Just Open It and Read It You Don't Need a Password

This FAQ provides answers to basic questions well-nigh Telegram.
Check out our Avant-garde FAQ for more technical information.

General

What is Telegram?
Who is it for?
How is it different from WhatsApp?
How old is Telegram?
Is information technology available on my device?
Who are the people behind Telegram?
Where is Telegram based?
How do you brand money?
What are your thoughts on net privacy?
What nearly GDPR?
Do you process takedown requests?
Practise you process information requests?

Telegram Nuts

Who can I message?
Who can message me?
Who has Telegram?
Inviting friends
What do the bank check marks mean in Telegram?
Can I hide my 'last seen'?
Who tin encounter me 'online'?
What is 'People Nearby'?
Can I delete my messages?
Vocalisation, Video and Group calls
Using emoticons

Groups and Channels

What makes Telegram groups cool?
How are channels and groups different?
Creating a group
Adding members and using Invite Links

Usernames and t.me

What are usernames? How do I get one?
How does t.me work?
What can I use as my username?
Do I demand a username?
Will people know my number?
How do I delete my username?
What do I practise if my username is taken?
What if someone is pretending to be me?

Security

How secure is Telegram?
How practise y'all encrypt data?
Why should I trust yous?
Do I need to trust Telegram for it to be secure?
What if my hacker friend doubts you?
Can Telegram protect me confronting everything?
How does 2-Step Verification work?

Hole-and-corner Chats

What is a secret chat?
Starting a clandestine chat
Using the self-destruct timer
Screenshot alerts
Encryption key picture
Why not brand all chats 'surreptitious'?

Your Account

Who can see my phone number?
I have a new phone number, what do I exercise?
Log out of Telegram
Alter your phone number
Delete your Telegram account
How does account self-destruction work?
My phone was stolen. What do I do?

Bots

How practice I create a bot?
How do I go rid of a bot?
Are bots safe?
Where tin I get more bots?

Deeper Questions

Tin can I get Telegram's server-side lawmaking?
Can I employ my own server?
Can I use the Telegram API?
Practice you have a Privacy Policy?
What does the iOS privacy sheet mean?
Why practice you lot accept two apps in the Mac App Store?
Tin can I translate Telegram?
Can I help?

Troubleshooting

SMS, login, annals
Getting a login code via a phone call
Getting codes via Telegram
Notification issues
Problems with contacts
Deleting contacts on Android
Surreptitious Chats
Can't send messages to non contacts
Telegram uses the camera or microphone in the groundwork

Contact Telegram Support
Follow Us on Twitter
Facebook
Avant-garde FAQ

General Questions

Q: What is Telegram? What do I do here?

Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security, it'southward super-fast, simple and gratuitous. You lot tin can use Telegram on all your devices at the aforementioned fourth dimension — your messages sync seamlessly across whatever number of your phones, tablets or computers. Telegram has over 500 million monthly agile users and is one of the 10 most downloaded apps in the world.

With Telegram, you tin send letters, photos, videos and files of any type (doc, zip, mp3, etc), likewise equally create groups for up to 200,000 people or channels for broadcasting to unlimited audiences. You tin can write to your phone contacts and find people by their usernames. Equally a result, Telegram is like SMS and email combined — and tin take care of all your personal or business messaging needs. In addition to this, we support cease-to-end encrypted phonation and video calls, besides as voice chats in groups for thousands of participants.

Follow our Tips Channel to learn more about Telegram features.

Q: Who is Telegram for?

Telegram is for everyone who wants fast and reliable messaging and calls. Business organisation users and small teams may similar the large groups, usernames, desktop apps and powerful file sharing options.

Since Telegram groups tin can have upwardly to 200,000 members, we support replies, mentions and hashtags that help maintain lodge and keep communication in big communities efficient. Y'all tin appoint admins with advanced tools to aid these communities prosper in peace. Public groups can be joined past anyone and are powerful platforms for discussions and collecting feedback.

In case you're more into pictures, Telegram has animated gif search, a state of the fine art photograph editor, and an open sticker platform (discover some cool stickers hither or here). What's more, there is no need to worry about deejay space on your device. With Telegram'southward deject support and cache management options, Telegram can take upwards nearly naught space on your phone.

Those looking for extra privacy should check out our advanced settings and rather revolutionary policy. And if you lot want secrecy, endeavour our device-specific Secret Chats with self-destructing messages, photos, and videos — and lock your app with an additional passcode.

We go along evolving — bank check out our Cursory History of Telegram and follow us on twitter and Telegram to stay in touch.

Q: How is Telegram dissimilar from WhatsApp?

Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram is a deject-based messenger with seamless sync. Every bit a result, yous can access your messages from several devices at once, including tablets and computers, and share an unlimited number of photos, videos and files (doc, nada, mp3, etc.) of upwardly to 2 GB each.

Telegram needs less than 100 MB on your device – you tin keep all your media in the cloud without deleting things – but clear your cache to costless upwardly infinite.

Thank you to Telegram's multi-data center infrastructure and encryption, it is faster and mode more secure. On top of that, individual messaging on Telegram is costless and volition stay free — no ads, no subscription fees, forever.

Telegram's API and lawmaking is open, and developers are welcome to create their own Telegram apps. Nosotros also take a Bot API, a platform for developers that allows anyone to easily build specialized tools for Telegram, integrate any services, and even accept payments from users effectually the world.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Follow our Tips Channel to learn more almost Telegram features.

Q: How one-time is Telegram?

Telegram for iOS was launched on August 14, 2013. The alpha version of Telegram for Android officially launched on October 20, 2013. More and more Telegram clients announced, built by independent developers using Telegram'southward open platform.

Q: Which devices can I use?

Yous can employ Telegram on smartphones, tablets, and even computers. We have apps for iOS (9.0 and above), Android (4.1 and up), a native macOS app and a universal desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Telegram Spider web can as well help to quickly do something on the go.

You can log in to Telegram from as many of your devices as yous like — all at the same time. Only use your main mobile phone number to log in everywhere, your cloud chats will sync instantly.

