Ever wondered if you can keep signal (opens new window) open in the background? 🤔

It is actually super easy. After you have installed the signal application from signal.org (opens new window) you have to add the --start-in-tray flag to the command that starts the application.

In order to do so, copy the application launcher over to your home directory and add the flag there.

cp /usr/share/applications/signal-desktop.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/signal-desktop.desktop

Now update the application starter so it has the Exec statement as shown below.

Exec=/opt/Signal/signal-desktop --no-sandbox --start-in-tray %U

Last but not least you will have to update the system cache of application files.

update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications

Now signal will be opened in the tray and will stay there after you have closed the window.

And that's it! 😁