Telegram Gains New Auto-Delete Options, Expiring Invite Links, and More

Telegram Messenger is bringing new feature additions to its chat app, including new options for auto-delete messages, expiring invite links, and unlimited group numbers.

Telegram app
Like WhatsApp and Signal, auto-delete messages have been a staple Telegram feature for some time, but with the latest update, uses can enable an auto-delete timer that applies to all Telegram chats, so that messages are automatically erased for all participants either 24 hours or seven days after sending.

To enable the timer, press and hold a message, tap Select -> Clear Chat (top-left) -> Enable Auto-Delete. If you want to know how long is left before a message auto-deletes, simply press and hold it to invoke the contextual menu and look under the Delete option. It's worth noting that auto-delete only applies to messages sent after the timer is set, so earlier messages will stay in the chat history. Unlike in Secret Chats, the countdown starts when messages are sent, not read.

Elsewhere, there's a new Telegram widget for the Home Screen that shows a preview of recent messages, while a smaller widget shows names and profile pictures of Telegram friends that you've recently chatted to.

There are new features for chat groups, too, including a new Broadcast Groups option that allows groups close to the member limit (200,000) to allow unlimited members. When converting to a Broadcast Group, only admins can send messages, but members can still join voice chats. Telegram says the feature should be "ideal for large communities, where people can follow along and catch exclusive interviews, news, or just casual talks."

Also new in this update are expiring invite links, which can be set to expire after a certain number of users, a certain amount of time, or both. Telegram says the links are an ideal way to bring any number of new members into a group; the links can be converted into a scannable QR Code for use in different contexts. They also allow you to see which users joined using each invite link, making it possible to find out where new members came from or which format has been most effective for growth.

The new features follow a recent influx of chat app users away from WhatsApp and into the welcoming arms of rival platforms like Telegram and Signal. Many users left WhatsApp after the Facebook-owned platform made a hash of explaining its upcoming privacy policy changes, which many people mistakenly interpreted as an admission from the company that their messages would no longer be completely private on the service.

Like WhatsApp, Telegram chats are encrypted. However, it's worth pointing out a distinction between Secret chats and Cloud chats on Telegram. Secret chats are end-to-end encrypted and never under any circumstances get backed up.

Cloud chats are encrypted in the same way, but they get backed up, which means Telegram's servers do have access to the encryption key, although the company says it has never disclosed private data to third-parties from its cloud. For more information on the differences between the two chats, check out Telegram's detailed explainer.

Telegram is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
maxresdefault

These 5 Features Will Make the iPhone 17 the Biggest Update in Years

Monday July 22, 2024 4:02 pm PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 16 models that we're expecting to see in September are going to be quite similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple is making big changes in 2025. We've been hearing hints of an all-new device in the iPhone lineup, and it may be the most expensive iPhone Apple has offered to date. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. New 'Slim'...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 4

Tuesday July 23, 2024 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 18 today, introducing small changes to a number of features throughout the operating system. There are no big additions in this beta, but Apple is continuing to refine existing settings and design choices. Apple plans to continue updating iOS 18 over the next few months, with the update set to be released this fall. We've rounded up all of the changes...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Launch Early Next Year With OLED Display, 48MP Camera, and More

Monday July 22, 2024 7:22 am PDT by
The fourth-generation iPhone SE will offer a series of major upgrades over the current model, the leaker known as "Ice Universe" claims. The information was listed in a post on Weibo, which also detailed the specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup. As previously rumored, the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature Face ID and USB-C, marking a major upgrade from current and previous ...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...

Top Rated Comments

adamw Avatar
45 months ago
Always welcome to receive new feature updates for Telegram.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TehFalcon Avatar
45 months ago
Loving the widget.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
45 months ago
Problem is convincing family/friends to install and using Telegram or any other messaging app.

I wanted to get a rid of Whatsapp a few years back, some even got "hostile" towards me, telling them how evil Facebook was/is fell on deaf ears.
I will delete whatsapp as soon as I have to agree to the terms, not going to, so, within a few months Whatsapp is history for me.

I wish they (governments) demand a split-up.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
45 months ago

Problem is convincing family/friends to install and using Telegram or any other messaging app.

I wanted to get a rid of Whatsapp a few years back, some even got "hostile" towards me, telling them how evil Facebook was/is fell on deaf ears.
I will delete whatsapp as soon as I have to agree to the terms, not going to, so, within a few months Whatsapp is history for me.

I wish they (governments) demand a split-up.
I got the similar thing since I joined Telegram - the day WA got sold. Slowly people have been moving across then in January a near tidal wave of them joined! It was amazing. There are a handful who still won't do it, one claiming they tried it and found that Telegram has a murky feeling to it, compared to the warm feeling WhatsApp has. (???!!)

I said the warm fuzzy feeling was probably Zuckerbergs breath, around their neck. They didn't seem amused.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
peneaux Avatar
45 months ago
Telegram is amazingly fast and smooth. But not having E2E encryption by default sucks. Signal is better. You might have less features but it's more secure.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
firewire9000 Avatar
45 months ago
And for those wondering, yes, notifications bug in the Apple Watch is finally fixed.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)