Frequently Asked Questions
Quickly find answers to your questions
Liberchat is a free, open-source, and secure messaging application. It uses end-to-end encryption to protect your conversations and does not collect any personal data.
The project is entirely open source, which means the code is transparent and auditable by everyone.
Liberchat is available on:
- Windows - Version 2.0.1
- Linux - Universal AppImage
- macOS - Intel and Apple Silicon compatible
- Android - APK and PWA
- iOS - PWA (native application in development)
Yes, Liberchat is totally free and will always remain so. There are:
- No paid subscriptions
- No advertisements
- No data sales
- No premium features
For Windows:
- Download the .exe file from the homepage
- Run the installation file
- Follow the instructions in the installation wizard
- Launch Liberchat from the Start menu
Installing the APK:
- Enable "Unknown sources" in Settings → Security
- Download the APK file
- Open the downloaded file
- Confirm the installation
You can also use the PWA directly from your browser.
If the AppImage doesn't work:
- Make the file executable:
chmod +x Liberchat-*.AppImage - Install FUSE if necessary:
sudo apt install fuse - Launch from terminal to see errors
- Verify that your distribution is supported
Several self-hosting options:
- Docker - Recommended solution with docker-compose
- YunoHost - One-click installation
- Manual script - For advanced users
Check the self-hosting page for more details.
Liberchat uses the Signal protocol for encryption:
- Local encryption - Messages encrypted before sending
- Unique keys - Each conversation has its own keys
- Perfect Forward Secrecy - Old keys are deleted
- Verification - Ability to verify contact identities
No personal data is collected.
Liberchat does not store:
- Your messages (encrypted locally)
- Your contacts
- Your communication metadata
- Your IP address
- Your usage habits
Yes, Liberchat is entirely open source:
- Public code - Available on GitHub
- Regular audits - By the community
- Total transparency - No hidden code
- Contributions - Accepted from everyone
Liberchat is designed to resist censorship:
- Decentralized - No central server
- P2P - Direct communication between users
- Self-hosting - Control your own server
- Open source - Impossible to delete the code
Liberchat's technical stack:
- Frontend - Electron, React, TypeScript
- Mobile - React Native, PWA
- Backend - Node.js, Rust
- Encryption - libsignal, OpenSSL
Windows: Windows 10/11, 4GB RAM, 500MB space
Linux: Recent distribution, 4GB RAM, 500MB space
macOS: macOS 10.14+, Intel or Apple Silicon
Android: Android 5.0+ (API 21), 2GB RAM
iOS: iOS 12+ for PWA
To report a problem:
- Check if the bug hasn't already been reported
- Open an issue on GitHub
- Describe the problem in detail
- Include your operating system and version
- Add screenshots if possible
Development cycle:
- Major versions - Every 6 months
- Minor versions - Every 2-3 months
- Hotfixes - As needed
- Security - Immediately if necessary