The Telegram API is open for developers, should y'all want to build your ain applications for other platforms.

Q: Who are the people behind Telegram?

Telegram is supported by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai. Pavel supports Telegram financially and ideologically while Nikolai'south input is technological. To brand Telegram possible, Nikolai adult a unique custom data protocol, which is open, secure and optimized for work with multiple data-centers. Equally a result, Telegram combines security, reliability and speed on any network.

Run into besides: articles about Telegram

Q: Where is Telegram based?

The Telegram evolution team is based in Dubai.

Most of the developers behind Telegram originally come from St. Petersburg, the city famous for its unprecedented number of highly skilled engineers. The Telegram team had to leave Russia due to local Information technology regulations and has tried a number of locations as its base, including Berlin, London and Singapore. We're currently happy with Dubai, although are gear up to relocate again if local regulations modify.

Q: Will you take ads in my individual chats and groups? Or sell my data? Or steal my beloved and enslave my children?

No. See this post for details.

Q: How are y'all going to make money out of this?

We believe in fast and secure messaging that is too 100% free.

Our founder and CEO Pavel Durov, who financed Telegram throughout most of its history, has outlined a strategy to brand Telegram sustainable in this post.

While Telegram volition introduce monetization in 2021 to pay for the infrastructure and developer salaries, making profits will never exist an finish-goal for us.

Q: What are your thoughts on internet privacy?

We think that the two nearly of import components of Internet privacy should be:

Protecting your private conversations from snooping 3rd parties, such every bit officials, employers, etc.
Protecting your personal data from tertiary parties, such as marketers, advertisers, etc.

Telegram's aim is to create a truly free messenger, with a revolutionary privacy policy.

Q: What about GDPR?

The Full general Information Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into strength in Europe on May 25, 2018. Since taking back our correct to privacy was the reason we made Telegram, there wasn't much we had to modify. Nosotros don't apply your information for advert targeting, we don't sell it to others, and nosotros're not office of any ~~mafia family~~ "family unit of companies."

Telegram only keeps the information information technology needs to function as a feature-rich deject service. For instance, your cloud chats – and then that you lot tin can access them from any devices without using third-party backups, or your contacts – so that you can rely on your existing social graph when messaging people on Telegram. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.

Y'all can use @GDPRbot to:

Request a re-create of all your data that Telegram stores.
Contact us about Information Privacy.

Q: In that location's illegal content on Telegram. How practise I have it down?

All Telegram chats and grouping chats are private among their participants. We do not process whatsoever requests related to them.

Simply sticker sets, channels, and bots on Telegram are publicly available. If you find sticker sets or bots on Telegram that you remember are illegal, delight ping us at abuse@telegram.org.

You can also use the 'study' buttons right inside our apps, run across this post on our official @ISISwatch channel for details.

Note: If a scammer is pretending to be you, contact @NoToScam

Q: A bot or channel is infringing on my copyright. What do I do?

All Telegram chats and group chats are private amongst their participants. Nosotros do not process any requests related to them. But sticker sets, channels, and bots on Telegram are publicly available.

If you encounter a bot, channel, or sticker ready that is infringing on your copyright, kindly submit a complaint to dmca@telegram.org. Please note that such requests should only be submitted by the copyright owner or an agent authorized to act on the owner's behalf.

Q: Wait! 0_o Do you process take-down requests from third parties?

Our mission is to provide a secure ways of communication that works everywhere on the planet. To do this in the places where it is most needed (and to keep distributing Telegram through the App Shop and Google Play), we take to procedure legitimate requests to accept downwardly illegal public content (e.g., sticker sets, bots, and channels) inside the app. For example, we can take downward sticker sets that violate intellectual holding rights or porn bots.

User-uploaded stickers sets, channels, and bots by third-party developers are not part of the core Telegram UI. Whenever nosotros receive a complaint at abuse@telegram.org or dmca@telegram.org regarding the legality of public content, we perform the necessary legal checks and take it down when deemed appropriate.

Please annotation that this does not use to local restrictions on freedom of speech. For example, if criticizing the government is illegal in some state, Telegram won't be a part of such politically motivated censorship. This goes against our founders' principles. While we do block terrorist (e.g. ISIS-related) bots and channels, nosotros volition non cake anybody who peacefully expresses alternative opinions.

Q: My bot or sticker set was banned unfairly, what do I do?

If you think we banned your bot, channel, or sticker set for no apparent reasons, drop u.s.a. a line at abuse@telegram.org.

Q: Do you process information requests?

Secret chats use end-to-end encryption, thank you to which we don't have any data to disclose.

To protect the data that is not covered by end-to-end encryption, Telegram uses a distributed infrastructure. Cloud chat data is stored in multiple data centers effectually the globe that are controlled by different legal entities spread beyond dissimilar jurisdictions. The relevant decryption keys are split into parts and are never kept in the aforementioned place as the information they protect. As a result, several court orders from different jurisdictions are required to strength us to give upwards any data.

Thank you to this structure, we tin ensure that no single government or block of like-minded countries can intrude on people's privacy and liberty of expression. Telegram can be forced to give up data only if an issue is grave and universal enough to pass the scrutiny of several different legal systems around the globe.

To this day, we have disclosed 0 bytes of user data to 3rd parties, including governments.

Telegram Basics

Follow our Tips Channel to learn more well-nigh Telegram features.

Q: Who can I write to?

You tin can write to people who are in your phone contacts and have Telegram. Another mode of contacting people is to type their Telegram username into the search field – yous don't need to know their phone number to exercise this.

Q: Who can contact me?

People tin can contact yous on Telegram if they know your phone number or if you message them showtime.

If they don't know your telephone number, they can find you in these cases:

When you lot both are members of the same group.
If you set a public username. Others tin can use Global Search and discover y'all by your username.
If you lot opt-in to appear in the People Nearby section (this is turned off past default).

Q: How do I know who in my contacts has Telegram?

Your contacts, who have Telegram, are shown at the summit of your Contacts. They likewise accept pictures.

