How to delete contacts in Telegram app

I saw deleted contacts in my new phone and it shows no phone number. Found out they are contact downloaded from my Telegram account. Here’s how I delete contacts in Telegram app so that they never show up again.

Basically, when you sync your phone with the Telegram account, all contacts in your Telegram account will be downloaded and stored in your phone Contacts automatically. So, if you want to delete contacts in your phone, you have to start with your Telegram account. And make sure to disable Sync Contacts in Telegram app.

Here’s the complete step-by-step instruction to permanently delete contacts in Telegram app.

See also how to disable media auto-download in Telegram.

How to delete contacts in Telegram app

To successfully delete Telegram contacts, please follow exactly the step by step as listed below. If you missed one step, very high chance the deleted contact will appear again in your phone contact.

1. Disable Sync Contacts

Important! If you miss this step, after you delete contacts in Telegram, they’ll automatically be added back.

1. Open Telegram app.
2. Select three horizontal lines located at the top left corner of the screen.
3. Select Settings.
4. Select Privacy and Security.
5. Under Contacts, slide the toggle next to Synced Contacts.

2. Delete Synced Contacts

1. Open Telegram app.
2. Select three horizontal lines located at the top left corner of the screen.
3. Select Settings.
4. Select Privacy and Security.
5. Under Contacts, tap on Delete Synced Contacts.

3. Delete contacts in Telegram app

1. Open Telegram app.
2. Select three horizontal lines located at the top left corner of the screen.
3. Select Contact.
4. Select contact you want to delete.
5. Tap on the DP (profile photo) or the name.
6. Select three verticle dots located at the top-right corner of the screen.
7. Select Delete contact.
8. Select Ok.

Repeat for every contact you want to delete.

4. Delete Telegram contacts in phone Contacts

1. Open Contacts on your phone,
2. Select Contact to display > Telegram.
3. Select all contacts and delete.

Once done, you can re-enable the sync with Telegram if you plan to re-sync all your new contacts number.

Now your Telegram contact is up-to-date. No more old contact without a phone number popping out in your phone contact.