<metaproperty="og:description"content="This update brings an auto-delete timer for messages in any chat, as well as new flexible invite links and faster access to your chats with home screen widgets. Also, groups can now have unlimited members.">
<ahref="/file/464001519/2/pw2YpXpzBFk.222382/9ec672b0125c50ad34"target="_blank"><imgsrc="/file/464001701/5/WvHD2TGPSzU.74913/648f3e17886f6c96f8"srcset="/file/464001519/2/pw2YpXpzBFk.222382/9ec672b0125c50ad34, 1200w"title="Add a man to a group, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to use invite links, and you feed him for a lifetime."alt="Auto-Delete, Widgets and Expiring Invite Links"/></a>
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<p>This update brings an <strong>auto-delete timer</strong> for messages in any chat, as well as new <strong>flexible invite links</strong> and faster access to your chats with <strong>home screen widgets</strong>. Also, groups can now have <strong>unlimited members</strong>.</p>
<p>Some conversations aren't meant to last forever, which is why Telegram users can <ahref="https://telegram.org/blog/move-history#control-your-digital-footprint">delete messages for all participants</a> in a conversation at any time, <strong>without a trace</strong>. Since <ahref="https://telegram.org/evolution#october-2013"><strong>2013</strong></a>, users can also set a self-destruct timer for messages in Secret Chats.</p>
<p>Starting today, you can enable an <strong>auto-delete timer</strong> in <em>all</em> Telegram chats, which will automatically erase messages for all participants either <strong>24 hours</strong> or <strong>7 days</strong> after sending.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001817/1/uRH0G1kpnsU.78050/ef4c3848767bbc4626"style="max-width: 400px;"title="The name's Delete – Otto Delete."alt="Auto-Delete Messages in any chat">
<p>Auto-delete only applies to messages sent <strong>after the timer is set</strong>, earlier messages will stay in the chat history. Unlike in Secret Chats, the countdown starts when messages are <strong>sent</strong>, not read.</p>
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<p>To enable the timer on <strong>Android</strong>, tap ⋮ <em>> Clear History</em> then choose a duration.<br>On <strong>iOS</strong>, press and hold a message, tap <em>Select > Clear Chat (top-left) > Enable Auto-Delete</em>.</p>
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<p>All messages show a countdown to their deletion time – simply tap on Android or press and hold on iOS to take a look. <imgclass="emoji"src="//telegram.org/img/emoji/40/F09F95B5.png"width="20"height="20"alt="🕵️"/></p>
<ahref="/file/464001391/2/Q-fXu4DfJzo.72308/45f380386fa9432ef5"target="_blank"><imgsrc="/file/464001391/2/Q-fXu4DfJzo.72308/45f380386fa9432ef5"title="We are visitors on this planet. We are here for one hundred years at the very most. During that period we must try to do something good, something useful, with our lives. If you contribute to other people's happiness, you will find the true meaning of life."alt="Time before expiry"srcset="/file/464001391/2/Q-fXu4DfJzo.72308/45f380386fa9432ef5 , 2x"/></a>
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<p>In groups and channels, <strong>only admins</strong> can enable or modify the timer.</p>
<p>For instant access to your most important chats, add a <strong>Telegram widget</strong> to your home screen. The <strong>Chat Widget</strong> shows a preview of recent messages, while the <strong>Shortcut Widget</strong> shows only names and profile pictures.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001295/4/xWmcSpI7Y5w.70341/867173f4b40e240b9f"style="max-width: 400px;"title="Our engineers studied at the Hogwarts School of Widgecraft and Widgetry."alt="Telegram Widgets on the Home Screen">
<p>On <strong>Android</strong>, chats and messages in the widget will always be <strong>up to date</strong>, and you can further <strong>expand</strong> the widget to take up more of your screen. On iOS, widgets will only get fresh data occasionally and can't be expanded – this is due to system limitations.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>To add a widget, press and hold on your home screen, then tap Widgets on <strong>Android</strong> or the (+) on <strong>iOS</strong> and search for Telegram.</p>
