How to Delete Telegram Account in 5 Minutes (2025)

How to Delete Telegram Account in 2025: A Quick Guide

Do you rarely use Telegram? Worried about your privacy? It’s easy to delete your Telegram account for any reason — just follow these simple steps!

1. Just open your browser and navigate to the Telegram account deactivation page.
2. Enter the country code and your phone number.
3. Once you receive the code, input it into the Telegram app.
4. Now, find the next page and click on “Delete My Account” to proceed.
5. To verify your selection, click “Yes, delete my account.“

Permanently deleting your Telegram account will cause the loss of all your messages and media. Before proceeding with it, we recommend making a backup of your data.

For detailed instructions on backing up your data and how to delete your Telegram account, keep reading.

Telegram is one of the top messaging apps in the world, with over 700 million active users monthly. While it enjoys immense popularity and is known for its privacy-first approach, the app has also faced several privacy-related controversies.

This article will explain how to permanently delete your Telegram account, regardless of whether you want to do so for privacy reasons or just because you no longer use the app.

Do you simply wish to stop using the app? Instead of deleting your Telegram account, you can uninstall it. Until you reinstall and use the app, your account will stay inactive, and your data will stay on Telegram’s cloud.

Why Do People Delete Their Telegram Accounts?

First, let’s talk about why someone might delete their Telegram account. After all, Telegram has built a loyal user base with its sleek design, fast messaging, extensive features like channels, and cross-platform compatibility. But some common reasons users might opt out include:

• Privacy concerns: While Telegram provides end-to-end encryption for its Secret Chats, its default chats don’t offer this feature, making some users think twice.
• Switching to alternative platforms: With the rise of competitors like Signal or WhatsApp, some users prefer other messaging apps.
• Reducing digital clutter: Simplifying life by cutting down on unused apps.
• Taking a vacation: Unplugging to concentrate on life away from the virtual world.

No matter your reason, this article will guide you through deleting your Telegram account step-by-step.

Before You Delete Your Telegram Account

Before rushing into deletion, there are a few key things you should consider. Taking these steps upfront will make the process smoother and avoid potential regrets later.

1. Back Up Your Data

Deleting your Telegram account will permanently erase all linked data. This encompasses your media files, settings, and chat history. Telegram doesn’t provide a built-in backup option, so you’ll need to manually save anything important.

You can use these steps to save messages or media:

• Copy and paste important text from chats into another app, such as Google Docs.
• Download images, videos, or other documents from chat windows to your device.

2. Inform Your Contacts

You will no longer appear on any of your friends’ contact lists after your account is deleted. If you want to maintain connections, inform key contacts beforehand that you’re leaving Telegram.

Maybe share a quick note like, “Hi, just letting you know I’m deleting Telegram. Reach me on [alternate platform or contact information].”

3. Know That You Can’t Reactivate

Unlike some platforms, Telegram doesn’t allow for account recovery after deletion. If you regret your decision, your only option is to create a new account from scratch. Ensure this is exactly what you want to do.”

How to Delete Telegram Account in 2025: Step-by-Step Guide

Removing your Telegram account manually is an option if you don’t want to wait for it to be done automatically. You can do this using either the Telegram app or its web version. Both will be discussed.

How to Delete Telegram Permanently from Within the App

Below, explains how to configure Telegram to delete itself after a month if you don’t use it. The instructions are detailed below.

1. Click the little gear in the bottom-right corner of Telegram to access the “Settings” menu.
2. Choose “Privacy and Security.”
3. To delete your account, scroll down and choose “Automatically delete my account“.
4. Next, select “If away for.”
5. Select “Delete Account Now.”
6. Choose “Delete My Account” after you’ve scrolled down to it.
7. Tap “Continue.”

How to Delete Your Telegram Account through a Browser

Below, you’ll find how to delete your Telegram manually using your browser. You will see the following steps in writing:

1. Go to the Telegram deactivation page and enter your phone number and country code.
2. Enter the code that was sent to your Telegram app for confirmation.
3. When you delete your account, a page outlining the repercussions will appear. We advise carefully reading this information. If you would like to stop using Telegram, you can give a reason. Click “Delete My Account” (the blue button) when you’re finished.
4. By selecting “Yes, delete my account,” you must indicate that you wish to remove your Telegram account. That’s the last step. Upon clicking this button, your account will be permanently removed.
5. Your Telegram account has now been permanently deleted. You will need to wait a few days before you can create another account using the same phone number.

You cannot temporarily deactivate Telegram: Unfortunately, Telegram cannot be temporarily deleted. Your only options are to either delete your Telegram account or uninstall the app.

How to Create a Backup of Your Account on Telegram

How to Use the Desktop App to Export Your Telegram Data

It is advised that you create a backup of your Telegram account before deleting it and losing all of your data. As Telegram explains, deleting your account will permanently erase all messages and data, making it irreversible.

To create an account backup, follow these steps:

Note: This is exclusive to the Telegram desktop app.

