General
Q: What is AWS Wickr?
AWS Wickr is an end-to-end encrypted service that helps organizations collaborate securely through one-to-one and group messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing, screen sharing, and more. AWS Wickr is available in AWS US-East.
Q: What is AWS WickrGov?
AWS WickrGov is available in AWS GovCloud (US-West). AWS WickrGov is an end-to-end encrypted service that helps organizations collaborate across messaging, calling, file sharing, and screen sharing. Users of AWS WickrGov can also federate with other AWS WickrGov users outside their network.
Q: Which operating systems does AWS Wickr support?
AWS Wickr is available for the following operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows 10
- Apple macOS, version 10.13 and above
- Apple iOS, version 13.0 and above
- Android, version 8.0 and above
- Linux, Ubuntu, and snap package
Getting started
Q: How can I try AWS Wickr?
- The account holder must be a U.S. entity incorporated to do business in the United States and is based on U.S. soil.
- The account holder must be a U.S. Person defined as a U.S. Citizen or active Green Card holder.
- The account holder must be able to handle International Traffic and Arms Regulation (ITAR) export controlled data.
- In addition, AWS uses automated controls to prevent the creation of fraudulent accounts. This may cause new account creations to be denied. If you believe your request was denied in error, please contact AWS Customer Support for additional assistance in account creation.
Q: How do I download AWS Wickr?
To learn more about AWS Wickr, you can access the AWS Wickr User Guide.
To learn more about AWS Wickr guest users, you can access the AWS Wickr User Guide.
You can create as many Wickr networks as you need across all AWS member accounts of an AWS Organization.
Messaging
Q: How can I start a group conversation?
To create a group conversation, use the notepad or pen in the rooms tab. After you have added your desired contacts, select create to start the new group and add new usernames to your contacts list.
Q: How can I “star” messages and what does that mean?
You can select a message and then select the star message option to star it. You can quickly access selected messages, images, and files from the search bar by clicking the star icon to view and search your starred items.
Q: What is sender-based control of messages?
From a privacy standpoint, traditional messaging systems are “receiver based”; the recipient decides how long messages live, and how they are shared. AWS Wickr puts control in the hands of the sender. AWS Wickr gives you confidence that your private messages won’t turn up on a lost or stolen phone, become stranded on an internet blog, or resurrect themselves when a social media site you previously used gets hacked.
Q: Why don't I see a message that was sent to me?
Most likely the message has expired. Each user that sends a message can decide how long the message will be saved by setting an expiration timer. Additionally, senders can set a burn-on-read timer that starts to count down after a message is unlocked or read.
Once an expiration timer runs out, the message will automatically delete, regardless of remaining burn-on-read time or whether you've opened the message.
Q: Can I tell if my message has been read?
Currently, AWS Wickr does not offer read receipts. However, we are working on an optional permission-based read receipt feature that would not invade the recipients’ privacy.
Q: How can I tell if someone has been active recently?
You are able to see statuses with a green dot next to someone’s name and avatar indicating they are active. This is called the presence option, which allows you to see if other users are currently online or if idle, and the last time they were active.
Q: What are voice memos?
You can send fully encrypted voice memos to rooms or conversations. Send a voice memo that is up to one minute long by tapping and holding the microphone icon on your mobile device. For desktop, select to start and select to end. Voice memos must be at least 2 seconds in length.
Calling
Q: How do I start a call?
Pressing the phone icon in the upper right of an AWS Wickr room, group, or direct message screen will bring up the “start call” menu.
Q: Can I call out-of-network users?
Yes, you can call both in-network and out-of-network users in Wickr Me and AWS Wickr.
Q: Can I record calls on AWS Wickr?
No, calls cannot be recorded natively within AWS Wickr.
Security and privacy
Q. Can AWS access my organization’s communications content?
No. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and readable only on end-user devices.
Q. Does AWS Wickr store my data?
We are committed to limiting our collection and storage of customer information to what is necessary to provide service in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy laws. We may store your content on our servers (up to the data expiration timer setting) in order to deliver it to logged-out users. Refer to our privacy notice for more details.
Q: Where can I find the privacy notice?
Refer to our privacy notice for more details.
Q: Where can I find the service terms?
Refer to our service terms for more information.
External federation
Q: Can I message people outside of my organization?
By default, AWS Wickr networks can communicate with anyone using AWS Wickr.
Q: Can I prevent my team from getting messages from others outside our organization?
Administrators can deactivate federation to outside AWS Wickr networks from within the group settings for security.
Q: What is Network ID used for?
Network IDs can be allow-listed to restrict who your teams can communicate with.
Data governance
How does data retention work in AWS Wickr?
By default, data retention is not enabled in Wickr. The Wickr Administrator for your network will need to create and enable the data retention feature to allow content sent from your Wickr network to be retained for auditory and regulatory purposes. After the data retention feature is enabled, users within your Wickr network will see a notification in the app informing them of the recording of their sent content. Incoming federated content (messages, files, metadata, etc sent from contacts outside of your Wickr network) will not be recorded. Wickr never has access to the recorded content; all data is held and managed by the customer. The customers systems administrator will need to ensure that the retained content is stored securely in accordance with regulations/policies affecting their business communications.
