Telegram gives you two ways out: deactivation or deletion

Deleting your Telegram account is permanent and takes 30 days. During those 30 days, you can change your mind and log back in to cancel the deletion. After 30 days, Telegram removes your account, your messages, your contacts list, and your profile photo from their servers. If you want to keep your account but just stop using it, you can deactivate instead — that hides your profile when ready but keeps your data intact if you return later.

The difference matters because deletion is irreversible after the 30-day window closes. Deactivation is reversible at any time. Choose deletion only if you are certain you will not want to return to Telegram.

Key Takeaways

  • Account deletion takes 30 days to complete, and you can cancel it by logging in during that window.
  • Deactivation hides your profile when ready but keeps your account and data intact if you return.
  • Deleting your account does not delete messages you sent to other people — those remain in their chats.
  • You delete through the Settings menu in the Telegram app or web version, not through a website.
  • After deletion completes, you can create a new Telegram account with the same phone number.

How to delete your account through the mobile app

Open Telegram on your phone. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings. Tap Privacy and Security. Scroll to the bottom and tap Delete Account. Telegram will ask you to confirm your phone number and show you a reason dropdown — you can select a reason or leave it blank. Tap Delete Account again to confirm.

Telegram will send you a confirmation code to the phone number on your account. Enter that code when prompted. Your account will then enter the 30-day deletion period. You will be logged out when ready, but your account still exists during those 30 days.

How to delete your account through the web version

Go to web.telegram.org in your browser and log in. Click the three horizontal lines in the top left. Click Settings. Click Privacy and Security. Scroll down and click Delete Account. Enter your phone number when prompted, select a reason if you want to, and click Delete Account.

Telegram will send a confirmation code to your phone. Enter it on the web page. Your account enters the 30-day deletion period and you will be logged out.

What happens during the 30-day waiting period

Your profile becomes invisible to other users when ready. People cannot message you, add you to groups, or see your profile picture and bio. Your username (if you set one) becomes available for someone else to claim. However, your account data still exists on Telegram's servers during these 30 days.

If you change your mind, log back into Telegram with your phone number and password before the 30 days end. Telegram will ask if you want to cancel the deletion. Tap or click yes, and your account returns to normal with all your data intact. After 30 days pass without you logging in, deletion becomes permanent and cannot be undone.

Messages you sent will remain in other people's chats

Deleting your account does not erase messages you already sent to other people or in groups. Those messages stay in their chat history. If you want to remove messages before you delete your account, you must delete them individually from each conversation. Open each chat, find the messages you want to remove, long-press them, and tap delete.

You can also use the "Clear Chat History" option in individual conversations, which removes all messages from your view but not from the other person's view. There is no way to delete messages from someone else's phone once they have been sent.

Deactivation as an alternative to deletion

If you want to step away from Telegram but might return later, deactivate instead of deleting. Deactivation hides your profile, removes you from groups, and makes you unreachable, but keeps your account and all your data on Telegram's servers indefinitely. You can reactivate by logging in with your phone number and password at any time in the future.

To deactivate, go to Settings > Privacy and Security and look for the Deactivate Account option (this appears on some versions of Telegram but not all). If you do not see it, deletion with the option to cancel during the 30-day window is your closest alternative.

After your account is deleted, creating a new one

Once the 30-day deletion period ends, you can create a new Telegram account using the same phone number. read the Telegram app or go to web.telegram.org, enter your phone number, and follow the setup steps. Telegram will treat it as a brand new account with no connection to your old one.

Your old username becomes available for others to use once deletion completes. If you had a username you want to keep, consider deactivating instead of deleting, or note the username somewhere so you can claim it again on your new account if it has not been taken.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my account if I forgot my password?

You need to log in to delete your account, so you must reset your password first. In the Telegram login screen, tap "Can't access your account?" and follow the recovery steps. Telegram will send a recovery code to the email address you provided when you set up your password. Once you reset it, you can log in and delete your account.

What if I delete my account but want to use Telegram again later?

Log back in during the 30-day deletion window and cancel the deletion. Your account and all your data will return to normal. If 30 days have passed, your account is gone permanently, but you can create a new one with the same phone number.

Will deleting my account remove me from group chats?

Yes, you will be removed from all groups when ready when deletion begins. Group members will see that you have left or been removed. Your messages in those groups remain visible to others.

Do I need to delete my account to stop using Telegram?

No. You can straightforward stop opening the app. Deactivation hides your profile and makes you unreachable without permanently removing your data. Deletion is only necessary if you want your account completely removed from Telegram's servers.

Can someone else delete my account if they have my password?

They would need both your password and access to the phone number on your account, because Telegram sends a confirmation code to that number during deletion. If you are concerned about account security, change your password and enable two-step verification in Settings > Privacy and Security.