Settings
Vector's Settings & Customizations
Settings are a crucial part of the user experience, giving users full control over how they interact with the app based on their preferences and the features available to them.
Vector was built with the goal of putting users in control of their own experience. Early development will be more limited in scope, but developers are committed to expanding customization options over time for a more tailored and high-performance experience.
Within Settings, users will find varying levels of privacy and anonymity controls, though Vector maintains a no-compromise policy when it comes to privacy. Privacy is the default and cannot be opted out of, as it is the fundamental foundation Vector is built upon. As of v0.4.4, not all planned capabilities and customization options are available yet. With every new release, more features will be added to allow users to fully shape their Vector experience exactly how they prefer.
Theme
Vector Messenger allows for users to pick their own theme, which functions purely as a cosmetic skin applied throughout the entire app. Vector's cypherpunk-inspired green is the default theme, but can be changed at anytime. There are currently a handful of themes to choose from. In the future, Vector is considering allowing for there to be more community involvement and creations. Learn more about other Vector Themes.
Voice Settings
Auto-Translate
Vector Voice Translations: Vector Voice AI can automatically detect non-English languages and translate them into English text for you. You can decide whether Vector Voice transcribes to your contact's native language or translates to English instead.
Auto-Transcribe
Vector Voice Transcriptions: Vector Voice AI can automatically transcribe incoming Voice Messages for immediate reading, without needing to listen. You can decide whether Vector Voice transcribes automatically or if you prefer to transcribe each message individually.
Whisper Model
The Whisper Model, also known as the Vector Voice AI Model, determines the quality of your transcriptions. A larger model provides more accurate transcriptions and translations but requires more disk space, memory, and processing power to run on your device. In essence, you are trading computing resources for higher quality output. The Base Quality model is selected by default, but users can choose to uninstall it or switch to a model better suited to their needs. For older devices with limited GPU resources, Vector automatically falls back to CPU processing to ensure the feature runs smoothly.
Privacy
Display Web Previews
When enabled, Vector will automatically fetch and display previews for links shared in messages. This may expose your IP address if you do not use a VPN.
Prevent URL Tracking
Strip Tracking Markers: When enabled, Vector will automatically remove tracking markers from URLs before displaying or sending them. This helps reduce your digital footprint and enhances your privacy with no loss in functionality. This feature can be disabled, but doing so reduces your protection against unsolicited tracking.
Send Typing Indicators
When enabled, Vector will notify your contacts when you are typing a message to them. Disable this if you prefer to type without others knowing you are composing a message.
Tor
When enabled, Vector routes all outbound traffic through the Tor network using an embedded Arti client, including Nostr relay connections, Blossom uploads, link previews, and media fetches. This hides your IP address from relay operators and external servers without requiring a separate Tor Browser installation or system-level proxy. Tor adds some latency to connections, so it is best suited for users who prioritize anonymity over speed. To enable, simply toggle Tor on in Settings and Vector will handle the rest. Learn more
Blocked Users
Blocking a user can be done directly from their profile. As of v0.4.0, blocked users are listed in Settings under the Privacy section. Click the dropdown to view your blocked users, and select Unblock to instantly restore all permissions. Blocking a user prevents their messages from notifying you, and in shared group chats their messages will appear hidden, concealing both their username and message content until you choose to reveal it.
Display
Display Image Types
When enabled, images in chat will display a small badge in the bottom right corner showing the file type (ex: PNG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, WEBP). This tool helps easily identify the image formats at all times.
Background Wallpaper
This feature enables and disables background images inside of Chats (Private & Group Chats). With the current version, there is only one theme that has a background. Please note this only applies to certain themes, but in the future custom background wallpapers may be supported.
Rich Composer
When enabled, your message composer will render markdown, custom emojis, and mentions in real time as you type, so you can see exactly how your message will look before you send it. This applies across all chats, including private messages and communities.
Emoticon Suggestions
When enabled, text emoticons will suggest the matching emoji as you type. Turn this off to type emoticons as plain text without the emoji selector appearing.
Autocorrect
When enabled, your device will correct typos as you type in the chat box using your system's built-in autocorrect. Turn this off if your system keeps changing words you intended to type.
Notifications
Sound Notifications
As of v0.3.0, sound notifications were implemented. There are currently 2 options to choose from, as well as the option of uploading your own custom sound or audio clip. The sound notifications are up to 10 seconds long. It is not necessarily advised to have a sound notification that long, as it's a bit unreasonable, but it is experimental and will be modified with time. Currently, Prélude is the default sound notification that is soft, ambient, but also attracts your attention. There is also a Preview Sound button beneath to test how it sounds in app.
Mute All Notification Sounds
When enabled, Vector Messenger will not play any notification sounds for incoming messages, which includes both private and group chats. You will still receive visual notifications and badges.
Mute @Everyone Pings
Group chats support tagging @everyone, which notifies all members and highlights the message for easy visibility. If you find this disruptive, you have the option to mute or disable it entirely in Settings. Some users prefer to keep it enabled to stay on top of important announcements, while others disable it by default to reduce noise. As with any tool that can be misused, Vector puts the control in your hands so you can tailor the experience to your preference.
Content Privacy
This setting controls how much of a message appears in your OS notifications, including lock screen alerts and banners. Show sender and message displays a full preview, so you see both who messaged you and what they said. Hide message shows only the sender's name, keeping the content private. Hide sender and message displays a generic "You received a message" notification, revealing nothing about who contacted you or what was said.
