How to see deleted messages in Telegram
Telegram itself cannot show a deleted message: it disappears from the chat for both people. But if you connect the @GetAmberBot bot beforehand, it keeps a copy of every message and, the moment one is deleted, sends you the text and the attachment. It works through the official Telegram Business API, and Premium is not needed.
Why Telegram cannot restore a deleted message
When the other person taps “Delete for everyone”, the message vanishes from the chat on all your devices. The app has no trash folder or deletion history, so a message cannot be brought back after the fact: no copy is left anywhere.
The only way that works is to save a copy before the deletion. That is exactly what Amber does.
How Amber does it
Amber is a bot you connect to your account in the “Telegram Business” section. Telegram itself passes the messages from your private chats to the bot, and the bot keeps copies: text for 30 days, attachments for 5 days.
When a message is deleted, the bot notifies you in your private chat with it: who the message was from, when it arrived and what it said. If a photo, video, voice message or file was deleted, the bot sends the file too. It works even while you are offline.
Turn it on in a minute
- Open the @GetAmberBot bot in Telegram and press “Start”.
- Go to Settings → Telegram Business → Chatbots (called “Chat automation” in newer versions) and enter
@GetAmberBot. - Done: from this moment the bot keeps the messages from your private chats.
More detail on the “How to connect Amber” page.
What the bot cannot do
- Show what was deleted before you connected it. The bot only sees messages that arrive after it is connected.
- Show a message deleted too late. Text is kept for 30 days and attachments for 5 days from the moment they arrive, then the copies are erased.
- Work in groups, channels or secret chats. Telegram passes only private one-to-one conversations to bots.
- Tell you who deleted it. Telegram only reports that a message was deleted, so the bot says “a message from … was deleted” rather than “so-and-so deleted it”.
How much it costs
The trial lasts 3 days or 15 bot notifications, whichever lasts longer. After that it is a subscription paid with Telegram Stars right in the bot: 7 days — 35 ⭐, 1 month — 69 ⭐, 1 year — 479 ⭐. No card is needed; card payment via T-Bank (69 / 149 / 999 ₽) is available only to Russian-language users.
Without a subscription the bot still tells you a message was deleted, but shows its content only after payment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I recover messages deleted before I connected the bot?
No. There is no copy of those messages: the bot only keeps what arrives after it is connected.
Does the bot write anything to the people I chat with?
No. Amber sends nothing into your conversations: every notification goes only to you, in your private chat with the bot.
Do I need Telegram Premium?
No. The “Telegram Business” section is available to all accounts. If you do not see it in Settings, update Telegram to the latest version.
Does it work in groups?
No, only in private one-to-one chats. Groups, channels and secret chats are not available to bots.