Leaving WhatsApp? Telegram wants to make it simpler to move over

(Image credit: Natee Meepian/Shutterstock)

As people contemplate jumping from WhatsApp as the Facebook-endemic messaging service makes changes to its privacy policy, two similar services take emerged every bit possible destinations — Indicate and Telegram.

While Indicate would seem to have the border — it's a secure platform while Telegram doesn't fifty-fifty encrypt conversations by default, or at all for other parts of its platform — Telegram is working on something that will appeal to WhatsApp users looking for a change of scenery. Specifically, Telegram say it's developing a special tool to bring over your WhatsApp conversations.

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If you tin can't bear to leave all your WhatsApp conversations behind or don't feel like wrapping upwardly lengthy chats, this new tool is certainly something to keep on your radar. Information technology's a straightforward feature that WABetaInfo spent some time using. This WhatsApp Export Chat choice lets users select Telegram from the Deportment menu to bring those chats over to WhatsApp.

Telegram will find out where you lot desire to ship imported messages. Y'all can opt to bring over an entire conversation or group, or you tin commencement a new one if you prefer. Once complete, you should be able to sift through all your one-time chats in the "Imported" folder. Of course, if you have disappearing letters or similar settings, you may not encounter your messages brought over, depending on when the messages you were using had been prepare to expire.

Withal, you lot should retrieve hard nigh which messaging option to go with if you're leaving WhatsApp, or if you really demand to leave in the first place. If yous aren't comfortable with sharing all your personal data with Facebook, which is what will happen as of Feb. 8, you could consider options such as linking a blank profile. Every bit nosotros annotation in our guide to Telegram, some security experts criticize Telegram'south cryptography, which is reason plenty to consider other encrypted messaging apps.

Telegram's message importing tool isn't available quite nevertheless. An update was available on the App Shop for a cursory moment, then it was seemingly completely scrubbed by another update to the App Store. That likely means it's still in the works. If you're switching apps, though, you may want to proceed an heart out for when it does become available so you tin start moving over those letters.

Brittany Vincent has been roofing video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom'due south Guide, MTV, Rolling Rock, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She'south also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions similar PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies similar CNET. When she'due south not writing or gaming, she'due south looking for the next keen visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. Y'all tin can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.