Telegram rolls out new privacy features for chats, groups

Encrypted messaging app Telegram has started rolling out its latest monthly update for Android and iOS devices, adding numerous new features for users.

Some significant features include protected content in groups and channels, deleting messages by date, log in via calls, and many others.

"The new Protected Content feature will help creators protect the content they publish on Telegram and ensure that it is available only for their intended audience. In order to provide complete control to users over their digital footprint, the Delete by Date feature will enable them to easily find and delete date specific chats from the history," the company said in a statement.

With protected content feature group and channel owners can now restrict their content to group or channel members only, prevent message forwarding and screenshots, and disable the ability to save media from posts. It aims to help creators and channel admins protect their media and posts in groups and channels.

Delete Messages by Date will allow users to delete any messages from a conversation at any time, and with this update, it's been made even more convenient as one can now clear chat history from a specific day or date range in any one-on-one chat.

With new ways to log in via call, Telegram has now allowed some mobile devices with an option to receive a login call from Telegram and then enter several digits of the phone number that called - instead of getting codes via text message.

In the last update, Telegram introduced 8 new global chat themes, however they were only available on iOS so far. With this latest update, now Android users would be able to select from these 8 new chat themes for their UI.

Chat Settings have been fully redesigned, giving the new themes centre stage. Built by the Telegram team, every theme has a day and night mode, colourful animated background and gradient message bubbles.