How to send Telegram secret messages: Check out the Secret Chat feature

Want to send Telegram secret messages? You can do so via the Telegram Secret Chat feature. Here is how to enable it.

Know how you can use the Telegram Secret Chats feature. (Pixabay)

Have you used Telegram yet? Telegram is as an alternative to WhatsApp and has many features that are simply astounding. The application can be used to send messages, calls, pictures, files, and more. Telegram also offers several features like secret chat feature to provide additional safety to users. According to Telegram, secret chats are meant for people who want more secrecy than the average person. All messages in secret chats use end-to-end encryption which means only you and the recipient can read those messages. On top of this, Messages cannot be forwarded to anyone by the recipient from secret chats. And when you delete messages on your side of the conversation, the app on the other side of the secret chat will be deleted as well.

Sounds interesting right? But there is a lot more to secret chats feature. You can also set self-destruct times for media files on the app. You can order your messages, photos, videos and files to self-destruct in a set amount of time after they have been read or opened by the recipient. The message will then disappear from both your and your friend's devices.

How self-destructing messages work

The Self-Destruct Timer is available for all messages in Secret Chats and for media in private cloud chats. To set the timer, you simply need to tap the clock icon (in the input field on iOS, top bar on Android), and then choose the desired time limit.

The clock starts ticking the moment the message is displayed on the recipient's screen (gets two check marks). As soon as the time runs out, the message disappears from both devices. Also, the timer in Secret Chats only applies to messages that were sent after the timer was set. It has no effect on earlier messages.

If you are new to Telegram and want to know how you can use the Secret Chats feature, then here is all you need to do.

How to start a secret chat

Time	Tools	Supplies
5 Minutes	Smartphone Laptop Desktop	Internet

Step 1:

First you need to download the Telegram App on your smartphone. Android users can do so from Google Play Store while iPhone users can visit Apple App Store for the same.

Step 2:

Then open the application and create your account.

Step 3:

Open the profile of the user you want to contact then tap on the icon with three dots ‘…’.

Step 4:

Now, select ‘Start Secret Chat’.

Step 5:

It can be noted that Telegram secret chats are device-specific. If you start a secret chat with a friend on one of your devices, this chat will only be available on that device. If you log out, you will lose all your secret chats. You can create as many different secret chats with the same contact as you like.