How to Delete Telegram Account: 2 Quick Ways

Telegram, with over 700 million monthly users, may not be the preferred platform for messaging or media exchange. If your friends are on WhatsApp and there are few people to chat with on Telegram, or if you are simply done with the platform, this article will guide you through the process of deleting your Telegram account quickly and explain what happens to your data.

Unfortunately, you cannot temporarily deactivate your Telegram account. The only option is to delete it permanently. So, if you want to use Telegram for some time, we recommend uninstalling the Telegram app instead of deleting the account. This way, when you’re ready, you can re-install Telegram and pick up where you left off.

However, if you’ve decided to permanently pause your Telegram account, follow along. Let’s start with understanding what will happen to your data.

Can You Recover Your Data Once Your Account Is Deleted

Deleting your Telegram account will remove messages, contacts, channels, groups, and other data from Telegram’s servers. If you delete your Telegram account, you can’t recover old messages. It is highly recommended to back up your data before deleting your account. To back up your account, move on to the next section.

How to Export Data Before Deleting the Telegram Account

Before proceeding with this step, you must know that it can only be done from Telegram’s desktop app. Now, follow the instructions below to back up your Telegram account data.

Step 1: Open the Telegram desktop app and click on the hamburger icon at the top left.

Step 2: Click on Settings.

Step 3: Go to Advanced.

Step 4: Scroll down, click ‘Export Telegram data’.

Step 3: Select the messages and media you want to export. Set a size limit for downloading media files.

Step 4: Finally, choose the export format and click Export. We recommend downloading as HTML.

Once done with this step, you can delete your Telegram account. There are two ways: deleting the account manually and self-destructing it after a set period. Let us walk you through both methods, starting with instantly deleting your account.

Before we begin, please note that deleting your Telegram account is not possible through the Telegram Android app. However, if you are an iOS user, it is an option. Below, we will provide the steps for each device type.

Step 1: Go to the Telegram deactivation page using the link below and enter your phone number with the country code.

Step 2: Fill in the confirmation code sent to your Telegram app and click on Sign In.

Note: The code is sent to your Telegram app, not as an SMS.

Step 3: You will be directed to a page explaining the consequences of deleting your account. Read and click on the ‘Delete My Account’ button.

You can add your reason for leaving Telegram if you want.

Step 4: Finally, confirm by clicking ‘Yes, delete my account’.

Clicking on Yes in Telegram permanently deletes your account. You will need to wait a few days if you want to create a new one.

Delete Telegram Account Permanently using iPhone

The Telegram app on iOS allows you to delete your account from the app. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open the Telegram app on your iPhone and go to Settings.

Step 2: Under Settings, click on ‘Privacy and Security’.

Step 3: Tap ‘If Away For’ under Automatically Delete my Account.

Step 4: Tap ‘Delete Account Now.’

Step 5: Scroll down and tap ‘Delete My Account’.

And there you go. Your Telegram account will be deleted permanently.

But what if you don’t want to delete your account right away and would rather give Telegram one more shot? You can set a time of inactivity, after which your account gets deleted automatically. This also gives you time to reconsider in case you wish to change your decision.

How to Automatically Delete Your Telegram Account After a Specific Time

This is a few-step process, regardless of the device you use. The steps are common to all operating systems, including Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.

Note: We will demonstrate the steps using an Android device.

Step 1: Open the Telegram app and tap the hamburger menu.

Step 2: Tap on Settings in the hamburger menu.

Tap on ‘Privacy and Security.’

To delete your account, follow these steps:

– Scroll down to ‘Delete my account’ and tap on it.

– Under the option ‘If away for,’ tap on it.

– Step 4 is complete.

Choose to delete your account after 1/3/6 months or 1 year of inactivity.

All you have to do is wait for the specified time for your account to be automatically deleted.

All your data, such as messages, groups, and contacts, will be erased from Telegram’s server when you delete your account. Before deleting, consider canceling your Telegram subscription if you are a premium user.

Note that your groups and channels will be left without a creator, but admins will retain their rights. However, group users can still chat freely and will have a copy of the messages you sent them.

FAQs on Deleting Your Telegram Account

1. If you delete your Telegram account more than three times in a short period, your number will stop working on Telegram. That means you won’t be able to sign up on Telegram for up to three weeks.

2. No. Telegram only allows one account per mobile number.

3. No, your contacts will not know if you uninstall Telegram. However, all your contacts will be notified of your arrival on the platform if enabled when you create an account.

4. Can I recover my messages after uninstalling Telegram?

Breaking Up With Telegram Forever

This article aims to guide you in permanently deleting your Telegram account effortlessly. Telegram offers numerous features that can provide inspiration to WhatsApp. However, if your loved ones are not on Telegram, its messaging experience becomes irrelevant. Please share your reason for leaving Telegram in the comment section below.