Readers have reported that in the latest versions of the Telegram app, users can now delete large channels and groups on their own, without needing to contact support. Previously, attempts to delete a sizable channel resulted in an error message; channel deletion required submitting a request to Telegram’s support.
A source close to Telegram informed @tginfo that this change is intentional and is not a mistake.
To delete a channel or group with a thousand or more participants, the owner must meet several requirements:
- The user’s session must have been active for several days.
- The account must be secured with a cloud password.
- The password should have been enabled several days prior.
If even one of these criteria isn’t met, you won’t be able to delete a large channel or group.
The updated Telegram apps now require several clicks to delete a channel. After the final confirmation, it shows an additional five second countdown timer for users to reverse the action.
The messenger didn’t update its docs yet — it still claims it’s impossible to delete a large channel with an API request.