How to prevent strangers from writing you on Telegram

Yes, oftenly you receive messages on Telegram from complete strangers, and you would like it not to happen so frequently, the good news is that it is possible to filter this type of message from version 6.3, launched in July.

On Telegram, you can contact other people by phone number or by username. Having a username is very useful, as it allows you to chat with other people without revealing your phone number, but it has the side effect that you can appear in searches and be written by strangers. Fortunately, there is a way to automatically mute chats of strangers on Telegram.

Automatically archive unknown chats

Most messaging apps have a normal inbox and one that serves as purgatory, where the chats of strangers go suspected of being spam. Telegram had no such option until a few months ago.

Of course, the option not active by default, but it is you who must go to the Telegram settings and activate it. Also, it is not a retroactive option, so it will only filter messages that reach you while the option is activated.

To configure Telegram so that messages from strangers are automatically archived, you must display the side panel of the application and enter Settings. Then enter Privacy & Security and, at last, you will find the option Archive and mute, within the section New chats with strangers.

What this option does is simple: when you receive a new message from someone who is not in your contact list, you are not notified and it is not shown in the main message list, but is archived automatically. Archived messages are accessible, grouped, from the top of the chat list.

Hide archived chats

By default, Telegram shows the group of Archived Chats at the top of the chat list, showing the names of the latest senders. If it distracts you to see that strangers have written you, you can hide archived chats.

To do this, do a long tap on Archived Chats until a menu is displayed at the bottom. Choose on it Hide above the list and archived chats will disappear from your chat list. To access them, you must slide your chats down.

Do cleaning from time to time

Just as it’s a good idea to check your email’s spam folder from time to time, it’s also a good idea check archived messages from time to timeLet’s see if any of the strangers is indeed someone who deserves your attention, but that you simply did not have on your contact list.

From this list you can enter one of these chats and reply to them, with the advantage that it will not be unarchived by itself. You can unarchive them, delete them completely or leave them there forever. You choose.

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The news

How to prevent strangers from writing you on Telegram

was originally published in

Xataka Android

by
Ivan Ramirez

.