The Telegram messaging app has been one of the most popular in the last year, with 500 million active users worldwide. The security offered by Telegram is undoubtedly one of the key elements of the app, but it comes with a drawback : you can't back up your secret chats or move them to a new device. Unless you have a rooted Android phone.
Telegram: Why doesn't it automatically transfer Secret Chats?
While Telegram is presented as more secure than WhatsApp, the enhanced privacy features only work if you use secret chats that are protected with end-to-end encryption.
Unlike regular messages, secret chats are not stored on Telegram servers. Your message is encrypted on your device before being sent to the recipient's device, where it is decrypted using a shared key. In theory, this means that messages are secure and cannot be accessed by anyone, not even Telegram Messenger Inc. Forwarding and screenshots are also disabled for secret chats.
In general, this may not be a problem, but when you need to change phones or reset settings, end-to-end encrypted messages cannot be stored or transferred. This means that important data and conversations may be lost.
Fortunately for Android users, secret chats can be transferred along with all other Telegram data, via the Titanium Backup app.
Telegram: What do you need to move or backup secret chats?
First, you will need the pro version of the Titanium Backup app.
You will also need to root both your old phone and your new device for this process.
Once your phone is rooted, the next step is to download the Titanium Backup app from the Play Store and purchase the license key either through the Play Store or directly from the developer via Paypal.
Download: Titanium Backup (free)
Download: Titanium Backup Pro ($5.99)
Titanium Backup: How to Set Up to Copy Telegram Secrets Chats
Tap on the Titanium Backup icon to get started. If you experience any problems, restart your phone.
First, you will need to grant Titanium Backup permission to access some data.
The application will then request root privileges.
Finally, allow the Titanium Backup Pro add-on to send and view SMS messages and wait a few minutes while it scans the phone for installed apps.
See also: Telegram: How to enable 2-step verification?
Set Up Encryption
Some changes to some settings are needed before backing up Telegram and secret chats.
- In Titanium Backup, tap the menuin the top right to open it. From the menu, tap Preferences.
- Since you will be transferring sensitive data shared via secret chats, you may want to take advantage of Titanium Backup Pro's encryption. If so, tap Enable encryption.
- A new entry “ Backup protection settings ” will appear . If you click on it, three options will appear.
- Click Symmetric-key strength and select what you want.
- Then, click Create master key. Again, you are offered a choice of encryption options.
- Once you've chosen the key strength you want, enter a good passphrase, re-enter it to confirm, and then click Generate key.
Set backup settings
Now go back to the previous menu screen and scroll down to Backup settings.
By default, your app and its data will be extracted to a folder called “TitaniumBackup” in the main folder of your device, but you can change the destination if you wish.
The next step is to tap Backup app external data and select Enabled (Always).
Now click on the Compression. Various compression options will appear for you to choose from.
See also: How to delete old profile pictures on Telegram
The final option we are interested in is Backup settings. Tap on it and on the next screen check the box labeled Backup app cache.
Finally, press your back button to return to the main Titanium Backup Overview screen.
See also: How to hide your phone number on Telegram
Telegram: How to backup secret chats?
Tap the Backup/Restore button at the top, center of the screen. Here you will see a list of all the apps and items that Titanium Backup has found on your device. Scroll down until you find Telegram , or type it into the search bar at the top of the screen. Once you find it, select it.
In the window that appears, click Backup!.
A notification will appear saying that the program is backing up Telegram. Once the process is complete, the notification will disappear and under the Telegram entry it should say “1 backup. Latest:” followed by the date and time.
You should now have three files in the TitaniumBackup folder that start with org.telegram and end with .apk.lzop, .properties, and .tar.lzop.
Copy the TitaniumBackup folder containing these files to the root folder of your new device.
Telegram: How to restore secret chats on a new phone
Your new device must also be rooted to restore Telegram and your secret chats.
Install Titanium Backup and the Pro add-on or copy the license key to the main directory. As before, you will need to grant the app root access along with the various permissions it requires. Now you are ready to restore your Telegram secret chats.
- Open Titanium Backup and tap the menu in the top right. Then tap Preferences.
- Scroll down to the Restoration settings.
- Select Restore app external data and then tap Restoration settings.
- Go back and return to the main screen.
- Tap Backup/Restore at the top, center of the main screen. Search for Telegram from the search bar or scroll down until you find it as a crossed-out entry at the bottom of the list. Tap on it.
- Click Restore in the window that appears.
- A message will appear giving you two options: App only or App+Data. Select App+Data. The restore process will begin.
- You will be prompted to enter passphrase if you choose to encrypt your backup.
- Once the restore window disappears, the process will be complete.
Open Telegram again. If everything went well, Telegram will not ask you to re-enter your number, but will simply ask for permission to read your contacts. Tap Continue and grant permission to access data.
Now you will be able to find all your Telegram messages, multimedia and secret chats! However, you should keep in mind that you can see old secret chats but to send new messages, you need to start a new conversation.
Source: MakeUseOf
