Parity Signer 5.0 is a testing beta release which hasn't been audited, and you might lose your keys if you don not have appropriate backups; safety of funds also cannot be guaranteed.

Signer offers you a way to securely store and use your blockchain credentials. It is an app for a device you keep offline. It can turn an offline device — for example, an old smartphone — into a secure hardware wallet.

– How do I keep my keys secure?

Using Signer is a great way to keep your keys secure! However, that alone won't be enough. Your Signer device can break or get lost. That's why we always recommend having backups, especially paper backups. We are such big fans of paper backups that we even support a special protocol for them called banana-split.

– Should I use Signer?

Signer is optimised for the highest security requirements. If you manage several accounts on several networks, Signer is great for you. If you have little experience with cryptocurrencies but still want good security affordances, you might find the learning curve steep. We strive to make Signer as intuitive as possible; get in touch if you can help us get there!

– How does an offline device communicate with the outside world?

Communication between offline device and the outside world happens through QR codes that are scanned and then, in turn, generated for scanning. There are tried and true cryptographic algorithms that power these QR codes, as well as some smart engineering that make your dedicated device safe to use.

– What networks does Signer support?

From-the-shelf Party Signer supports Polkadot, Kusama, Westend. But it's not limited to these networks. More experienced users can generate metadata to expand network capability of Parity Signer.