Q: How do I invite my friends?

iOS: The basic invitations are uncomplicated SMS messages. They will be charged as standard outgoing SMS past your carrier (unless sent via iMessage). Naturally, you take other options to bring your friends here. Try sending them a download link via whatever other messaging service: e-mail, Facebook, WhatsApp, an actual telegram — you name it. The link: https://telegram.org/dl/

Android: Open the app menu (swipe correct in chat list) > Invite Friends. Then cull an awarding via which you would similar to send out invitations.

You tin can give your friends a t.me link with your username and so that they can easily find you lot on Telegram even if they don't have your phone number.

Q: What practice the check marks mean?

1 check — bulletin delivered to the Telegram deject and your friend has been notified if he allows notifications.
Two checks — message read (your friend opened Telegram and opened the conversation with the message).

We don't have a 'delivered to device' status for letters because Telegram tin run on as many devices every bit you want. And so which detail one would that check hateful?

Q: Can I hide my 'terminal seen' time?

You tin choose who sees this info in Privacy and Security settings.

Recollect that you lot won't come across Last Seen timestamps for people with whom you don't share your ain. Yous will, however, see an approximate last seen value. This keeps stalkers abroad but makes it possible to understand whether a person is reachable over Telegram. At that place are four possible approximate values:

Concluding seen recently — covers annihilation between 1 2nd and 2-3 days
Last seen within a calendar week — between 2-3 and vii days
Concluding seen within a month — between 6-7 days and a month
Concluding seen a long time ago — more than a month (this is also e'er shown to blocked users)

Q: Who can run into me 'online'?

The terminal seen rules apply to your online condition also. People tin can only see you online if you lot're sharing your last seen status with them.

In that location are some exceptions because sometimes it is obvious that you are online. Regardless of the last seen settings, people will meet yous online for a cursory period (~30 seconds) if you exercise the following:

Send them a message in a one-on-one chat or in a group where you both are members.
Read a message they sent you in a one-on-ane conversation.
Circulate a "typing…" status to their chat with you or to a grouping where you both are members.

If y'all're not sharing your last seen timestamp with someone and don't do anything of the above, they'll never see yous online. Another mode of achieving this is to block that person.

Q: What is People Nearby?

People Nearby is an optional feature that allows Telegram users to explore local groups, find friends to conversation with in their area, or rapidly exchange contacts with people who are shut.

You tin find it in Contacts > Detect People Nearby, as well every bit straight in the side bill of fare on Android.

While y'all have the People Nearby department open on your screen, people who are very close will be able to come across yous there. If you don't open up the department, others volition never encounter you in 'People Nearby'.

Note: People Nearby is never turned on by default – users must manually enable it. If y'all are receiving messages from someone you don't know, see Q: Who tin contact me?

Y'all tin also choose to permanently add your profile to the list of nearby people by tapping Make Myself Visible. After becoming visible, you lot can remove your profile from the listing at whatsoever time past tapping Finish Showing Me.

To protect user privacy, 'People Nearby' always shows distances to estimate locations. As of February 2022, these distances are offset by 700 meters (previously 100 meters).

Q: Can I delete my letters?

Aye. Y'all tin can always delete any letters you sent or received for both sides in any one-on-1 chat (in groups, it's yet your own messages only). You can likewise clear the unabridged chat history on both ends. On Telegram, deleted messages do non leave a marking in the chat.

Together with privacy settings for forwarded letters, this makes exchanging Telegram messages similar to talking face up to face up (without a record recorder). As a result, users no longer need to worry nigh the data accumulating in their chats over the years. Both parties in a conversation take full control over what does and what doesn't belong to their online identity.

Q: Can I brand calls via Telegram?

Yes! You can make stop-to-finish encrypted Vocalization Calls and Video Calls.

If you lot want more participants, try starting a Voice Chat in ane of the groups you created. Voice Chats add a alive layer of imperceptible talk to the group. They tin can be used as virtual office spaces for teams or informal lounges for any community. While Voice Chats are not group calls, they tin can achieve similar goals.

Q: How tin can I utilise emoticons?

Type one give-and-take in your input field to get relevant emoji suggestions. Y'all can also type ":" followed by whatsoever keyword to open emoji search – similar :heart.

You can suggest missing keywords for emoji in your linguistic communication using this interface (this will open up suggestions for English, don't forget to change to your linguistic communication in the left menu).

Groups and Channels

Q: What makes Telegram groups absurd?

Telegram groups can have up to 200,000 members each and are extremely powerful communication tools. Here are a few key features that make them stand up out in the messaging world:

Unified history
Edit your messages after posting, delete them so that they disappear for everyone.

Cantankerous-platform availability
Access your messages anytime, from any number of your mobile or desktop devices.

Instant search
Find the message you're looking for, even amongst millions. Filter by sender to make searching easier.

Replies, mentions, hashtags
Hands trace a conversation and go along advice efficient, no matter the group size.

Smart notifications
Mute the group to go notifications only when people mention you lot or answer to your messages.

Pinned letters
You can pin any bulletin to be displayed at the summit of the chat screen. All members volition get a notification — fifty-fifty if they muted ordinary messages from your group.

Moderation tools
Engage administrators that can mass-delete messages, control membership, and pin important messages. Define their admin privileges with granular precision.

Grouping permissions
Prepare default permissions to restrict all members from posting specific kinds of content. Or even restrict members from sending messages altogether – and let the admins chat amongst themselves while everybody else is watching.

File sharing
Send and receive files of any type, upward to two GB in size each, admission them instantly on your other devices.

Public groups
Get a brusk link for your group and brand information technology public, like t.me/publictestgroup. This way, everyone can view the group's unabridged chat history and bring together to post messages.

Customization via bots
Create custom tools for whatever specific needs using our Bot API and Inline Bots.

Q: What's the difference between groups and channels?

Telegram groups are ideal for sharing stuff with friends and family or collaboration in minor teams. Merely groups tin besides grow very large and support communities of up to 200,000 members. Y'all can brand whatsoever group public, toggle persistent history to command whether or not new members have access to earlier messages and appoint administrators with granular privileges. You can also pin of import messages to the meridian of the screen and so that all members can see them, including those who take simply joined.