<p>Invite links are a quick and easy way to bring <strong>1</strong> or <strong>1 million</strong> people to your groups and channels. Along with the main invite link, owners and admins can now create <strong>additional links</strong> with a <strong>limited duration</strong>, <strong>number of uses</strong>, or <strong>both</strong>.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001763/2/IYI3kWN79xI.51059/5f305952bf58319660"style="max-width: 400px;"title="Marketing managers probably have a big word for this - we just call it -=wicked cool=-."alt="Expiring Invite Links">
<p>Any invite link can be converted into a <strong>scannable QR Code</strong> to put on everything from brochures to billboards. You can also see which users joined using each invite link to find out where new members came from or which format has been <strong>most effective</strong> for growth. <imgclass="emoji"src="//telegram.org/img/emoji/40/F09F9A80.png"width="20"height="20"alt="🚀"/></p>
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<p>To view and manage invite links, tap to open your <em>Group or Channel's Profile > Edit > Invite Links</em>. Tap (⋮) or (⋯) to convert a link to a <strong>QR Code</strong>.</p>
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<h3><aclass="anchor"name="groups-with-unlimited-members"href="#groups-with-unlimited-members"><iclass="anchor-icon"></i></a>Groups with Unlimited Members</h3>
<p>Telegram groups allow up to 200,000 members to exchange messages, media and stickers. Groups that are close to the limit can now convert into <strong>Broadcast Groups</strong> that allow <strong>unlimited members</strong>.</p>
<p>Converting to a Broadcast Group makes it so that <strong>only admins can send messages</strong>, but members can still join <strong>voice chats</strong>.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001933/3/RnMMkaLuCA4.81635/3ccda3a79686d9dfcc"style="max-width: 400px;"title="The sky used to be the limit – now it's the universe."alt="Converting to a Broadcast Group">
<p>Broadcast Groups are ideal for <strong>large communities</strong>, where people can follow along and catch exclusive interviews, news, or just casual talks.</p>
<p>Our developers are continuing to refine and expand the <ahref="https://telegram.org/blog/move-history">chat import feature</a> added to Telegram last month. With today’s update, imported messages will now appear <strong>sorted by their original date</strong> if added to a Telegram chat that is <strong>new</strong> or has fewer than <strong>1000 messages</strong>.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001083/2/_piKAjWkdVU.54833/562cb320040894e2f9"style="max-width: 400px;"title="Through the eternal woe, I take flight."alt="Importing messages with their original date.">
<p>Telegram processes millions of user reports each month to make sure the platform is not abused. To help make this more efficient, we will now always ask you to select <strong>specific messages</strong> when sending a report.</p>
<p>Additionally, all reporting options allow you to <strong>add a comment</strong> to give more context – like when reporting <ahref="https://telegram.org/blog/move-history#reporting-fake-channels">fake accounts</a>.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001311/2/xKRFjb_IiUc.31301/fb28faace2bfc978d3"style="max-width: 400px;"title="Don't make us bring out the coffin tweet."alt="Reporting a fake channel">
<h3><aclass="anchor"name="and-more-animated-emoji"href="#and-more-animated-emoji"><iclass="anchor-icon"></i></a>And More Animated Emoji</h3>
<p>A new update always means new animations, so test out the new characters below by sending a single emoji in any chat.</p>
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<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001454/2/ktW60oxINnw.43331/e48f505983c4f65333"style="max-width: 400px;"title="Again, there's a story in there somewhere."alt="New animated emoji: February 2021.">
<p>That's all for today's changes, this message will now delete in 3, 2, 1 … oh. Never mind, this is a blog post, they don't do that yet. <imgclass="emoji"src="//telegram.org/img/emoji/40/F09F9885.png"width="20"height="20"alt="😅"/></p>
<h4class="dev_blog_card_title">Message Effects, Hashtag Search, and More</h4>
<divclass="dev_blog_card_lead">With this update, you can add spectacular animated effects to messages you send, move captions above media, find public posts using global…</div>
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<h4class="dev_blog_card_title">Sticker Editor — Create Your Own Stickers</h4>
<divclass="dev_blog_card_lead">Starting today, anyone can quickly create stickers and entire sticker sets using a new powerful editor — without leaving Telegram.</div>
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