How to delete sent messages in Telegram

My colleague Chris is a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan, so I wanted to troll him a bit by insulting the Chiefs' all-pro quarterback and MVP Patrick Mahomes after they secured another trip to the Super Bowl. However, after I sent the message, I realized that it was probably in poor taste for me to tease him like that, and figured that he might not realize that I was joking (I actually like Mahomes a lot!). Luckily, I remembered that Telegram allows users to delete sent messages, even on the recipient's end — I was saved! If you ever find yourself in a similarly uncomfortable situation, here is how to delete sent messages in the Telegram app.

How to delete sent messages in Telegram

1. Open the Telegram app on your phone.
2. Tap on the chat containing the message you wish to delete.
3. Press down on the offending message until you see a pop-up menu.Source: Android Central

1. Tap on the Delete option.
2. Tap on the checkbox to also delete for the recipient.Source: Android Central

1. Tap Delete again.Source: Android Central

Now the message is gone from both the sender's and the receiver's chat history. This little feature can be a lifesaver for when you want to undo something silly or hurtful you may have said, or just for cleaning up a lengthy and messy chat history. Use your new superpowers wisely, though — you don't want to build mistrust with your friends because you're deleting messages left and right!

But what if you want all of your messages to automatically delete? Well, there's a way to do that too in Telegram.

How to enable an auto-delete timer in Telegram chats

1. From any chat, tap on the three-dot settings menu in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Tap on Clear history.Source: Android Central

1. Slide the auto-delete slider to 24 hours or 7 days.
2. Tap Enable Auto-Delete.Source: Android Central

Now you don't have to worry about remembering to delete your sent messages!

Some of the other best messaging apps on Android like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp also have this feature, but it's good to know that one of our favorites, Telegram, has it, too. Telegram not only works on budget devices and the best of the best Android phones, but you can also access it via apps for Mac, Linux, and Windows PCs.