Briar

What is Briar?

Briar is a unique secure messaging application designed specifically for activists, journalists, and anyone who needs communications that work during internet shutdowns, natural disasters, or oppressive surveillance environments. Launched in 2018 after years of development, Briar was created by the Briar Project with funding from organizations dedicated to internet freedom and human rights. Unlike conventional messaging apps that require internet connectivity and trust in central servers, Briar uses peer-to-peer encrypted connections via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the Tor network to ensure messages can be delivered even when traditional infrastructure is unavailable or compromised.

What makes Briar revolutionary is its ability to function without any internet connection by creating mesh networks between nearby devices using Bluetooth and local Wi-Fi. When internet is available, Briar routes all traffic through the Tor network for anonymity, ensuring your communications cannot be traced back to your physical location. The app stores no metadata on servers, requires no phone number or email to register, and automatically synchronizes messages when contacts come back online. This resilient architecture makes Briar ideal for situations where communication infrastructure is unreliable, monitored, or intentionally disrupted by authorities.

Briar represents a fundamentally different approach to secure communication—one that assumes hostile network conditions and surveillance as the default scenario. The application has been used by protesters during internet blackouts, journalists operating in authoritarian regimes, and activists organizing in hostile environments where traditional messaging apps would be easily monitored or blocked. With its focus on resilience, anonymity, and decentralization, Briar offers capabilities that no mainstream messaging platform can match, making it an essential tool for anyone whose physical safety depends on secure, surveillance-resistant communications.

Key Features

• Bluetooth Messaging: Send and receive encrypted messages via direct Bluetooth connections without any internet, cellular service, or Wi-Fi access, enabling communication during complete network shutdowns or in remote areas.
• Wi-Fi Direct Sync: Create local mesh networks using Wi-Fi Direct technology allowing messages to hop between nearby devices, extending communication range beyond Bluetooth while maintaining security and offline functionality.
• Tor Network Integration: All internet traffic is automatically routed through the Tor anonymity network, hiding your IP address and physical location from anyone monitoring network traffic or attempting to trace communications.
• No Central Servers: Completely serverless architecture stores all messages locally on your device with peer-to-peer synchronization, eliminating centralized points of failure, government pressure, or corporate data collection.
• Zero Metadata: Briar stores absolutely no metadata about who communicates with whom, when messages are sent, or any other information that could reveal social networks or communication patterns to adversaries.
• No Phone Number Required: Create accounts without providing phone numbers, email addresses, or any personally identifiable information, protecting your real identity from being linked to your Briar communications.
• Forums and Blogs: Built-in public forums and private group blogs allow communities to share information and coordinate activities with the same security and resilience as one-on-one messaging.
• RSS Feed Reader: Securely follow news and blog feeds through Tor with built-in RSS support, allowing you to stay informed without revealing your interests or identity to website operators.
• Contact Introduction: Trusted contacts can introduce you to their contacts with verification, building secure social networks without centralized directories or searchable user databases that could be exploited.
• Local Encryption: All data stored on your device is encrypted, protecting your messages and contacts even if your phone is physically seized, stolen, or accessed by unauthorized parties.

What’s New

Briar has continued evolving with updates focused on usability, performance, and additional resilience features:

• Improved Battery Efficiency: Significant optimizations reducing battery consumption from Bluetooth scanning and Tor connections, making Briar more practical for all-day use without draining your device.
• Better Contact Discovery: Enhanced nearby contact detection using improved Bluetooth and Wi-Fi scanning algorithms that find contacts faster while consuming less power and maintaining security.
• Desktop Beta: Experimental desktop application for Linux allowing you to use Briar on computers for easier typing and larger screen access while maintaining the same security properties as mobile.
• Image Attachments: Support for sending images and photos through Briar’s encrypted channels, expanding communication options beyond text while maintaining offline sync and Tor anonymity.
• Improved Onboarding: Redesigned setup process with clearer explanations of Briar’s unique features, helping new users understand how to use offline messaging and connect with contacts effectively.
• Forum Enhancements: Additional features for public forums including better thread management, improved notification controls, and enhanced moderation tools for community administrators.
• Connection Quality Indicators: Visual feedback showing which transport methods (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Tor) are currently connecting you to each contact, helping users understand their connection status.
• Performance Improvements: Faster message synchronization, reduced memory usage, and improved app responsiveness especially when managing many contacts or large group conversations.