Channels are a tool for dissemination messages to large audiences. In fact, a channel can have an unlimited number of subscribers. When you lot post in a channel, the message is signed with the aqueduct's name and photo and not your own. Each message in a channel has a view counter that gets updated when the message is viewed, including its forwarded copies.

Read more about channels in the Channels FAQ »

Q: How practice I create a group?

iOS: Start a new message (tap the icon in the top right corner in Chats) > 'New Group'.
Android: Tap the circular pencil icon in the conversation listing > 'New Group'.
Telegram Desktop: Click the bill of fare button in the top left corner > 'New Group'.

Q: Can I assign administrators?

You can add administrators to help you lot manage your grouping and define their privileges with granular precision.

iOS: Go to Group Info (tap the photo in the tiptop right corner on the group'southward chat screen) > Edit > Administrators.
Android: Go to Grouping Info (tap the name in the header) > the pencil icon (in the top correct corner) > Administrators.
Telegram Desktop: When in the group, click '…' in the top right corner > Manage group > Administrators.

Q: How practice I add more members? What's an invite link?

You lot can add your contacts, or using search by username.

Information technology is easy to migrate existing groups to Telegram by sending people an invite link. To create an invite link, get to Group Info > Add Member > Invite to Group via Link.

Anyone who has Telegram installed will be able to bring together your group by following this link. If you choose to revoke the link, it will stop working immediately.

Read more about invite links in our blog »

Usernames and t.me

Q: What are usernames? How practise I go i?

You can gear up a public username on Telegram. It then becomes possible for other users to discover you by that username — yous will appear in contacts search nether 'global results'. Please note that people who find you will be able to transport you messages, fifty-fifty if they don't know your number. If you are not comfortable with this, we advise against setting upwardly a username in Telegram.

You tin set upwardly a username in Settings and use the universal search box in the conversation listing to search for chats, messages, and usernames.

Q: How does t.me work?

One time you lot've gear up a username, y'all can requite people a t.me/username link. Opening that link on their phone volition automatically fire upwardly their Telegram app and open a chat with y'all. You can share username links with friends, write them on concern cards or put them up on your website.

This fashion people can contact you on Telegram without knowing your phone number.

Q: What can I use as my username?

You can employ a-z, 0-9 and underscores. Usernames are instance-insensitive, only Telegram will store your capitalization preferences (e.yard. Telegram and TeleGram is the same user). The username must exist at least five characters long.

Q: Practise I need a username?

You don't have to get one. Call up that Telegram usernames are public and choosing a username on Telegram makes it possible for people to observe you in global search and send you messages even if they don't take your number. If you are not comfortable with this, nosotros advise against setting upwardly a username.

Q: If someone finds me by username, messages and I reply — will they know my number?

No. Neither party will come across another's phone number (unless this is permitted by your privacy settings). This is similar to the case when you bulletin a person who you've met in a Telegram group.

Q: How do I delete my username?

Become to Settings and save an empty username. This volition remove your username; people will no longer be able to find you lot via search. This will not affect existing conversations.

Q: What do I exercise if my username is taken?

Telegram usernames are distributed on a first come — first serve footing.

We understand that certain usernames are office of an online identity for some of us. If your desired username is already taken, we will be happy to help you acquire it for your account or channel, provided that y'all take that same username on at least two of these services: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Due to the fact that one account can annals multiple bot and channel usernames, we reserve the right to remember usernames assigned to unused bots and channels, as well as openly squatted usernames.

To request a username, contact @Username_bot.

Q: What if someone is pretending to exist me?

If a scammer is pretending to be you lot, please contact @NoToScam.

Security

If you are an advanced user, you may find our FAQ for the Technically Inclined useful too.

Q: How secure is Telegram?

Telegram is more secure than mass market messengers like WhatsApp and Line. We are based on the MTProto protocol (meet description and avant-garde FAQ), built upon time-tested algorithms to make security uniform with high-speed delivery and reliability on weak connections. We are continuously working with the community to better the security of our protocol and clients.

Q: What if I'm more paranoid than your regular user?

We've got you covered. Telegram'south special hush-hush chats use end-to-end encryption, leave no trace on our servers, support self-destructing messages and don't let forwarding. On top of this, cloak-and-dagger chats are non role of the Telegram cloud and can simply exist accessed on their devices of origin.

Q: So how practice you encrypt data?

We back up two layers of secure encryption. Server-client encryption is used in Cloud Chats (individual and group chats), Secret Chats apply an additional layer of client-client encryption. All data, regardless of blazon, is encrypted in the aforementioned manner — exist it text, media or files.

Our encryption is based on 256-bit symmetric AES encryption, 2048-bit RSA encryption, and Diffie–Hellman secure key substitution. You can find more info in the Avant-garde FAQ.

See also: Do y'all process information requests?

Q: Why should I trust you?

Telegram is open, anyone can check our source code, protocol and API, see how everything works and brand an informed decision. Telegram supports verifiable builds, which permit experts to independently verify that our code published on GitHub is the exact same code that is used to build the apps you download from App Store or Google Play.

We welcome security experts to audit our arrangement and appreciate whatever feedback at security@telegram.org.

On top of that, Telegram'south primary focus is non to bring a profit, so commercial interests volition never interfere with our mission.

See also: articles almost Telegram

Q: Practice I demand to trust Telegram for this to be secure?

When it comes to secret chats, y'all don't — simply make sure that the visualized fundamental of your secret chat matches the 1 in your friend'southward secret chat settings. More than well-nigh this beneath.

Q: What if my hacker friend says they could decipher Telegram messages?

Anyone who claims that Telegram messages can be deciphered is welcome to prove that claim in our competition and win $300,000. You lot can check out the Cracking Competition Description to learn more.

Any comments on Telegram'due south security are welcome at security@telegram.org. All submissions which result in a change of code or configuration are eligible for bounties, ranging from $100 to $100,000 or more than, depending on the severity of the issue. Please notation that nosotros can not offer bounties for issues that are disclosed to the public before they are fixed.

