Understanding end-to-end encryption

End-to-end encryption means that only the sender and the intended receiver have access to the contents of a message. Neither Rakuten Viber nor anyone or anything else can read encrypted messages. The encryption keys are stored only on your devices and no one has access to them. To learn more about Rakuten Viber's encryption and privacy, follow this link.

Each Viber account has a unique key. When you send a message using Viber, your messages are encrypted (locked) while they are in transit and then decrypted (unlocked) when they reach the intended recipient.

If the message doesn't reach the recipient immediately (for example, because their phone is switched off), it will remain encrypted on Rakuten Viber's servers until it can be delivered. Rakuten Viber can't decrypt any encrypted messages and doesn't hold onto messages once they have been delivered.

• 1-on-1 chats
• Groups
• 1-on-1 calls (voice and video)

Some chats aren't end-to-end encrypted for functionality reasons. For example, Channels and Communities display the entire chat history to new members, meaning that the message's intended recipient remains undefined. These messages are protected by encryption-in-transit.

The following communication on Viber is not end-to-end encrypted:

• Communities
• Channels
• Chats with bots
• Group calls (voice and video)
• Viber Out (paid) calls

To see if your chats are encrypted:

Phone

1-on-1 chat

1. Open Viber on your phone
2. Tap on Chats
3. Select any 1-on-1 chat
4. Tap Info and then Chat info (Android) OR the name of the chat (iOS) at the top of the screen
5. Look for the Encryption lock underneath the contact's display picture

Group chat

1. Open Viber on your phone
2. Tap on Chats
3. Select any group chat
4. Tap Info and then Chat info (Android) OR the name of the group (iOS) at the top of the screen
5. Look for the Encryption lock underneath the group's display picture

Desktop

1. Open Viber on your desktop
2. Click on a 1-on-1 or group chat
3. Click on Chat info
4. Look for the Encryption lock in the sidebar

You can also add contacts to a Trusted contacts list, allowing you to verify if your connection is secure each time you chat or call them.