Couldn't export chat history - Error: Title transition must have username or e164
Using a supported version?
- I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates.
- I am using Signal-Desktop as provided by the Signal team, not a 3rd-party package.
Overall summary
I am trying to backup my messages from Signal Desktop, so that I can restore them to a new device.
I get Couldn't export chat history An error occurred and your chat history could not be exported.
The error shown is different than https://github.com/flathub/org.signal.Signal/issues/1089, #7926, #7887, #7873
Judging by the logs, the issue I'm experiencing seems to be more "schema-related" rather than "filesystem-related" (https://github.com/flathub/org.signal.Signal/issues/1089, https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Desktop/issues/7926); I know Flatpaks aren't supported, but I tried to judge whether that is relevant and came to the hopefully-right conclusion that it shouldn't be. I opened an issue here nevertheless; I will cross-open an issue soon, but I hope this is fine and if not, sorry in advance.
Steps to reproduce
Settings -> Backups -> Desktop backups -> Last backup -> Backup now -> Get error
Expected result
A working backup that I can import to the new device.
(P.S. If anyone reading has any workarounds for creating a "desktop backup" that I can re-import, that'd be sweet!)
Actual result
Related part (see below for debug log):
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:47.967Z [backupExport] 1772660650475: Dropping message without known author
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:47.992Z [backupExport] [getRecipientByConversationId(message.conversationId)] recipient convoId missing message.conversationId
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:47.992Z [backupExport] message chat not found
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:47.992Z [backupExport] 1772800185454: Dropping message without known author
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:48.028Z [backupExport] Cleaning up after error...
ERROR 2026-06-19T21:29:48.029Z [backupExport] errored Error: Title transition must have username or e164
at Object.og (bundles:///chunks/emoji.std-i8qwN1w8.js:97:32656)
at yAt.toChatItemUpdate (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:290112)
at #P (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:284975)
at #k (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:280570)
at #O (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:278229)
at t.Vn.concurrency (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:268449)
at bundles:///chunks/notifications.std-DUeCQxsO.js:48:69532
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:48.029Z [backupExport] Cleaning up after error...
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:48.030Z [AttachmentBackupManager] starting
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:48.030Z [JobManager] AttachmentBackupManager: starting
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:48.031Z [backupsService] exportBackup: finished...
ERROR 2026-06-19T21:29:48.031Z [backupsService] [exportLocalBackup] encountered error Error: Title transition must have username or e164
at Object.og (bundles:///chunks/emoji.std-i8qwN1w8.js:97:32656)
at yAt.toChatItemUpdate (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:290112)
at #P (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:284975)
at #k (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:280570)
at #O (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:278229)
at t.Vn.concurrency (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:268449)
at bundles:///chunks/notifications.std-DUeCQxsO.js:48:69532
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:48.031Z [backupsService] [exportLocalBackup] Deleting just-created snapshot directory
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:48.031Z [app/main] Top 10 queries by cumulative duration (ms) over last 5232ms during 'Backup Export': pageBackupMessages: cumulative 4147.8 | average: 36.07 | max: 87.33 | count: 115 ||| getBackupCdnObjectMetadata: cumulative 74.99 | average: 0.01 | max: 0.58 | count: 9715 ||| getAllCallHistory: cumulative 47.37 | average: 23.69 | max: 42.88 | count: 2 ||| getMessagesNeedingUpgrade: cumulative 10.28 | average: 10.28 | max: 10.28 | count: 1 ||| getAllIdentityKeys: cumulative 6.15 | average: 6.15 | max: 6.15 | count: 1 ||| getAllStoryDistributionsWithMembers: cumulative 2.65 | average: 2.65 | max: 2.65 | count: 1 ||| getAllStickerPacks: cumulative 1.27 | average: 1.27 | max: 1.27 | count: 1 ||| getCurrentChatFolders: cumulative 0.76 | average: 0.76 | max: 0.76 | count: 1 ||| getAllNotificationProfiles: cumulative 0.62 | average: 0.62 | max: 0.62 | count: 1 ||| getAllPinnedMessages: cumulative 0.53 | average: 0.53 | max: 0.53 | count: 1; Total cumulative duration of all SQL queries during this epoch: 4293.94ms
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:48.034Z [backupsService] [exportLocalBackup] Deleted just-created directory
WARN 2026-06-19T21:29:48.036Z [ducks/backups] startLocalBackupExport: Error: Title transition must have username or e164
at Object.og (bundles:///chunks/emoji.std-i8qwN1w8.js:97:32656)
at yAt.toChatItemUpdate (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:290112)
at #P (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:284975)
at #k (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:280570)
at #O (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:278229)
at t.Vn.concurrency (bundles:///preload/main.js:154:268449)
at bundles:///chunks/notifications.std-DUeCQxsO.js:48:69532
INFO 2026-06-19T21:29:49.425Z [WebsocketResources] WebSocketResources.KeepAlive(WebSocketResource(authenticated)).send: Sending a keepalive messageScreenshots
No response
Signal version
8.15.0 (Flatpak, Fedora Kinoite)
Operating system
Linux
Version of Signal on your phone
Unknown
Link to debug log
Source: signalapp/Signal-Desktop