Network
Nostr Relays
Nostr Relays are decentralized servers that store and relay your messages across the Nostr network. Vector connects to multiple relays simultaneously to ensure your messages are delivered reliably and are censorship-resistant. Learn how to host your own Nostr Relay here.
Add Custom Relay
As of v0.3.0, Vector Messenger has also added another node for users in Asia, as well as adding a custom Nostr Node Input. Click on the + sign to the right of Nostr Relays to open up the menu and input your own custom Nostr Relay!
Disable Relay
Disabling a default relay is straightforward: simply click on the relay and select the Disable button. This removes it from active use without removing it from your list, so it can be re-enabled at any time. The relays displayed are Vector's standard defaults, but for more advanced or technically-inclined users, you can fully customize your relay list to fit your specific needs.
Relay Node Stats
Clicking on any Nostr relay opens a detailed popup displaying its network statistics and connection information. This includes the node's current status (connected or disconnected), ping, last check timestamp, and recent activity. From this popup you can also disable the relay to stop connecting to it entirely. Ping values are color-coded to help users quickly assess connection quality: green indicates an ideal connection, progressing through yellow and orange to red as latency worsens, similar to how most network speed tests display results.
Media Servers
Media Servers are Blossom-compatible servers that store your files, including images, videos, and documents, for sharing in messages and for encrypted cloud storage. Vector connects to multiple media servers simultaneously to ensure redundancy, so if one server is unavailable your files remain accessible through the others. You can add custom media servers or disable default ones to fit your preferred setup and privacy requirements. This section displays the connection status and health of each configured server so you can monitor performance at a glance.
Add Server
Just like the Nostr Relay section, you can add your own preferred or self-hosted Blossom media server by clicking the + button and entering the required information. Once configured, it will be active and ready to use alongside your existing servers. Note that the first server listed with an ACTIVE status will be treated as the primary server by default.
Storage
Vector Messenger now provides you with a summary of data usage within Vector Messenger under the Storage section. Easily clear up space and wipe your drives by clicking the "Clear Storage" button. Be warned that this may cause the unintentional loss of some saved files if you're not careful. Deleted media files can be redownloaded by revisiting the chat log where they were uploaded.
Auto-Download Media
This setting gives you full control over your media experience. When enabled, incoming media downloads automatically to your device. When disabled, you decide what to download and view by tapping each item manually.
Auto-Download Limit
By default, Vector automatically downloads media up to 10MB, which covers most images and standard attachments. You can adjust this limit to 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, or 100MB depending on your preference.
Clear Storage
You have full control over your stored data. You can clear everything at once, or select individual categories such as cache and clear only that. Click any section of the chart to see how much space it is using, along with an option to delete just that category.
Hide Media from Gallery
On Android, this optional setting keeps received images and files out of your device Gallery. It is off by default, so media you receive will appear in your Gallery alongside your other photos unless you choose to enable it.
Updates
The Updates section is where users will go to download the latest official release of Vector, which is connected to the Official Vector GitHub. Vector does not force auto-downloads. It only notifies users that a new, updated version has been released and they can choose if and when they would like to download.
Beta Updates
Beta builds are release candidates for the next version of Vector, made available before the official release. They include the newest fixes and features with slightly less polish, and you will be moved onto the official build automatically as soon as it ships. If you turn this off while running a beta, you will stay on your current build until the next official release, then continue on the stable channel from there.
Preview Builds
Vector is built in public as an open-source project, so users can see when new builds are being tested and released. For those who like to try builds before their official release, a new warning highlights the difference between versions, since during development there may be multiple builds sharing the same version number, such as v0.4.2. This was added to reduce confusion and make it clear exactly which build you are running and whether it is a pre-release or an official release.
Security
Local Encryption
Local Encryption protects your messages and private keys in the event your device is lost or stolen. You can choose between a six-digit PIN or a standard alphanumeric password as your encryption method. Disabling this feature speeds up app launch but stores your data in plain text, which is a significant security risk. It is strongly recommended to keep Local Encryption enabled, as using an encrypted messenger loses much of its value if your device falls into the wrong hands and your personal data is left unprotected.
Change PIN/Password
This feature allows you to change your PIN code or password, depending on your settings. If you want to create a new password or PIN code, click the "Change" button. If you don't have a PIN or password, but would like to enable it, turn on Local Encryption (feature mentioned above).
Export Account
Vector Backups: Export Account is where you go to find your Seed Phrase and Private Key nsec . This is where your Vector Account Backups are stored. Make sure you have properly backed up your Vector Account and followed all secure measures to ensure the safety and integrity of your backups. Do not save these backups in any cloud service or on your device.
Dangerzone
Copy Logs
This feature is intended solely for use when troubleshooting issues or reporting bugs to the Vector development team. Copying your logs provides developers with internal diagnostic information to help identify whether an issue originates from your device or from Vector itself. Log data does not contain any personal information or private data, but should only be shared with Vector developers and not distributed elsewhere for security purposes.
Logout
Warning: Do not click this button unless you have backed up your Vector account. Click Export Account to ensure your account is properly backed up before logging out. As of v0.4.0, users can take advantage of the Multi-Account feature to switch between accounts directly within the same UI without needing to log out each time. Logout is still available for users who prefer to fully sign out or switch between seed phrases and private keys manually.
Donors & Contributors
Your support keeps Vector Privacy independent, open-source, and free. If you would be interested in donating, please visit Donations. We extend our sincere gratitude to all of the supporters for helping make Vector possible.
Privacy Policy
A link to Vector's official Privacy Policy is available at the bottom of Settings for easy reference. You can view it on GitBook or on the official Vector website, here.
Last updated