If you stop using Telegram entirely, the account deletes itself after a period of inactivity. The default is 18 months, and you can shorten it in Settings.
What "inactive" means
The timer counts from the last time you came online. Simply opening the app resets it. You do not have to send anything, and there is no risk of losing an account you still use occasionally.
What is removed when it fires
- All messages and media held in the Telegram cloud.
- Your contacts as stored in Telegram.
- Your groups membership and any other data attached to the account.
The deletion is complete and cannot be reversed. Signing up again with the same number produces a new, empty account.
Changing the period
- Open Settings.
- Go to Privacy and Security.
- Find Delete My Account If Away For.
- Choose a shorter period. One month is the most aggressive option.
Why the feature exists
Telegram is not run as a commercial data business, and storage spent on abandoned accounts is storage wasted. Self-destruction is also a privacy feature in its own right: an account nobody is using stops holding your conversations indefinitely, which is a reasonable default for anyone who values that.
Updated