1. Tap the three lines in the top-left to open settings. Next, select “Advanced” under “Settings” to access additional options.
2. Tap on the “Export Telegram data.”
3. You must decide which media and messages to export. Setting a storage limit for the export is another option. Lastly, you must choose whether to save the exported data in JSON (readable by computers) or HTML (readable by humans) on your device.
4. Once you click “Export,” you can view your Telegram data offline at any time.

How to Use Auto-Delete to Delete Telegram in 2025

How to Configure Your Account to Auto-Delete

Telegram lets you set a time frame for inactivity, after which your account will be automatically closed. For example, if you’re not in a rush to remove your account, this can be helpful.

Although six months is the typical time frame, you can alter this by taking the actions listed below:

1. Using the small gear icon located in the lower-right corner, you can access “Settings.”
2. Tap “Privacy & Security.”
3. Continue scrolling until “Automatically delete my account” appears.
4. Press “If away for.“
5. Choose the period of time that your account (if inactive) should be deleted. One month, three months, six months, or a year are the possible settings.

1 Year Max: Inactive accounts are not retained by Telegram indefinitely. Your account will be deleted if it is not used for a minimum of one year. Using the above guide, you will need to choose the maximum time limit in this situation.

Why Should You Delete Your Telegram?

Since its 2013 launch, Telegram’s user base has grown significantly as millions of people look for alternatives to Facebook and WhatsApp. While there are plenty of reasons to use Telegram instead of WhatsApp, there are also some reasons to stop using it. These are the principal ones.

Telegram’s End-to-End Encryption: Not Enabled by Default

Telegram lacks end-to-end encryption by default, despite having some good privacy features. While other messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, provide standard end-to-end encryption on all chats, you must first activate “Secret Chat” in order to access this level of encryption.

Additionally, Telegram employs MTProto, a relatively unheard-of encryption protocol, instead of a widely recognized one.

Data Collection Practices

For up to a year, Telegram may gather and keep metadata from users’ devices in order to deliver its service and support its “legitimate interests.” Among the information gathered are your name, username, contact list, phone number, email address, and location.

Telegram also saves shared documents, images, videos, and chat messages. This information is “stored heavily encrypted,” but it’s still a little concerning.

Telegram says it has never had to give government authorities access to user data. Der Spiegel, a German news outlet, revealed in June 2022 that Telegram had given user information to German law enforcement as part of a criminal probe into child abuse and terrorism.

Conspiracy Theorists and Extremism

Telegram’s lenient content moderation policies have made it a gathering spot for conspiracy theorists and right-wing extremists.

While social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter took action to curb the spread of false information during the peak of the COVID pandemic, Telegram did not.

According to a 2021 Institute for Strategic Dialogue study, far-right organisations use Telegram to disseminate COVID-19 conspiracy theories to radicalise and enlist new members. The study also discovered extreme misogyny, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia.

What Happens When You Delete Your Telegram Account?

A Telegram account cannot be recovered once it has been deleted. All your data, including messages, photos, and videos, will be permanently removed from the servers. Only the groups you created or participated in will remain. You will need to manually delete the app from your smartphone.

You may have to wait a few hours or even days if you choose to register for a new account. At this time, your phone number will be blocked by Telegram. However, creating a new account should be easy after that.

Why Should I Use a VPN to Protect My Online Privacy

You don’t have to delete your Telegram account if you’re worried about your privacy. Using a VPN will allow you to keep your Telegram account and protect your data.

To prevent third parties from deciphering your internet traffic, a VPN encrypts it. This will free you from relying on Telegram’s somewhat cryptic encryption protocol, which isn’t activated by default. For even more privacy, a VPN hides your actual IP address.

If you’re searching for a reliable VPN for Telegram, NordVPN is your best option. In addition to its extensive server network, it boasts top-notch 256-bit encryption, superior IP-masking capabilities, and a rigorous no-logs policy for user data.

Conclusion

Deleting your Telegram account in 2025 is a straightforward process, whether you choose to do it manually or set up automatic deletion. However, it’s crucial to back up your data before proceeding, as everything tied to your account will be permanently lost.

If privacy concerns are your main reason for leaving, consider using a VPN to maintain your account while safeguarding your information.

Whether you’re seeking to reduce digital clutter or enhance your privacy, this guide ensures you can make an informed decision and execute the process smoothly.

FAQs about How to Delete Telegram Account Right Now

Are you unsure about how to delete your Telegram account? Check our FAQ section below — we might have already answered it. If not, feel free to read the full article above or drop us a comment. We’ll reply to you as soon as we can.

How to delete your Telegram in 2025?

Telegram can be deleted manually or automatically with the time-elapse option. Go to the Telegram deactivation page, enter your complete phone number (including your country code), and then follow the instructions to manually delete your account. Instead of deleting Telegram, you might want to think about combining it with a VPN if you’re just seeking greater privacy.

What Happens to Your Chats, Data, and Account When You Delete Telegram?

You cannot get your Telegram account back once you delete it. All of your media and chat messages will be lost if you haven’t stored them somewhere else. For this reason, we strongly suggest backing up your data beforehand.

How to Delete Your Telegram Account on iPhone?

Using your iPhone, you can quickly delete your Telegram account. Using the app’s auto-delete feature or manually deleting your account are your two options.