Q: Can I retain messages sent from AWS Wickr users outside of my network to users in my network?
No, data retention saves only the messages sent within the AWS Wickr network, or messages from your network to others. Incoming messages from users in different AWS Wickr networks are not captured.
Q: AWS Wickr is available in which Regions?
AWS Wickr is available in the AWS Asia Pacific (Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo), AWS Canada (Central), AWS Europe (Frankfurt, London, Stockholm), AWS US East (Northern Virginia), and GovCloud US West (AWS WickrGov). These regions are where data is processed and stored.
Q: Is AWS Wickr or AWS WickrGov available in AWS GovCloud (US)?
AWS WickrGov is available in the AWS GovCloud U.S. West (Oregon) Region.
Extensible workflows
Q: How can I learn more about AWS Wickr bots?
Administrators can read more about AWS Wickr bots, including setup, existing bots, and customizing bots.
Pricing and billing
Q: How does billing work for AWS Wickr?
In the AWS Wickr Admin Console, you can manage the plan and users. Based on the selected plan and number of users on a prorated basis, you get billed for each month. You can find your AWS Wickr bills on the AWS Management Console billing page.
Migration
Q: I am an existing Wickr Pro customer. How can I migrate to AWS Wickr?
AWS Wickr network admins can fill out this form to submit a request to migrate their existing Wickr Pro networks to AWS Wickr. We will need your AWS account ID and Wickr Pro network ID to connect your AWS and Wickr accounts. We will contact you after your network is successfully migrated from Wickr Pro to AWS Wickr.
For more details, visit our migration guide.
Q: I'm getting started with AWS. How do I create a new AWS account?
If you do not yet have an AWS account, fill out the form on the sign-up page. To learn more about creating an AWS account, click here.
Q: What if my organization is not yet ready to migrate from Wickr Pro to AWS Wickr?
Wickr Pro will be discontinued on March 27, 2024. If you do not migrate your Wickr Pro network to AWS Wickr by that date, your network and the data it contains will be deleted. To migrate to AWS Wickr click here to get started by filling out the migration form.
Q: When will migrations begin?
Migrations will begin March 1, 2023. It may take up to two-weeks to complete the migration. We will contact you once your network has been successfully migrated to AWS Wickr.
Q: What are the changes and benefits to migrating from Wickr Pro to AWS Wickr?
With AWS Wickr you benefit from new features, including integration with the AWS Management Console to create and manage the networks and enhanced onboarding for user sign-ins. AWS Wickr data retention retains information for compliance, legal hold, and audit purposes.
Q: Which application do I need to use for AWS Wickr?
We have updated the existing Wickr Pro mobile and desktop applications to AWS Wickr to provide a streamlined migration experience. This change should not cause loss of any data for Wickr Pro users. This application update is only one part of migration; Wickr network admins must fill out the migration form to complete the process.
Q: How does migration impact admin access to the AWS Wickr Admin Console?
Wickr Pro admins access the AWS Wickr Admin Console from the admin controls button in Wickr desktop applications, which will not be available in AWS Wickr. AWS Wickr will use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) to control who can be authenticated (signed in) and authorized (have permissions) to use the AWS Wickr Admin Console. AWS Wickr customers can assign the AWS Wickr Full Access policy to their admins in the AWS Management Console, and then admins can use the AWS Wickr page in the AWS Management Console to access the Wickr Admin Console.
Q: How does the migration impact Wickr Pro Billing?
AWS Wickr is integrated with AWS Billing so you can easily understand your spending, view and pay invoices, manage billing preferences, and more. As part of the migration, we will stop billing in the Wickr Admin Console and transition to AWS Billing, so you can view and manage your bills in the AWS Billing Dashboard. You can now take advantage of different payment methods—such as paying by invoice—from your bank account, and more.
Q: How does the migration impact Wickr Pro Support?
Wickr Pro customers will no longer have access to Wickr Support after migrating to AWS Wickr. AWS Basic Support is included for all AWS customers at no extra cost, which includes billing assistance. To get technical support and other support features, you can review different AWS Support plans and upgrade to meet your business needs.
Q: I use Wickr Pro Basic (always free) plan. Does AWS Wickr offers an always free plan?
AWS Wickr does not offer an always free plan, but a three-month free trial is available; learn more at the AWS Wickr Pricing page. If you are a Wickr Pro Basic (always free) customer, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan in the Wickr Admin Console before submitting the migration form.
Q: I have an existing Wickr Pro account. Will my data be deleted if I don’t migrate to AWS Wickr?
Wickr Pro and Wickr Pro Basic (always free) will be discontinued on March 27, 2024. If you do not migrate your Wickr Pro or Wickr Pro Basic plan to AWS Wickr by that date, your network and the data it contains will be deleted. To migrate to AWS Wickr, click here to get started by filling out the migration form.
Support
Q: How can I purchase support?
To get technical support and other support features, you can review our AWS Support plans.
Q: How do I contact support?
There are various contact methods for AWS Wickr support.
Get started building with AWS Wickr in the AWS Management Console.
