signalapp / signalapp/Signal-Android

Signal uses a lot more storage then what is claimed inside the app

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wontfix
Dominant language
Kotlin
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Description

Guidelines
  • I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates
  • I am submitting a bug report for existing functionality that does not work as intended
  • This isn't a feature request or a discussion topic
Bug description

Inside the app, it says Signal is storing 1.23GB of media, while in the system settings, it says that Signal is using 12.75GB of storage, which is a massive disparity to have (over 10x!).

Screenshots

System storage:

Image

In-app storage usage:

Image
Device

Redmi Note 9 Pro

Android version

12

Signal version

8.7.3

Link to debug log

https://debuglogs.org/android/8.7.3/dc4b6030997b008bd9836f071afe2f2fbeaf8dba0d383967b5a5856be9152319

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the linked debug log and the app's in-app storage usage screen, then compare its 1.23 GB media estimate with Android's reported 12.75 GB for the same Signal installation. Reproduce on the reported Redmi Note 9 Pro running Android 12 if possible; the work is done when the discrepancy is explained and the app's accounting matches or clearly accounts for system storage.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
kotlin
Domain
mobile
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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