Telegram Privacy Features: Complete Guide to Privacy Settings

Telegram offers granular privacy controls that let you decide exactly who can see your information. Here is how to configure every privacy setting.

Phone Number Privacy

Go to Settings, Privacy and Security, Phone Number.

• Who can see my phone number: Nobody, My Contacts, or Everyone.
• Who can find me by number: My Contacts or Everyone.

Set both to the most restrictive option for maximum privacy.

Last Seen and Online Status

Control who sees when you were last online: Nobody, My Contacts, or Everyone. When hidden, you also cannot see other users' last seen status.

Profile Photo

Choose who can see your profile picture: My Contacts, Everyone, or set exceptions.

Forwarded Messages

Choose who can link back to your profile when forwarding your messages. Set to "Nobody" to prevent forwarded messages from linking to your account.

Groups and Channels

Control who can add you to groups: My Contacts or Everyone. Block specific users from adding you.

Voice Calls

Control who can call you and whether to use peer-to-peer connections (which can reveal your IP address). For maximum privacy, set calls to "My Contacts" and disable peer-to-peer for non-contacts.

Account Self-Destruct

Set your account to auto-delete after a period of inactivity (1 month to 1 year). This prevents abandoned accounts from being compromised.

Frequently Asked Questions