Q: Tin Telegram protect me against everything?

Telegram tin can aid when it comes to information transfer and secure communication. This ways that all data (including media and files) that you send and receive via Telegram cannot exist deciphered when intercepted by your isp, owners of Wi-Fi routers y'all connect to, or other tertiary parties.

Just please remember that we cannot protect y'all from your ain mother if she takes your unlocked phone without a passcode. Or from your IT-section if they access your estimator at piece of work. Or from any other people that get physical or root access to your phones or computers running Telegram.

If yous have reasons to worry well-nigh your personal security, we strongly recommend using only Secret Chats in official or at least verifiable open-source apps for sensitive information, preferably with a cocky-destruct timer. We as well recommend enabling 2-Step Verification and setting up a strong passcode to lock your app, you will find both options in Settings > Privacy and Security.

Q: How does 2-Pace Verification work?

Logging in with an SMS lawmaking is an industry standard in messaging, just if you're looking for more security or have reasons to dubiety your mobile carrier or government, we recommend protecting your cloud chats with an additional password.

You tin can do this in Settings > Privacy and Security > 2-Stride Verification. Once enabled, you will demand both an SMS code and a password to log in. You tin can too set upward a recovery e-mail address that volition help regain access, should you forget your password. If you exercise and then, please remember that it's important that the recovery email account is also protected with a strong password and two-Pace Verification when possible.

Check this out for tips on creating a strong password that is piece of cake to remember.

Q: Why can jailbroken and rooted devices be dangerous?

Using a rooted or jailbroken device makes it easier for a potential attacker to gain full authoritative control over your device — root access.

A user with root access tin can easily bypass security features built into the operating system, read process retention or admission restricted areas, such as the internal storage. Once an attacker has root access, any efforts to mitigate threats go futile. No application tin can be called safe under these circumstances, no matter how stiff the encryption.

Secret Chats

Q: How are hole-and-corner chats different?

Secret chats are meant for people who want more secrecy than the average fella. All letters in cloak-and-dagger chats use end-to-end encryption. This ways just you and the recipient tin can read those messages — nobody else can decipher them, including the states here at Telegram (more on this here). On superlative of this, Messages cannot be forwarded from secret chats. And when you delete messages on your side of the chat, the app on the other side of the hole-and-corner conversation will be ordered to delete them too.

You can order your messages, photos, videos and files to self-destruct in a set up corporeality of time after they have been read or opened by the recipient. The bulletin will then disappear from both your and your friend'southward devices.

All secret chats in Telegram are device-specific and are not part of the Telegram cloud. This means you tin can but access messages in a secret chat from their device of origin. They are safe for as long equally your device is safe in your pocket.

Q: How practise I first a secret chat?

Open the profile of the user you want to contact. Tap on '…', so 'Get-go Secret Chat'.

Remember that Telegram secret chats are device-specific. If you outset a cloak-and-dagger chat with a friend on one of your devices, this chat will only be available on that device. If you lot log out, you will lose all your undercover chats. You can create equally many different secret chats with the same contact as you like.

Q: How exercise self-destructing messages work?

The Cocky-Destruct Timer is bachelor for all messages in Clandestine Chats and for media in private deject chats.

To set up the timer, simply tap the clock icon (in the input field on iOS, superlative bar on Android), and then choose the desired time limit. The clock starts ticking the moment the message is displayed on the recipient's screen (gets two cheque marks). Equally soon as the time runs out, the message disappears from both devices. We will try to send a notification if a screenshot is taken.

Delight note that the timer in Secret Chats but applies to messages that were sent later on the timer was ready. It has no effect on earlier messages.

Q: Tin I be certain that my conversation partner doesn't take a screenshot?

Unfortunately, there is no bulletproof way of detecting screenshots on certain systems (nigh notably, some Android and Windows Phone devices). We will make every attempt to warning you lot about screenshots taken in your Underground Chats, simply it may still be possible to bypass such notifications and take screenshots silently. Nosotros advise to share sensitive information just with people you trust. Afterwards all, nobody can stop a person from taking a movie of their screen with a different device or an onetime school camera.

Q: What is this 'Encryption Key' thing?

When a undercover chat is created, the participating devices commutation encryption keys using the so-called Diffie-Hellman key exchange. After the secure end-to-end connection has been established, we generate a motion-picture show that visualizes the encryption key for your chat. You tin then compare this image with the one your friend has — if the 2 images are the same, you can be certain that the secret chat is secure, and no man-in-the-eye assault can succeed.

Newer versions of Telegram apps will prove a larger movie forth with a textual representation of the fundamental (this is not the fundamental itself, of course!) when both participants are using an updated app.

Always compare visualizations using a channel that is known to exist secure — it's safest if y'all do this in person, in an offline coming together with the conversation partner.

Q: Why not but brand all chats 'secret'?

All Telegram messages are ever securely encrypted. Letters in Secret Chats use client-client encryption, while Deject Chats use client-server/server-customer encryption and are stored encrypted in the Telegram Deject (more here). This enables your cloud letters to be both secure and immediately accessible from any of your devices – even if yous lose your device birthday.

The problem of restoring admission to your chat history on a newly continued device (e.thou. when you lose your phone) does not take an elegant solution in the end-to-terminate encryption paradigm. At the same time, reliable backups are an essential feature for any mass-marketplace messenger. To solve this problem, some applications (like Whatsapp and Viber) allow decryptable backups that put their users' privacy at chance – even if they do non enable backups themselves. Other apps ignore the need for backups altogether and leave their users vulnerable to data loss.

We opted for a third approach by offering ii singled-out types of chats. Telegram disables default system backups and provides all users with an integrated security-focused backup solution in the form of Deject Chats. Meanwhile, the separate entity of Secret Chats gives you full command over the data y'all do not want to be stored.

This allows Telegram to be widely adopted in broad circles, non but by activists and dissidents, and then that the simple fact of using Telegram does not mark users as targets for heightened surveillance in certain countries. We are convinced that the separation of conversations into Deject and Surreptitious chats represents the nearly secure solution currently possible for a massively popular messaging application.