System Requirements

Android

• Operating System: Android 4.1 (API 16) or later
• RAM: 1 GB minimum (2 GB recommended)
• Storage: 50 MB minimum plus space for messages
• Bluetooth 4.0 or later for offline messaging
• Wi-Fi Direct support recommended

Linux (Desktop Beta)

• Distribution: Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 10+, Fedora 30+
• Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 11 or later
• RAM: 2 GB minimum
• Storage: 100 MB minimum
• Internet connection for Tor-based messaging

Note on Platform Support

• Briar is currently available only for Android and Linux
• iOS version is not possible due to Apple’s restrictions on background Bluetooth and network access
• Windows and macOS support is under consideration

How to Install Briar

Android Installation

1. Open Google Play Store or F-Droid on your Android device
2. Search for “Briar – Secure Messaging”
3. Tap Install to download the application
4. Open Briar and create your account with a username
5. Set a strong password (this protects your local message database)
6. Grant necessary permissions for Bluetooth and location (needed for Bluetooth scanning)
7. Start adding contacts by meeting in person and scanning QR codes or sharing Briar links

# Install from F-Droid (open-source app store)
# 1. Install F-Droid from https://f-droid.org
# 2. Search for Briar in F-Droid
# 3. Install Briar

# Direct APK download available from:
# https://briarproject.org/download-briar/

# For maximum security, verify APK signatures
# Instructions at: https://briarproject.org/manual/

Linux Installation (Desktop Beta)

# Download JAR file from official website
cd ~/Downloads
wget https://briarproject.org/download/briar-desktop-linux.jar

# Run Briar Desktop
java -jar briar-desktop-linux.jar

# Create a launcher script
cat > ~/bin/briar << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
java -jar ~/Downloads/briar-desktop-linux.jar
EOF
chmod +x ~/bin/briar

# Run with:
briar

# Note: Desktop version is in beta
# Check https://briarproject.org for latest installation instructions

Adding Contacts

1. Meet your contact in person for maximum security
2. Both open Briar and tap "Add Contact"
3. Choose "Add Nearby Contact" if together physically
4. Scan each other's QR codes or use NFC tap
5. Alternatively, share Briar links via another secure channel
6. Verify contact identity to confirm you're connected to the right person

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Works Without Internet: Unique ability to send messages via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct during internet outages, natural disasters, protests, or deliberate network shutdowns by authorities.
• Maximum Anonymity: Tor integration and zero-metadata architecture provide stronger anonymity than any mainstream messaging app, protecting both message content and communication patterns from surveillance.
• No Central Servers: Serverless peer-to-peer design means there's no company to pressure for data, no database to hack, and no infrastructure to shut down or compromise.
• Perfect for High-Risk Users: Specifically designed for activists, journalists, and human rights workers who face real physical danger from surveillance, making it ideal for hostile environments.
• Open Source: Completely transparent codebase allows security experts to audit the implementation, verify security claims, and identify potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
• Local Data Control: All messages stored encrypted on your device with no cloud backup means you have complete control over your data and who can access it.
• Resilient Communication: Mesh networking capabilities allow messages to hop between devices, creating communication networks that are extremely difficult to disrupt or censor even with sophisticated technology.

Cons

• Android Only: Currently limited to Android devices (plus experimental Linux desktop), with no iOS version possible due to Apple's platform restrictions on background processes and Bluetooth access.
• Contact Addition Complexity: Requires meeting contacts in person or using another secure channel to exchange Briar links, which is more cumbersome than searching for usernames or phone numbers.
• Battery Consumption: Continuous Bluetooth scanning and Tor connections can drain battery faster than conventional messaging apps, requiring more frequent charging during extended use.
• Slower Message Delivery: Offline synchronization and Tor routing mean messages may take longer to deliver compared to instant delivery of server-based apps with fast internet connections.
• Limited Multimedia Support: Currently supports images but lacks support for video, voice messages, or voice/video calls that many users expect from modern messaging platforms.

Briar vs Alternatives

Who Should Use Briar?

Briar is ideal for:

• Activists and Protesters: People organizing demonstrations or movements in regions where governments actively monitor communications and shut down internet access during protests or political unrest.
• Investigative Journalists: Reporters working on sensitive stories who need to protect sources and communicate securely even when facing sophisticated surveillance from well-funded adversaries or state actors.
• Human Rights Workers: NGO staff and advocates operating in authoritarian countries where being discovered communicating about human rights could result in imprisonment, torture, or death.
• Emergency Responders: Teams coordinating disaster response in areas where traditional communication infrastructure has been destroyed by natural disasters, enabling critical coordination when normal networks fail.
• Privacy Maximalists: Individuals who want absolute anonymity and metadata protection beyond what any other messaging platform offers, willing to accept usability tradeoffs for maximum security.
• People in Censored Regions: Users in countries with heavy internet censorship and filtering who need reliable communication that cannot be easily blocked or monitored by authoritarian governments.

Briar may not be ideal for:

• iOS Users: iPhone and iPad users cannot access Briar due to Apple's platform restrictions that prevent the background Bluetooth and network access Briar requires to function.
• General Mainstream Users: People seeking simple, fast messaging for everyday conversations with friends and family will find Briar's security-focused design unnecessarily complex for their threat model.
• Multimedia-Heavy Communicators: Users who frequently share videos, voice messages, or make voice/video calls will be disappointed by Briar's current limitations in multimedia support.
• People Wanting Convenience: Those prioritizing ease of use, fast message delivery, and seamless contact discovery over security and anonymity will prefer more user-friendly alternatives like Signal or Telegram.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: How does Briar work without internet or cellular service?

