What Metadata Does Telegram Collect, and How Long Is It Retained?
Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 8:22 am
Telegram, a cloud-based messaging app known for its emphasis on privacy and security, offers encrypted communication and claims to protect user data from third-party access. However, like most online services, Telegram still collects certain metadata about its users. While the app provides end-to-end encryption in secret chats, regular cloud chats do not have this level of encryption, making metadata collection and storage a crucial issue to understand for privacy-conscious users.
What Metadata Does Telegram Collect?
Metadata is data about data — it doesn’t include telegram data the actual contents of messages, but instead refers to information such as who communicated with whom, when, where, and how often. Telegram collects several types of metadata, including:
User Information: When a user registers, Telegram collects their phone number, basic device information, IP address, and the user’s chosen name. This is required to create and manage an account.
Contact Data: If users allow it, Telegram can access and store their phone contacts. This helps the app find mutual connections and suggest friends.
IP Addresses and Device Information: Telegram logs IP addresses and information about the device and operating system being used. This can include data like time zones and app versions.
Usage Patterns: Telegram monitors how the app is used — for example, which features are accessed, how often users open the app, and what kind of devices are used.
Message Metadata: While message content in cloud chats is encrypted on Telegram’s servers, the metadata associated with these messages (e.g., timestamps, sender and recipient identifiers) is stored. For secret chats, Telegram claims it does not store any metadata on its servers.
How Long Is Metadata Retained?
Telegram has publicly stated that it stores IP addresses and metadata for up to 12 months. This includes logs of user activity and login attempts. The company says this information is collected to prevent spam, abuse, and other forms of misuse. However, for secret chats, Telegram doesn’t retain any metadata or logs, as these are designed to be private and secure even from Telegram itself.
Telegram's Privacy Policy indicates that it will release IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities only when legally compelled, and only for users suspected of terrorism, though this has raised questions about how such policies are enforced globally.
Balancing Privacy and Functionality
Telegram’s cloud-based model means users can access their chats from multiple devices. This requires the app to store messages and metadata on its servers, which poses a trade-off between convenience and absolute privacy. While end-to-end encryption protects secret chats, regular chats rely on Telegram's encryption protocols, which still leave room for metadata collection.
For users deeply concerned with privacy, using secret chats, disabling contact syncing, and avoiding cloud storage of sensitive messages can help minimize the amount of metadata Telegram collects.
Final Thoughts
While Telegram promotes itself as a privacy-focused platform, it still collects and retains metadata such as IP addresses, contact data, and usage logs — typically for up to 12 months. Users who want maximum privacy should understand these practices and use features like secret chats to mitigate metadata exposure. As always, staying informed about how messaging platforms manage your data is the first step toward safeguarding your digital privacy.
What Metadata Does Telegram Collect?
Metadata is data about data — it doesn’t include telegram data the actual contents of messages, but instead refers to information such as who communicated with whom, when, where, and how often. Telegram collects several types of metadata, including:
User Information: When a user registers, Telegram collects their phone number, basic device information, IP address, and the user’s chosen name. This is required to create and manage an account.
Contact Data: If users allow it, Telegram can access and store their phone contacts. This helps the app find mutual connections and suggest friends.
IP Addresses and Device Information: Telegram logs IP addresses and information about the device and operating system being used. This can include data like time zones and app versions.
Usage Patterns: Telegram monitors how the app is used — for example, which features are accessed, how often users open the app, and what kind of devices are used.
Message Metadata: While message content in cloud chats is encrypted on Telegram’s servers, the metadata associated with these messages (e.g., timestamps, sender and recipient identifiers) is stored. For secret chats, Telegram claims it does not store any metadata on its servers.
How Long Is Metadata Retained?
Telegram has publicly stated that it stores IP addresses and metadata for up to 12 months. This includes logs of user activity and login attempts. The company says this information is collected to prevent spam, abuse, and other forms of misuse. However, for secret chats, Telegram doesn’t retain any metadata or logs, as these are designed to be private and secure even from Telegram itself.
Telegram's Privacy Policy indicates that it will release IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities only when legally compelled, and only for users suspected of terrorism, though this has raised questions about how such policies are enforced globally.
Balancing Privacy and Functionality
Telegram’s cloud-based model means users can access their chats from multiple devices. This requires the app to store messages and metadata on its servers, which poses a trade-off between convenience and absolute privacy. While end-to-end encryption protects secret chats, regular chats rely on Telegram's encryption protocols, which still leave room for metadata collection.
For users deeply concerned with privacy, using secret chats, disabling contact syncing, and avoiding cloud storage of sensitive messages can help minimize the amount of metadata Telegram collects.
Final Thoughts
While Telegram promotes itself as a privacy-focused platform, it still collects and retains metadata such as IP addresses, contact data, and usage logs — typically for up to 12 months. Users who want maximum privacy should understand these practices and use features like secret chats to mitigate metadata exposure. As always, staying informed about how messaging platforms manage your data is the first step toward safeguarding your digital privacy.