The Telegram community is now a good texting and chatting space with a daily increasing number of users.
With the vastness of the network, you would think achieving secret messaging where only you and the person you are speaking with gets to access the messages is not feasible.
On the contrary, it is!
Telegram has a feature called Secret Chat where messages are end-to-end encrypted and can only be accessed by the two people involved.
Cool, right?
Here’s a condensed version of how to enable this feature on your Telegram page.
- Launch the Telegram page.
- Open your Contacts section.
- Choose the user you wish to enjoy the feature with.
- Launch their profile.
- Select the menu icon (•••).
- Enable Secret Chat.
It’s important you understand how the feature works and know how to enable the secret chat feature in whatever device you may be using provided the device allows the setting up of the feature.
So, read further to learn more.
How Does Telegram Secret Chat Work?
The normal messages sent across the Telegram platform are user-to-server and server-to-user programmed.
However, the secret chat feature uses a different algorithm where the messages are end-to-end user encrypted.
This simply means that unlike the normal messages that can be accessed on the cloud and restored to a device, messages sent via the secret chat feature are only accessible by the sender and receiver and is device-specific.
You cannot forward messages from the secret message feature. Deleting a message at one end will have it deleted at the other end.
Once a message sent under the secret chat feature is deleted, it is not recoverable as the messages are not backed up on the Telegram platform but saved on the original devices in which they were sent and received.
Secret Chat also allows you to send messages that can self-destruct because they are time-bound.
That way, you can forward a message and be sure it will not last longer than you want it to.
The feature can be configured on iPhones, androids, but not on desktops and windows as it is claimed that windows and desktops do not have a very secure storage system that can afford them the luxury of configuring the Secret Chat.
How to Enable Secret Chat in Telegram iPhone
If you are using an iOS device, this is for you. You can follow the steps outlined below to set up the secret chat feature on your Telegram page.
Step 1: Launch the Telegram platform
Open your device and select the Telegram app from your apps section or a shortcut.
Step 2: Open the Conversation thread
By default, you should be directed to the conversation page except you launched your account from your “Recents” tab and had another section of your Telegram account opened the last time you were active. You can easily move to the conversation section.
Step 3: Choose the user you wish to secret chat
If the user is among the people you converse with regularly, just scroll down and tap the name of the user to open the conversation thread between the two of you.
If you will have to surf through your contacts to select the user, then, a better option will be to go to the search bar located at the top of the conversation page and manually enter the name of the person.
It will influence the popping up of the user’s name. Tap on the name and open the conversation page between the both of you.
At the upper right end of the chat page, you will find three dots arranged vertically. Tap on the icon to open the menu of the chat.
Step 5: Enable the Secret Chat feature
When you launch the menu, different options will be displayed. Of the options available, that of Start Secret Chat. Press the option to have the secret chat feature enabled for the user.
After enabling the feature, the chat will take a separate position on the home screen with a padlock icon for identification as a secret chat.
Since it is an iOS device, you can screenshot messages on the secret chat but the other party will be notified.
How to Set Up Secret Chat on Telegram Android
The steps to set up a secret chat on Telegram using an android device is very to that of an iPhone.
These steps include:
Step 1: Go to your Telegram page
Open your Telegram page by launching the Telegram app from the apps section of your phone.
Step 2: Select the user you wish to chat with secretly
When you launch the Telegram platform, the conversation page should open by default.
Either manually scroll through your contacts to find and select the user you wish to secretly chat with or enter the name of the user in the search box provided at the top of the conversation page.
Then, press the name of the user when it appears to launch the individual chat section.
Open the menu to find the Secret Chat feature. The menu icon is the icon at the top right corner of the page that has three dots arranged vertically.
Step 4: Enable secret chat
The Start Secret Chat feature is like the 5th option when the menu is launched. Select the option to enable secret chat with the selected user.
Once you have enabled the feature, you will be able to access the page separately.
Note that with an android device, you will not be able to take screenshots of messages on the secret chat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why there is no secret chat option in Telegram?
The secret chat option is very available and accessible on the mobile app version of Snapchat. With android and iOS devices, you can make use of this option.
The windows and web versions of the platform on the other hand may not ensure the safe storage of chats and as such do not support the Telegram secret chat option.
Can we lock secret chat in Telegram?
In addition to the end-to-end encryption in Telegram, the option to lock your chats is enabled on the platform.
You can make use of the lock chat feature by navigating to the settings on your Snapchat account, then, selecting Privacy and Security.
Afterward, enable the Passcode lock option to lock your chats.
Can anyone see my Telegram secret chats?
Messages sent and received on Telegram secret chat are end-to-end encrypted. As such, a third-party, not even Telegram can see messages sent.
In addition, the forward option is not enabled under secret chat, so, you cannot do a direct forwarding of secret chat messages.
Can I view someone’s secret chat in Telegram without them knowing?
Secret chats on Telegram are specific to each device. It means you can only access secret chats from the original device on which it was sent or received.
You cannot have access to a person’s secret chat except if you had access to their phone.
Why is my Telegram secret chat not showing?
Deleting your Telegram app clears out your secret chats. The same thing will happen if you logged out of your Telegram account.
These may account for the reasons why you cannot access your secret chat messages.
Secret chats can be time bound depending on the settings of the sender. If the time the chat is opened to being accessible elapses, the message(s) will disappear.
If I delete a secret chat on Telegram, will they know?
Secret chat is basically between the two users that are making use of the feature.
If you delete a secret chat from your end, the other party will be notified because it will be deleted from their end as well.
Other than the person you are chatting with, no one else will have access to what goes on between the two of you.
How do I view secret chats on Telegram?
To start a secret chat on Telegram, just select the user you wish to chat with secretly after selecting “Secret” at the top of your profile.
When you begin chatting with the user, you will find the padlock icon close to the person’s photo which signifies the secret chat feature.
There’s a timer that you can use to make your message time-bound. That way, once the allocated duration of the message is over, the message automatically disappears.
Conclusion
It’s awesome that even with the large community of the Telegram platform, you still have the luxury of secret chats. The feature makes the text app distinct from other text-centric apps.
With the secret chat feature, you are certain that your chats with a particular user are safe from external access including the operators of the platform.
This is because the chats in this feature are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be saved on the cloud of the Telegram platform but only in the original device with which they were sent.
This means that the chats cannot be recovered once deleted.
You equally cannot forward messages from the secret chat to another user and once a message is deleted by one user, it is automatically deleted at the end of the other user.
To enable the feature, select a user, go to the menu at the top right, and select Start Secret Chat.
You can send self-destructible messages by selecting the timer icon on the chat and setting the duration for the message. Once the duration is over, the message disappears.
Now, you can enjoy a high level of privacy on the Telegram platform.
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