Telegram messages: find chats, check copies and save history
Choose your situation: a deleted conversation, an archived chat, missing history on a new phone or saving messages for the future. Each needs a different approach.
What happened
to your chat?
Choose your Telegram situation. No account sign-in — just the relevant guide.
I use a different messenger01I deleted a chat
If Undo is no longer available, check the other participant’s copy, an earlier export and messages saved beforehand.
Open the guide02I deleted a message
Look for a specific copy: a forward, screenshot, notification or data saved by a service connected earlier.
Open the guide03I deleted it for me
Ask the other participant whether they still have the conversation and can share the relevant part.
Open the guide04I deleted it for both sides
Check independent copies created before deletion. Connecting a new bot will not retrieve the old text.
Open the guide05My conversation disappeared
Start with your account, All Chats, search and the archive. A missing list entry does not prove deletion.
Open the guide06I cannot find a chat
Search for the person by name or username and check folders and the archive in the same account.
Open the guide07The chat is archived
Open the archive and return the conversation to the main list. No bot is needed.
Open the guide08I changed phones
Sign in to your original account. Ordinary undeleted history syncs; Secret Chats are a separate case.
Open the guide09I reinstalled the app
Check the original account and the chat type. Reinstalling does not undo completed deletion.
Open the guide10I deleted my account
Registering again does not restore old history. Check separate files and participant copies.
Open the guide11It was a Secret Chat
There is no cloud copy of a Secret Chat. Proof X does not claim to restore that history.
Open the guideUnderstand Telegram
Deleted Telegram chats
Once deletion is complete, check copies that already exist. Connecting a bot afterwards will not retrieve messages it never received.
Read the guideGuideRead a deleted Telegram message
To read a message after the sender deletes it, you need a surviving copy. Check forwards, exports, notifications or a service connected before deletion.
Read the guideGuideDeleted for me or everyone
If you deleted only your copy, the other participant may still have theirs. After deletion for both sides, check content saved separately beforehand.
Read the guideGuideTelegram chat disappeared
Check All Chats, the archive, search and the selected account. If only older messages are missing, check auto-delete and group history settings.
Read the guideGuideArchived chats
Archiving hides a chat from the main list without deleting its messages. Open Archived Chats, select the conversation and use the option to return it.
Read the guideGuideNew phone or reinstall
Sign in to the same account: ordinary undeleted chats sync from the cloud. Secret Chats are tied to devices and sessions and do not transfer this way.
Read the guideGuideDeleted account
Telegram account deletion is irreversible. Registering again with the same number creates a new user and does not bring the old history back.
Read the guideGuideSecret Chats
Secret Chats are not stored in Telegram’s cloud and depend on particular devices and sessions. Signing in on a new phone does not restore them.
Read the guideSave what matters
Export chat history
Telegram Desktop can export available history as HTML or JSON. Save it before deletion: a new export does not retrieve messages that are already gone.
Read the guideGuidePhotos and files
Check saved files, your gallery, downloads and earlier exports. An attachment may survive outside the chat even when the original message is gone.
Read the guideGuideNotification history
If notification history was enabled, it may retain text from an earlier notification. It is not a complete Telegram backup and cannot create old entries retroactively.
Read the guideGuideAuto-delete
Auto-delete may be enabled in the conversation. Unlike archiving, it removes messages; turning it off does not restore content that has already disappeared.
Read the guideGuideGroup history
History visibility can depend on group settings and when you joined. Rejoining a group does not guarantee access to all earlier messages.
Read the guideGuideClearing cache
Clearing cache frees local storage. It is different from clearing chat history or deleting an account; undeleted cloud messages remain in the account.
Read the guideGuideMessage edit history
An earlier version is available only if it was saved before the change. An edited label by itself does not provide a complete text revision history.
Read the guideGet started with Proof X
About Proof X
Proof X saves received messages in connected Telegram chats and reports available edit and deletion events. Start by checking the connection and permissions.
Read the guideSetup guideSet up Proof X
Open @proofed_bot and follow its current setup instructions. Verify the permitted chats and receipt of new messages before relying on saved copies.
Read the guideFrequently asked questions
Are Telegram chats stored in the cloud?
Ordinary chats use the cloud account. Secret Chats are tied to particular devices and sessions.
Is the archive a backup?
No. It organises the chat list and does not protect messages from deletion.