Encounter also: Why Telegram isn't End-to-Stop Encrypted "by Default"

Your Account

Q: Who can see my telephone number?

On Telegram, you can send messages in private chats and groups without making your phone number visible. Past default, your number is only visible to people who yous've added to your accost volume as contacts. You can further alter this in Settings > Privacy and Security > Phone Number.

Note that people will always meet your number if they know it already and saved it in their address volume.

Q: I accept a new phone number, what practice I practise?

Each phone number is a separate business relationship on Telegram. Y'all have several options if you are using multiple telephone numbers:

If you will no longer use the one-time number (east.thou., you moved to a new land or inverse your number for good), just go to Settings and modify the number connected to your Telegram account to the new number. Of import: brand sure y'all have access to your connected phone number – otherwise you risk losing access to your account.
If yous will employ the new number for a limited time (e.g., yous're on a trip or vacation), there's no need to do anything.
If you desire to keep using both numbers (e.chiliad., you have a work telephone and personal phone), choose one equally your Telegram number. You may create another Telegram business relationship on the second number as well, for case, if you want to go along work and personal chats separated. Information technology is possible to log in to 1 Telegram app with up to 3 different accounts at once.

Q: How practise I log out?

Most users don't need to log out of Telegram:

You can use Telegram on many devices at the aforementioned time. Just utilize the aforementioned telephone number to log in on all devices.
Y'all tin can go to Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage> Clear enshroud to free up infinite on your device without logging out.
If y'all use Telegram with multiple phone numbers, you tin switch between accounts without logging out.
If y'all use Telegram on a shared device, you tin set up a passcode in Settings > Privacy and Security to make sure only you have access to your account.

If you exercise desire to log out for some reason, here's how you do that:

iOS: Go to Settings > Edit > Log out.
Android, Telegram Desktop: Go to Settings > … (in the top correct corner) > Log out.

If yous log out, you will go on all your cloud messages. Still, you will lose all your Secret Chats and all letters within those secret chats when y'all log out.

Note that logging out does not trigger remote deletion of your secret chat letters on your partner's device — to do that, cull 'Clear History' kickoff.

Q: How do I modify my telephone number?

Yous tin change your number in Telegram and keep everything, including all your contacts, messages, and media from the Telegram cloud, equally well as all your Secret Chats on all devices.

To change your number, go to Settings, then tap on your phone number (just in a higher place the username), so 'Change Number'. If you already take a unlike Telegram account on the target number, you'll need to delete that account outset.

Q: How do I delete my business relationship?

If you would similar to delete your account, y'all can practice this on the deactivation page. Deleting your account permanently removes all your messages and contacts. All groups and channels that you've created are orphaned and left without a creator just admins retain their rights.

This action must be confirmed via your Telegram account and cannot be undone.

We recommend using a non-mobile browser for this process.
Note that you'll receive the code via Telegram, not SMS.

Q: What happens if I delete my business relationship?

As was only mentioned above, all your information will be flushed from our system: all messages, groups, and contacts associated with your business relationship will be deleted. That said, your contacts will still exist able to conversation in the groups that y'all have created, and they will still take their copy of the letters yous sent them. Then if you desire to send messages that can vanish without a trace, try using our self-destruct timer instead.

Termination of a Telegram account is irreversible. If you sign upwards over again, you will appear as a new user and will non get your history, contacts or groups back. People, who accept your phone number in their contacts, will be notified. The new user will be displayed as a dissever conversation in their messages list and their conversation history with this new user will be empty.

Q: How does business relationship self-destruction work?

Telegram is not a commercial organization, and we value our disk space greatly. If you cease using Telegram and don't come up online for at to the lowest degree half dozen months, your account will exist deleted forth with all letters, media, contacts and every other piece of data you shop in the Telegram cloud. You can change the verbal period after which your inactive account will self-destruct in Settings.

Q: My phone was stolen, what exercise I do?

First of all, lamentable about your telephone. Unfortunately, the phone number is the only way for us to identify a Telegram user at the moment. Nosotros don't collect additional information nearly yous, so whoever has the number, has the business relationship. This ways we can't help yous unless y'all accept access either to the phone number or to Telegram itself on any of your devices.

I have access to Telegram on another device

Go to Telegram Settings > Privacy and Security and turn on 2-Pace Verification. This fashion the phone number solitary will not be enough to log in to your account.
Go to Settings > Devices (or Privacy & Security > Agile Sessions) and terminate your Telegram session on the old device. Whoever has your phone will not exist able to log in again, since they don't know your countersign.
Contact your phone provider, so that they cake your old SIM and issue a new i with your number.
If you decide to switch to a new phone number, don't forget to go to Settings, tap on your phone number and change your Telegram number to the new ane.

I don't have admission to Telegram on whatever other devices

Commencement and foremost, you need to contact your phone provider, so that they block your one-time SIM and upshot a new 1 with your number.
Expect till yous receive your new SIM with the former number, log in to Telegram, then go to Settings > Devices (or Privacy & Security > Agile Sessions) and end your Telegram session on the old device.

Removing sensitive information

Common thieves commonly throw out the SIM card immediately (the phone is harder to locate this manner), then wipe the devices and sell them, so in that location isn't much risk for the data in case of regular lilliputian theft. Merely if you lot accept reasons to worry nigh the data on the device and are unable to log out the other device, it is best that you wipe it remotely. Y'all can read more than about it hither: Apple iOS, Android. Unfortunately, this requires you to have prepared in accelerate for this scenario.

You can delete your Telegram account if you are logged in on at least 1 of your other devices (mobile or desktop). Note that inactive Telegram accounts cocky-destruct automatically after a period of time — 6 months being the default setting.

Bots

If you lot're a developer, you lot may find our Bots FAQ more than useful.

Q: What are bots?

Bots are similar small programs that run right inside Telegram. They are fabricated by third-political party developers using the Telegram Bot API.

Q: How practice I create a bot?

