How to Delete Telegram Account Permanently

Telegram has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons lately. So, it’s understandable if your liking towards this WhatsApp alternative has taken a bit of a hit, and you want to delete your account permanently. The good thing is that you can do so using the Telegram mobile app, desktop app, and even the web version. We’ve listed the steps in detail, so without any further ado, here’s how to delete your Telegram account easily!

Export Data Before Deleting Telegram Account

Before you go all out and delete your Telegram account, it’s important that you realize that you will be losing all your Telegram data beyond this point. So, it’s important to back up any such data on your Telegram account. Telegram gives you the option to export your data on the dedicated desktop app. So, once you download and log in to the desktop app, follow these steps:

1. Inside Telegram, tap on the hamburger menu at the top left and select Settings.

2. Next, hit Advanced from the pop-up panel.
3. Here, scroll down snd select Export Telegram data at the very bottom.

4. You will then be required to select the Telegram data that you would like to export. Adjust your Chat export and Media export settings accordingly, and finally select the export format. Once done, hit Export.
5. A message window will be displayed letting you know that, “For security reasons, you will be able to begin downloading your data in 24 hours”. Here, click on OK to proceed.

So, you will basically need to come back after a day and repeat the request using the same device. Then, your Telegram data will complete exporting.

Delete Telegram Account Using Android, iPhone & Desktop App

You can easily delete your Telegram account via the Android and iPhone mobile app or a dedicated desktop app. Since, there are barely any radical interface changes between these platforms, the process to trash an account should be more or less the same. One thing to note here is that this doesn’t instantly delete your account. Rather, it self-destructs after a particular timeframe.

1. On Telegram, tap on the hamburger menu at the top right and select Settings.
2. Then, tap on Privacy and Security.

3. Next, scroll down and select the If away for option under the “Delete my account” section.
4. Select the timeframe after which you want your Telegram account to self-destruct or deactivate. By default, it’s set to 1 year. If you’re in a hurry, simply select 1 month.

Now, all you have to do is uninstall your Telegram account from everywhere and wait a month for it to automatically get removed.

Delete Account from Telegram Website

Now, if you want to permanently delete your Telegram account right away, without any waiting around, you will need to access the web version via your desired web browser. Once you do that, follow these steps:

1. Head over to the Telegram Delete Account page on the web.
2. Add your phone number and hit Next.

3. Then, you will receive your web login code on the mobile app. Type that in here and Sign In.

4. Next, on the confirmation page, hit Delete My Account.

5. Finally, in the pop-up confirmation window at the top, hit the red Yes, delete my account button.

That’s it. Your Telegram account will be instantly removed. So, there’s no way to regain access to it again.

What Happens When You Delete a Telegram Account?

Now that you’ve deleted your account, you may be wondering what happens to all your data on Telegram. Well, here’s what deleting an account ensues.

• All messages, groups, and contacts associated with your account will be deleted from Telegram servers.
• However, groups you’ve created will continue existing for any of your contacts that were a part of them. Your contacts will be able to continue chatting on those groups.
• Your contacts will also still have their copy of messages you’ve sent to them.
• Telegram account deletion is permanent, so you won’t be able to restore your account once you’ve deleted it.
• That said, you can always sign up for a new account with the same phone number if you want to come back to Telegram. However, you may have to wait a few days before signing up.

There’s no way to temporarily deactivate your Telegram account. That’s the reason why the default Telegram account deletion period is set to 1 year. So, you have enough time to make up your mind. Well, now that you know the ways to make this default timeframe shorter or instantly delete your Telegram account, you’re good to go.

With that being said, if you do have any further queries, drop them in the comments down below!