| Session | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Screenshot of Session version 1.17.4 on Android (December 2023) | |
| Developer | The Session Technology Foundation |
| Initial release | February 2020; 5 years ago (2020-02) |
| Stable release(s) | |
| Repository | github |
| Operating system | |
| Type | Instant messaging |
| License | BSD-3-Clause MIT GPL-3.0 |
| Website | getsession |
Session is across-platformend-to-end encryptedinstant messaging application emphasizing user confidentiality and anonymity. Developed and maintained by the non-profit The Session Technology Foundation,[3] it employs ablockchain-baseddecentralized network for transmission. Users can send one-to-one and group messages, including various media types such as files, voice notes, images, and videos.[4]
Session provides applications for various platforms, such asmacOS,Windows, andLinux, along with mobile clients available on bothiOS andAndroid.
Session does not require a telephone number or email address for account creation. Instead, it utilizes a randomly generated 66-digit alphanumeric number for user identification. Communication between users, including messages, voice clips, photos, and files, is end-to-end encrypted using the Session protocol. Session uses the Loki blockchain network for transmissions. In 2021, an independent review by the third-party Quarkslab verified these claims. In 2025, Session announced that it had migrated to its own network, the Session Network — a decentralized, open-source blockchain network designed to transmit encrypted data, specifically for the Session messenger.[5][6][7][8]
Development of Session began in 2018 under the Australia-based Oxen Privacy Tech Foundation.[3] The project started as afork of another messenger,Signal, aiming to build upon its foundation. However, concerns about the centralized structure ofSignal Protocol and potentialmetadata collection led the team to deviate and create their own protocol, called "Session Protocol". This approach prioritized increased anonymity and decentralization. During development, the team encountered various challenges, leading to the necessity of abandoning or modifying many features.[7][9]
In 2024, facing increasingly restrictive privacy and surveillance legislation in Australia, the Session Technology Foundation was established in Switzerland to take over the development and publication of the application.[10]
Session lacks support fortwo-factor authentication, and its underlying protocols are still in a developmental phase. Following the migration from the Signal Protocol to its internally developed protocol,forward secrecy anddeniable authentication were not implemented.[11]
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