Creating Telegram bots is super-easy, but you lot will need at to the lowest degree some skills in estimator programming. If you're sure yous're upwards to it, our Introduction for Developers is a good identify to start.

Unfortunately, there are no out-of-the-box ways to create a working bot if you are non a developer. But we're certain you'll soon find plenty of bots created past other people to play with.

Q: A bot is sending me letters, how do I make information technology stop?

If y'all don't want a bot to send you messages, experience gratuitous to block it – same as you would block a homo user. Some Telegram clients have a 'End Bot' push correct in the bot'southward contour.

That said, nearly bot developers offer commands that silence the bot, check its /help for clues.

Q: Are bots prophylactic?

Aye. Bots are no different from human users that you run into in groups for example. They tin can run across your public name, username, and profile pictures, and they can see messages y'all send to them, that's it. They can't admission your last seen status and don't run into your phone number (unless you decide to requite it to them yourself).

Naturally, any bot should be treated as a stranger — don't give them your passwords, Telegram codes or bank account numbers, even if they enquire nicely. Also, be conscientious when opening files sent by bots, same equally yous would bargain with ordinary humans. Example: If a bot sent us a file called OpenMe.exe, nosotros probably wouldn't open it.

Q: If I add together a bot to my group, can information technology read my letters?

Bots can work in two modes when you add them to groups. By default, bots only see messages that are meant for them. In this instance, yous'll encounter 'has no access to letters' in the group members listing next to the bot.

Some bots need more data to work, so developers may disable the privacy fashion. In this case, the bot will see all messages sent to the grouping, and you volition encounter 'has access to messages' in the members list side by side to the bot.

Learn more about privacy fashion for bots »

If your group contains very sensitive data, maybe information technology's amend to avoid calculation bots you don't trust 100%.

Q: Are bots fabricated by Telegram?

No. While we have some official bots for specific purposes (like @gif or @GDPRbot), we don't normally make bots. Bots are made by third-political party developers using the Telegram Bot API and platform.

Q: Where can I detect more bots?

There is no official store at the moment, so you'll accept to ask your friends or search the web for at present. We're pretty sure you'll find some bots to play with.

Deeper questions

Q: Tin I get Telegram'southward server-side lawmaking?

All Telegram client apps are fully open source. We offer verifiable builds both for iOS and Android – this applied science allows to independently verify that the awarding you download from the app stores was built using the exact same code that we publish.

By dissimilarity, publishing the server code doesn't provide security guarantees neither for Secret Chats nor for Deject Chats. This is because – dissimilar with the client-side code – there'south no way to verify that the same code is run on the servers.

As for Clandestine Chats, yous don't demand the server-side code to check their integrity – the point of cease-to-stop encryption is that it must be solid regardless of how the servers role.

In a post on his channel, Pavel Durov explained why Telegram hasn't published the server code, even equally a publicity stunt.

The encryption and API used on Telegram'due south servers are fully documented and open for review past security experts. We welcome any comments at security@telegram.org

Q: Can I run Telegram using my ain server?

Our compages does non support federation yet. Telegram is a unified cloud service, so creating forks where ii users might end up on 2 different Telegram clouds is unacceptable. To enable you to run your own Telegram server while retaining both speed and security is a task in itself. At the moment, we are undecided on whether or not Telegram should go in this direction.

Q: Can I use the Telegram API?

Yes. Developers for all platforms are welcome to apply our protocol, API and fifty-fifty source code. Check out the Getting started section of the docs.

Don't forget about our Bot API that lets you build cool stuff on our platform.

Q: Do you have a Privacy Policy?

Certain. Check this out.

Q: What does the iOS privacy sail mean?

Apple tree created privacy sheets to inform users about what data apps may collect, but data there is vague and can be misleading. You can meet a detailed explanation of Telegram'south sheet hither.

Q: Why exercise you have ii apps in the Mac App Store?

One is our app for macOS, the other is Telegram Lite, the macOS version of our multi-platform client. Both apps are official. Both started out every bit unofficial applications by two dissimilar developers and vary in design and functionality.

Telegram for macOS supports many platform-specific features, such equally the MacBook Pro Touch Bar, gesture navigation, integration with the Mac's Share menu and more. It has every feature from the iOS version of the app including Secret Chats.

Telegram Light is a lightning-fast app, optimized for work-related tasks and handling large communities. It offers a 3-column interface, perfect for multitasking and quick access to media, files and links shared in your chats. This app tin can likewise be used to export your Telegram data and chats.

Q: Can I interpret Telegram?

Telegram is officially available in English, Spanish, German language, Dutch, Italian, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Korean, Malay, Russian and Ukrainian on almost platforms, and we are gradually expanding the listing of languages congenital into the apps.

If you lot don't similar how a specific element in Telegram's interface is translated in your language, or would similar to aid us maintain the translation, check out our localization platform. Everyone can suggest translations and vote for the best ones, making Telegram localization a community-driven endeavour.

If you're looking to become beyond suggestions for individual phrases and would like to aid u.s.a. maintain the official translation to your language on a continuous footing, you lot can contact @TelegramAuditions. Delight include a hashtag with the English proper noun of your linguistic communication (eastward.thou. #Albanian) and a few links to phrases on this platform with your translation suggestions or comments. Be certain to read the Manner Guide carefully before you apply.

Q: Can I help?

Yes, we are always looking for volunteers to help us with user support. If you would be interested in answering questions about Telegram to users from your country, contact our auditions account.

Before you apply, delight check out the Telegram Support Initiative.

Passport

Telegram Passport is a unified authorization method for services that crave personal identification. With Telegram Passport, you can upload your documents once, so instantly share your data with services that require existent-world ID (finance, ICOs, etc.).

Your identity documents and personal data will exist stored in the Telegram cloud using End-to-End Encryption. To Telegram, this data is just random gibberish, and we have no access to the information yous shop in your Telegram Passport. When you share data, information technology goes directly to the recipient.

You can find more data about Telegram Passport on our web log.

