If new members of your Telegram group see an empty chat, the group almost certainly has chat history hidden for new members. Changing the setting helps people who join afterwards, but not the ones who already joined.
Short answer
- Channels always show their full post history to subscribers. If new people see nothing, you probably created a group, not a channel.
- Public groups (with a username) always show history to everyone.
- Private groups have a setting, Chat History for New Members, that is either Visible or Hidden.
- Someone who joined while history was Hidden keeps not seeing the earlier messages, even if you switch it to Visible later.
Not sure which case you are in? The free group history checker asks four questions and tells you what a member will see.
Where the setting is and who can change it
- Open the group and tap its name to open the group info.
- Tap the pencil icon (Edit).
- Open Chat History for New Members and choose Visible.
Only admins with the Ban users permission can change it. The setting only appears for private groups; in public groups history is always available.
Why some messages stay hidden forever
When a person joins while history is hidden, Telegram permanently hides every earlier message from that person. These do not bring them back:
- switching the setting to Visible afterwards;
- removing the member and adding them again;
- making the group public;
- sending a different invite link.
There are two partial exceptions. When an existing member adds someone directly, the app may offer the new member the last 100 messages that the inviter can see. And in groups with Topics enabled, some earlier messages can be visible in certain cases, but not messages sent before the group became a supergroup.
Channels, public groups and private groups compared
| Type | Do newcomers see earlier messages? | Can admins change it? |
|---|---|---|
| Channel | Yes, all posts | No setting needed |
| Public group (has a username) | Yes | No, always visible |
| Private group, history Visible | Yes | Yes, Chat History for New Members |
| Private group, history Hidden | No, and not later either | Yes, but only for future joiners |
Buying or selling an old group: get the order right
Visible history is often the proof that a group is really old. If the buyer joins while history is hidden, they will never see the early messages, and the group will look new to them.
- Seller: set Chat History for New Members to Visible first.
- Then add or invite the buyer, and let them scroll to the first message.
- If the buyer already joined while it was hidden, show the history with a live screen recording from the seller's own account instead.
The same rule is on our handover checklist. For the other checks before you pay, see how to verify an old Telegram group, and browse old Telegram groups by creation year.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't new members see old messages in my Telegram group?
The group is private and Chat History for New Members is set to Hidden. Set it to Visible in the group's edit screen; it helps everyone who joins after the change.
I switched history to Visible. Why does one member still see nothing?
They joined while history was hidden. Telegram keeps earlier messages hidden from them permanently, even after the setting changes or if they rejoin.
Do channel subscribers see old posts?
Yes. Channels always show their full post history; the setting only exists for private groups.
Why can't I find the Chat History setting?
Either the group is public (history is always visible there) or your admin role lacks the Ban users permission.
Does enabling history change my group?
In a basic group it converts the group into a supergroup automatically and irreversibly. Supergroups already have the setting without conversion.
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