number to start a conversation. Only phone numbers are displayed in the app.	When you message a client or colleague, only their phone numbers are displayed in the archive, making it harder to search for compliance officers or legal discovery. This setting may violate compliance policies. When you receive a message, the app cannot access your address book to verify the phone number of the sender. The CM for SGNL app archives the Profile Name that the sender has set for themselves on the app. This can lead to compliance gaps as there is no phone number attached to a name in the archive.

Permission

Description

Impact in App

Impact in Archive

Full Access

The CM for SGNL app has access to your complete address book.

The name that you have saved on your phone is displayed in conversations.

When you message a client or colleague, their real name (as saved in your phone) is displayed in the archive, making it searchable for compliance officers or legal discovery.

Note
If you grant Full Access, the contact name saved on your phone is displayed in the archive. For example, if a contact is saved as “Recruiter” or “Lawyer,” that name appears in the archive.

Limited Access

The CM for SGNL app can access only the contacts you select.

You can manually type a phone number to select a contact. The name that you have saved on your phone is displayed in conversations only on the app.

When you message a client or colleague who is not in your Allowed list, only their phone number is displayed in the archive and not the name saved in your address book.

None

The CM for SGNL app cannot access your address book. This is an iOS security limitation.

You can manually type a number to start a conversation. Only phone numbers are displayed in the app.

When you message a client or colleague, only their phone numbers are displayed in the archive, making it harder to search for compliance officers or legal discovery. This setting may violate compliance policies.
When you receive a message, the app cannot access your address book to verify the phone number of the sender. The CM for SGNL app archives the Profile Name that the sender has set for themselves on the app. This can lead to compliance gaps as there is no phone number attached to a name in the archive.

Archive Data Comparison by Permission

Permission	Data Archived
Full Access	Contact name (from your contacts) + Phone Number + Message
Limited Access	Contact name (if in the Allowed list) + Phone Number +Message
None	Profile Name on the app + Message (Number is often missing)

Permission

Data Archived

Full Access

Contact name (from your contacts) + Phone Number + Message

Limited Access

Contact name (if in the Allowed list) + Phone Number +Message

None

Profile Name on the app + Message

(Number is often missing)

Important
If the sender has not set a Signal profile name and you have set contact permissions to None, the archive may show the sender as "Unknown" or a blank entry. This is a high-risk red flag for compliance.