If you lot're a programmer or possessor of a service that requires real-life ID, kindly take a look at this manual. Y'all tin can also try requesting Telegram Passport data using this folio.

Troubleshooting

Login and SMS

Please brand sure y'all are entering your mobile phone number in the international format.
I.due east.: +(land lawmaking)(urban center or carrier code)(your number)

If you are having registration or login issues, please contact us using this form.

Getting a code via a phone phone call

For security reasons, login codes dictated via a phone call are but available for accounts that accept two-step verification enabled (Settings > Privacy & Security > 2-Step Verification).

Please also note that Telegram accounts tin can but be connected to a mobile number. Nosotros currently don't back up landline numbers.

Getting a code via Telegram

If you take recently used ane of our apps on some other device (information technology could also be a different app on the same device), we may send the login code via Telegram instead of SMS.

To receive such a code, just check Telegram from whatsoever of your continued devices. You volition find it in the conversation with Telegram, a verified profile with a bluish cheque:

Alarm! Please note that getting codes via Telegram should not be considered an alternative to using an up-to-date phone number. In case of a change in numbers, always brand sure Telegram is connected to a telephone number you control, otherwise you run a risk losing access to your account forever.

Notification issues

If the tips beneath don't help, check out this detailed guide on Troubleshooting Notification Problems.

ANDROID

Go to Telegram Settings — Notifications and Sounds, make sure that notifications are ON and Importance is fix to "Loftier" or greater.
Check whether contact or group is muted.
Brand certain Google Play Services are installed on your phone.
Check notification priority for Telegram in Android settings, information technology can be called Importance or Behaviour depending on your device.
If your phone uses some battery saving software, make sure that Telegram is whitelisted in that awarding.

Annotation: Huawei and Xiaomi devices have evil job killer services that interfere with the Telegram notification service. For our notifications to piece of work, you need to add Telegram to immune apps in those devices' security settings. Huawei: Phone Manager App > Protected Apps > Add Telegram to the list. Xiaomi: Services > Security > Permissions > Autostart, notice Telegram and enable autostart.

iOS

Go to Telegram Settings — Notifications and Sounds, make sure that notifications are ON in Telegram.
Check that notifications are ON in phone Settings.
Check, whether contact or grouping is muted.
Shut down Telegram (go to habitation screen, double tap home button, swipe upwards on Telegram), so get to phone settings, set the alert style for Telegram to NONE. Relaunch Telegram, become to telephone settings, set alert style back to banners.

Issues with contacts

If you know your friends take Telegram, but yous can't meet them — or they appear every bit numbers instead of names.

Android:

Brand sure you are using the latest version of the app.
Relaunch the app (past terminating it from processes list and launching once more).
Temporarily modify the proper noun of the contact in telephone contacts (add a few symbols, and so change back again).
If that didn't help, re-login. Remember that logging out kills your Secret Chats.

iOS:

Strength quit the app (double tap home push button, and then swipe up on Telegram), then relaunch and check if it helped.
If that doesn't aid, temporarily change the name of the contact in phone contacts (add a few symbols, and then change back again).
If that doesn't work, re-login: Settings > Edit > Log Out. Remember that logging out kills all your Undercover Chats. And so log in once again.

Deleting contacts on Android

To delete a contact, open a conversation with the person, tap the championship in the top area of the chat screen to open their profile, then tap on (⋮) in the meridian right corner > 'Delete contact'.

If you want to delete the contact completely, brand sure you also delete them from your phone contacts. Telegram stays in sync and will add together the contact back if you don't.

Where did my Hush-hush Conversation messages go?

Underground Chats are established between the two devices they were created on. This means that all those messages are non available in the cloud and cannot be accessed on other devices.

Moreover, Secret Chats are too tied to your current login session on the device. If you log out and in again, you will lose all your Secret Chats.

Can't send messages to non-contacts

When users report unwanted messages from a Telegram account, we apply a limit: Reported accounts can only send messages to people who have their number saved as a contact.

This means that if you lot randomly contact people you don't know and transport them annoying messages, you may lose the power to practice so in the future.

If you think that this limit was applied to your account wrongly, please visit this page.

Telegram uses the camera or microphone in the background!

Telegram tin can use the microphone in the background if you minimize the app when making a phone call, recording a video, or recording a voice/video message.

Permission monitors on Samsung and Xiaomi can inadvertently flag and notify y'all that Telegram requested access to camera in the groundwork. This happens when the app requests info about the camera — it isn't using the camera. Unfortunately it may look the same to the Samsung and Xiaomi permission monitors.

Camera info is requested by the app when you tap on the attachment push, or start recording a video or a video bulletin. If you do this and quickly shut the app, the already initiated request may endeavour to run asynchronously when the app is already in the groundwork, or be sent when the system wakes up the app to testify a notification about a new message. In whatsoever case, these requests are only for the camera info, the app never uses the photographic camera itself in the groundwork.

Anyone tin can check Telegram's open source code and ostend that the app is not doing anything behind their back. Nosotros also offering reproducible builds that can help you bear witness that the version you downloaded from App Store or Google Play is built from the exact same source code we publish.

Telegram Support

If you have any other questions, please contact Telegram Support (in Telegram get to Settings — Enquire a question). Annotation that we rely on volunteers for support.

If you can't log in to your business relationship, delight apply this form.

For media requests, please contact @PressBot on Telegram.

Twitter?

Yep. Follow us! @telegram
Our twitter account in Spanish: @telegram_es
In Italian: @telegram_it
In Korean: @Telegram_kr
In German: @de_telegram
For users from Brazil: @Telegram_br
Our Standard arabic-speaking users may discover @telegram_arabic more than interesting.

@SmsTelegram, login assist on Twitter

Nosotros take a special account that tin can help you with login problems, @smstelegram. This account is official. Don't be agape to DM information technology the number yous use for Telegram, we need this info to investigate issues.

Be careful, nosotros don't have any other back up accounts on any social media platforms.

Facebook or other platforms?

If anyone on Facebook or whatsoever other platform is telling you lot they're us, they are not.

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Source: https://telegram.org/faq