<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
  <channel>
    <title>Tech corner</title>
    <link>https://write.grin.hu/tech-corner/</link>
    <description>Tech tips from @gmate8@mastodon.online</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:02:02 +0000</pubDate>
    <item>
      <title>How to enable tray functionality on the Signal flatpak version</title>
      <link>https://write.grin.hu/tech-corner/how-to-enable-tray-functionality-on-the-signal-flatpak-version</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[By default, the Signal snap version has the tray icon enabled, and is very, very convenient if you just want to keep Signal running in the background just in case of.&#xA;&#xA;However, snaps are being notorious for their slowness and from the bad practices of Ubuntu&#39;s parent company, Canonical. This is why many choose to ditch snaps entirely, like me, and to either use Flatpak/Flathub, AppImages or bare metal deb files. &#xA;&#xA;Personally, I use the flatpak version of Signal, which doesn&#39;t have this functionality enabled, so I&#39;ve been searching for a solution and looks like I&#39;ve found it! I&#39;ll be telling you what to do, to have your Signal app showing up on tray.&#xA; &#xA;br&#xA;Steps:&#xA;&#xA;Download Flatseal, which is really useful, not only for this process, but for managing flatpak apps&#39; permissions.&#xA;In Flatseal, look for the Signal application and scroll down until you see the Environment menu.&#xA;Under Environment, you&#39;ll see a Variables submenu&#xA;In the Variables submenu, change the following output to enable tray:&#xA;&#xA;  SIGNALUSETRAYICON=0&#xA;&#xA;  change it to&#xA;&#xA;  SIGNALUSETRAYICON=1&#xA; &#xA;Additional steps:&#xA;If you want Signal right at the launch to start in tray mode, hidden from you, change this as well:&#xA;&#xA;  SIGNALSTARTINTRAY=0&#xA;&#xA;  change to&#xA;&#xA;  SIGNALSTARTINTRAY=1&#xA; &#xA;br&#xA;Thanks for reading, and hope this tip helps you.]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By default, the Signal snap version has the tray icon enabled, and is very, very convenient if you just want to keep Signal running in the background just in case of.</p>

<p>However, snaps are being notorious for their slowness and from the bad practices of Ubuntu&#39;s parent company, Canonical. This is why many choose to ditch snaps entirely, like me, and to either use Flatpak/Flathub, AppImages or bare metal deb files.</p>

<p>Personally, I use the flatpak version of Signal, which doesn&#39;t have this functionality enabled, so I&#39;ve been searching for a solution and looks like I&#39;ve found it! I&#39;ll be telling you what to do, to have your Signal app showing up on tray.</p>

<p><br></p>

<h3 id="steps" id="steps">Steps:</h3>
<ol><li>Download <a href="https://flathub.org/apps/com.github.tchx84.Flatseal" rel="nofollow">Flatseal</a>, which is really useful, not only for this process, but for managing flatpak apps&#39; permissions.</li>
<li>In Flatseal, look for the Signal application and scroll down until you see the <strong>Environment</strong> menu.</li>
<li>Under <strong>Environment</strong>, you&#39;ll see a <strong>Variables</strong> submenu</li>
<li>In the <strong>Variables</strong> submenu, change the following output to enable tray:</li></ol>

<blockquote><p><code>SIGNAL_USE_TRAY_ICON=0</code></p>

<p>change it to</p>

<p><code>SIGNAL_USE_TRAY_ICON=1</code></p></blockquote>

<h4 id="additional-steps" id="additional-steps">Additional steps:</h4>
<ul><li>If you want Signal right at the launch to start in tray mode, hidden from you, change this as well:</li></ul>

<blockquote><p><code>SIGNAL_START_IN_TRAY=0</code></p>

<p>change to</p>

<p><code>SIGNAL_START_IN_TRAY=1</code></p></blockquote>

<p><br>
Thanks for reading, and hope this tip helps you.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://write.grin.hu/tech-corner/how-to-enable-tray-functionality-on-the-signal-flatpak-version</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 05 Nov 2023 17:05:56 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>