Session Beta: Your all access pass.

April 19, 2023 / Wesley SukhPrivate messaging, Technical

Session users can always rest easy knowing the tech they are using is reliable, safe, and packed with the absolute latest in the privacy preserving space. We are constantly improving, with regular updates dropping to refine the overall experience for everyone using Session, everywhere.

It’s no secret though that when you’re pushing out the most hardcore privacy app on the market; certain features sometimes take a little bit longer to perfect. Some features require a little more battle testing or need some cool down time before they can be openly made a core feature

If you want to skip the queue and get a taste of the latest Session features before they’re rolled out to everyone, you can download a beta version of Session. Beta features are a great way to use, test, or just get early access to functionality and improvements that haven't been officially released yet.

It is however, worth noting that like all things in beta — it’s in beta for a reason. Beta versions of Session can struggle to run on older devices, and ultimately present the user with a version of Session that hasn't been tested by the larger network. You may run into some bugs or reliability issues as Session beta tester, but you’ll be working alongside us to make the app the best it can be.

How to download Session beta versions:

To join a beta branch, check out the instructions for your device below:

Android:

  • Head to the Play Store and install Session normally.

  • After installing Session, under “Join the beta,” tap Join and then follow the prompts.

You can also join from this web page if you are signed into your Google account in your browser.

Note: if ‘Join the beta’ section does not appear, try restarting the Play Store app on your device.

or

Download and install any available pre-release APK here.

iOS:

To join the beta on iOS, follow these steps:

  • Install TestFlight on your device.

  • Opt-in to testing our beta release here.

  • Tap Install or Update.

or

  • Download and sideload the pre-release IPA here.

Desktop

To join the beta on desktop, simply download the relevant executable file from the pre release here.

Note: It is not currently possible to downgrade versions from the beta branch to an older official version. If your device encounters issues with the beta version, you may need to wait for the next official release or un-install and restore using your recovery phrase. Restoring will result in the loss of messaging content that is older than 14 days.

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