Every Telegram message is encrypted, but in two different ways. Normal chats are stored encrypted in the Telegram cloud so you can open them on any device. Secret chats use encryption between the two devices only, so they never reach the cloud and stay on one phone.
Quick answer
Open the profile of the person, tap the three-dot menu and choose Start Secret Chat. The new chat appears in your chat list with a lock icon and works only on that device.
1. How to start a secret chat
- Open a private chat with the person and tap their name to open the profile.
- Tap the three-dot menu.
- Choose Start Secret Chat.
- Wait until the other person's app comes online. The chat becomes active when their device accepts it.
You can start several secret chats with the same contact. Each one is separate.
2. Where is the secret chat?
- It appears in your normal chat list, marked with a lock icon next to the name.
- It exists only on the device where you started or accepted it. Your other phones, Telegram Desktop and the web versions do not show it.
- If you log out of that device, Telegram's FAQ says you lose all your secret chats.
3. Secret chat or normal chat?
| Normal (cloud) chat | Secret chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Between your device and Telegram's servers, stored encrypted in the cloud | Between the two devices only |
| Available on | All your devices | One device |
| After you log out | Still there when you log in again | Gone |
| Forwarding messages | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Self-destruct timer | For photos and videos | For every message |
Telegram's FAQ explains why not every chat is secret: cloud chats can be restored on a new phone, and end-to-end encrypted chats cannot.
4. The self-destruct timer
- Tap the clock icon in the secret chat and choose a time.
- The timer starts when the message is shown on the other person's screen. When it runs out, the message disappears from both devices.
- The timer applies only to messages sent after you set it.
- Telegram tries to notify you when the other person takes a screenshot, but its FAQ says this cannot be guaranteed on every device. Someone can always photograph the screen with another phone.
5. Limits to keep in mind
- Secret chats are only between two people. There are no secret groups or channels.
- A secret chat protects the content in transit and on the server, not a phone that someone else can unlock.
- Protect the account itself with two-step verification, so nobody can log in and read your cloud chats.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a secret chat on Telegram?
Open the person's profile, tap the three-dot menu and choose Start Secret Chat.
Where is my secret chat in Telegram?
In your chat list with a lock icon, and only on the device where you started or accepted it.
Do secret chats work on Telegram Desktop?
No. Secret chats are tied to one device, and Telegram Desktop and the web versions do not show them.
What happens to secret chats when I log out?
They are lost. Telegram's FAQ says logging out removes all your secret chats.
Does Telegram tell me if someone takes a screenshot in a secret chat?
It tries to send a notice, but Telegram says screenshots cannot be detected reliably on every device.
Telegram