If you are new to Telegram, you might be confused about the “Clear History” vs. “Delete Chat option in your inbox and the differences between them.
In this article, we’ll explore this difference in detail to give you a complete overview.
What is the difference between delete chat and clear history on Telegram?
Difference 1: Message Deletion
When you opt to “Clear History” on Telegram, it deletes all your text messages on your account. However, the media content shared within the chat is still available unless you manually delete it.
On the other hand, the “Delete Chat” option removes the entire chat in your inbox, including all media files, documents, and other attachments that you’ve received from your Telegram contact.
Difference 2: Presence in The Inbox
Once you clear a conversation history on Telegram, the chat remains visible in your list, but it shows the “History Was Cleared” placeholder in your inbox.
While deleting a chat, altogether remove it from your inbox. So, when you or the other person text each other, it opens up a new conversation for you.
Difference 3: Auto Destruct Timer
Telegram lets you set an Auto-Destruct timer to automatically clear your messaging history after a set period of time. However, you cannot set this feature to delete your chats entirely from your inbox.
Difference 4: Secret Chat
When you select the “Clear History” option in Telegram’s secret chat room, it only deletes all the text messages in it for you.
But, on the flip side, deleting a secret chat cancels it for both sides, and you or the other person cannot send any messages in it.
Difference 5: Group Chat
Telegram allows you to clear the conversation history within a group. Conversely, there is no option to entirely delete the chat from your account (unless you leave the group).
Can I restore cleared history on Telegram?
Yes, you can restore the cleared chat history (as well as the deleted chat) on Telegram with 3 easy and simple methods, as discussed below:
Through the Undo Option
The first solution is to simply undo your deleted Telegram messages or chat history within 5 seconds before they disappear from your inbox. To do this, just tap the “Undo” option at the bottom right corner of the app screen within the specified time.
Check Saved Messages
Telegram lets you save your important texts in the “Saved Messages” folder that you can access anytime. These messages won’t get deleted even if you clear the history.
It means if you’ve saved your messages before clearing the chat history, you can easily find them in this folder. Here’s how:
Android:
- Open “Telegram.”
- Log into your account.
- Tap the three lines.
- Tap “Saved Messages.”
iPhone:
- Open “Telegram.”
- Tap “Settings.”
- Tap “Saved Messages.”
Now, check this folder and see if you can find your deleted chats.
Note: If you’ve backed up your data on your iPhone, you can use the iTunes feature on your Mac to restore your cleared Telegram chat history.
Export Your Private Chats From Telegram
Another workaround is to export your account data from the Telegram server. Doing so may recover all your history, including private chats and group messages. Here’s how:
- Open “Telegram” on your mobile and desktop.
- Tap the three lines in the mobile app. (skip to the next step if you use Telegram on an iPhone).
- Go to “Settings” > Devices” > “Link Desktop Device.”
- Scan the QR on the Telegram Desktop app screen to log in to your account.
- Click the three lines in the Telegram Desktop app.
- Head to “Settings” > “Advanced.”
- Select “Export Telegram Data.”
- Checkmark “Personal Chats.”
- Checkmark “Public Group Chat” and “Private Group Chat.”
- Click “Export.”
Now, open the “Telegram” app on your mobile, tap the warning message, and select “Allow.” Repeat these steps again on the Telegram Desktop app, and choose “Show My Data” once the export process is complete to check if the file has your deleted chat history.
Note: Since Telegram saves your data in its cache, it’s possible to restore your cleared chat history through its “Cache” folder on your Android device. To do this, open the File Manager app, go to “Android” > “Data” > “org.telegram.messenger” and open “Cache.”
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explained the Telegram “Clear History” vs. “Delete Chat” options. We’ve also explored whether you can restore your cleared chat history on Telegram.
Hopefully, you’ve found this guide helpful and can now effectively handle your Telegram chats while removing them.