Briar uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct to create direct encrypted connections between nearby devices, allowing messages to be exchanged without any internet connection or cellular network. When you and your contact are within Bluetooth range (typically 10-30 meters), Briar automatically establishes a connection and synchronizes messages that were sent while you were apart. If you're not nearby, messages wait in a queue until the next time you're in range or both connected to the internet through Tor. This mesh networking approach can even relay messages through multiple intermediate devices—if you message someone who isn't nearby, the message can hop through mutual contacts until it reaches the recipient, creating resilient communication networks that function independently of traditional infrastructure.

Question 2: Is Briar really secure enough for journalists and activists in dangerous situations?

Yes, Briar was specifically designed for high-risk users facing sophisticated adversaries including state-level surveillance. The combination of end-to-end encryption, Tor anonymity, zero-metadata architecture, and serverless design provides security properties that exceed mainstream alternatives. Security researchers have audited Briar's cryptographic implementation and overall design. However, no technology alone can guarantee safety—users must combine Briar with good operational security practices like device encryption, strong passwords, physical security, and situational awareness. Briar protects your communications, but it cannot protect against physical device seizure, malware, or careless behavior. For users facing genuine threats to life and liberty, Briar should be part of a comprehensive security strategy, not the only precaution taken.

Question 3: Why does Briar need location permission if it protects my privacy?

This is a confusing Android requirement that trips up many users. Briar needs location permission not because it tracks your location, but because Android requires it for apps that scan for nearby Bluetooth devices. Google considers Bluetooth scanning a potential privacy risk because it could theoretically be used to determine your location based on nearby Bluetooth beacons, so they require apps to request location permission even if they never actually access GPS or location data. Briar never accesses your GPS coordinates and never knows where you are geographically. The permission is solely needed to comply with Android's API requirements for Bluetooth scanning, which Briar uses to find nearby contacts for offline messaging. You can verify this by examining Briar's open-source code to confirm it never calls location APIs.

Question 4: Can I use Briar as my primary messaging app for everyday conversations?

While technically possible, Briar is designed for specific high-security scenarios rather than replacing general-purpose messaging apps for most users. The security features that make Briar excellent for activists—offline messaging, Tor routing, no phone numbers—also make it less convenient for everyday use. Messages may deliver more slowly than apps using fast central servers, battery consumption is higher, adding contacts requires meeting in person or exchanging links securely, and multimedia features are limited. For typical day-to-day messaging with friends and family who don't face serious security threats, apps like Signal offer excellent security with much better convenience. Briar is best used when you specifically need its unique capabilities—offline messaging, Tor anonymity, or communications during internet shutdowns—rather than as a general replacement for all messaging needs.

Question 5: What happens to my messages if I lose my phone or forget my password?

Because Briar stores all messages locally on your device with no cloud backup or central servers, losing your phone or forgetting your password means permanently losing access to all your messages and contacts. This is a deliberate security tradeoff—the same design that protects you from government surveillance and hacking also means there's no recovery mechanism if you lose access to your device. There is no password reset option, customer support, or backup server that could restore your account. This is why setting a strong but memorable password is crucial, and why some users keep physical backups of important contact information stored separately. The security model assumes that recovering from device loss is less important than preventing unauthorized access to communications that could endanger users in hostile environments. For people whose physical safety depends on secure communications, this tradeoff makes sense.

Final Verdict

Briar occupies a unique and critical niche in the secure messaging ecosystem by providing capabilities that literally no other platform offers. The ability to communicate via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi mesh networks during complete internet shutdowns is not just a technical novelty—it's a potentially life-saving feature for activists, journalists, and human rights workers operating in hostile environments. When combined with Tor anonymity, zero-metadata storage, and serverless architecture, Briar delivers security properties that surpass even respected alternatives like Signal. This is not a mainstream messaging app competing on features and convenience; it's a specialized tool designed for scenarios where communication infrastructure is unreliable, monitored, or actively hostile.

The platform's greatest strength is its uncompromising focus on resilience and anonymity. Where other secure messaging apps might fail during government-imposed internet blackouts or sophisticated surveillance operations, Briar was built specifically to resist these threats. The open-source codebase, peer-reviewed cryptography, and years of real-world use by high-risk users have validated Briar's security model. For users facing genuine threats from well-resourced adversaries—authoritarian governments, organized crime, or corporate espionage—Briar provides security assurances that are difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional messaging platforms, regardless of their encryption claims.

Briar is essential for anyone whose work or activism puts them at real physical risk from surveillance or communication disruption. If you're organizing protests in a country that shuts down the internet during demonstrations, reporting on government corruption where journalists are targeted, or coordinating human rights work in authoritarian regimes, Briar should be in your security toolkit. However, for average users with normal threat models, Briar's security-first design introduces friction that isn't necessary for everyday communication—Signal or other privacy-focused alternatives offer better usability for general purposes. Briar isn't for everyone, and that's exactly the point. It's a purpose-built tool for specific high-stakes scenarios where its unique capabilities make the difference between secure communication and dangerous exposure. If your safety depends on resilient, anonymous communication that works even when internet infrastructure fails or is actively hostile, there is simply no better alternative than Briar.