Briar is in maintenance mode - Briar
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July 9, 2026
Briar is in maintenance mode
This is a quick update about the status of Briar. Short version: the project<br>is still active but we’re only making essential security updates and bugfixes<br>for now.
Long version:
For several years we’ve been trying to find solutions to some of the<br>longstanding issues with Briar, such as high battery usage and unreliable<br>background operation on Android, missing features like account backup and<br>file attachments, and a difficult user experience for adding contacts and<br>communicating offline.
We considered completely rebuilding the application from the ground up, or<br>even splitting it into separate applications for online and offline use.<br>Meanwhile, the project didn’t have funding, we were reluctant to look for<br>funding without having a long-term plan, and so we could only work on Briar<br>in our spare time.
Last year, we decided that we wouldn’t realistically be able to solve these<br>issues and so we reluctantly decided to shut down the project. We worked on<br>releasing a final update for Android and desktop to allow the app to remain<br>functional for as long as possible. In the meantime we were hearing a lot of<br>supportive words from people we had told about our decision, and the app<br>continued to attract new users. So finally we decided to continue the project<br>in maintenance mode. We’re only making essential security updates and<br>bugfixes for now, but eventually we hope to make some incremental progress<br>on those longstanding issues.
We’re sending out this update because some rumours have been circulating<br>that the project is shutting down, based on conversations we had with<br>people in the internet freedom and privacy community last year. Those<br>rumours are out of date: the project is continuing.
Briar has received funding from<br>the Small Media Foundation,<br>the Open Internet Tools Project,<br>Access Now,<br>the Open Technology Fund,<br>the Prototype Fund,<br>Internews,<br>the NLnet Foundation,<br>the Next Generation Internet programme,<br>the ISC Project<br>and eQualit.ie.
Contact
Torsten Grote torsten@briarproject.org><br>[PGP key]
Michael Rogers contact@briarproject.org><br>[PGP key]
Mastodon: @Briar
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