Restore deleted Telegram messages from groups

telegramRestore.md

to ask for help with python and/or executing this script, join discord: https://discord.gg/zpu7YUP3Um

Restore deleted Telegram messages, medias and files from groups

There's not telegram API method for this, we need to call MTProto methods to retrieve messages from the "Recent Actions" (Admin Log) since deleted messages (and medias) gets moved there for 48 hours before the permanent deletion.

from telethon import TelegramClient, events, sync
from telethon.tl.types import InputChannel, PeerChannel
from telethon.tl.types import Channel
import time

# Get your own api_id and
# api_hash from https://my.telegram.org, under API Development.
#  or from https://tjhorner.dev/webogram/#/login
api_id = API_ID
api_hash = API_HASH

client = TelegramClient('session_name', api_id, api_hash)
client.start()

group = client.get_entity(PeerChannel(GROUP_CHAT_ID))

#messages = client.get_admin_log(group)

file1 = open("dump.json","w") 
c = 0
m = 0
for event in client.iter_admin_log(group):
    if event.deleted_message:
        print("Dumping message",c, "(", event.old.id, event.old.date,")")
        file1.write(event.old.to_json() + ",") 
        c+=1
        if event.old.media:
            m+=1
            #print(event.old.media.to_dict()['Document']['id'])
            client.download_media(event.old.media, str(event.old.id))
            print(" Dumped media", m)
        time.sleep(0.1)

FAQ

How do I run this?

Please check https://docs.python.org/3/faq/

I tried to do like you wrote, but it shows this

how to solve this?

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\sessions\memory.py", line 194, in get_input_entity
return utils.get_input_peer(key)
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\utils.py", line 235, in get_input_peer
_raise_cast_fail(entity, 'InputPeer')
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\utils.py", line 138, in _raise_cast_fail
raise TypeError('Cannot cast {} to any kind of {}.'.format(
TypeError: Cannot cast PeerChannel to any kind of InputPeer.

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "H:\ackup_will_be_inside_m\backup_script.py", line 15, in
group = client.get_entity(PeerChannel('-1001654540914'))
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\sync.py", line 39, in syncified
return loop.run_until_complete(coro)
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\asyncio\base_events.py", line 646, in run_until_complete
return future.result()
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 292, in get_entity
inputs.append(await self.get_input_entity(x))
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 430, in get_input_entity
return self.session.get_input_entity(peer)
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\sessions\memory.py", line 198, in get_input_entity
key = utils.get_peer_id(key)
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\utils.py", line 1038, in get_peer_id
if not (0 < peer.channel_id <= 9999999999):
TypeError: '<' not supported between instances of 'int' and 'str'
PS H:\ackup_will_be_inside_m>

ok, I just tried to remove quotes from group chat id, now i have only this

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "H:\ackup_will_be_inside_m\backup_script.py", line 15, in
group = client.get_entity(PeerChannel(-1001625426205))
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\sync.py", line 39, in syncified
return loop.run_until_complete(coro)
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\asyncio\base_events.py", line 646, in run_until_complete
return future.result()
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 292, in get_entity
inputs.append(await self.get_input_entity(x))
File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 466, in get_input_entity
raise ValueError(
ValueError: Could not find the input entity for PeerChannel(channel_id=1625426205) (PeerChannel). Please read https://docs.telethon.dev/en/latest/concepts/entities.html to find out more details.
Segmentation fault

ok, I just tried to remove quotes from group chat id, now i have only this

Traceback (most recent call last): File "H:\ackup_will_be_inside_m\backup_script.py", line 15, in group = client.get_entity(PeerChannel(-1001625426205)) File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\sync.py", line 39, in syncified return loop.run_until_complete(coro) File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\asyncio\base_events.py", line 646, in run_until_complete return future.result() File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 292, in get_entity inputs.append(await self.get_input_entity(x)) File "C:\Users\Arthu\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 466, in get_input_entity raise ValueError( ValueError: Could not find the input entity for PeerChannel(channel_id=1625426205) (PeerChannel). Please read https://docs.telethon.dev/en/latest/concepts/entities.html to find out more details. Segmentation fault

@arthurclouds Have you made sure that you've inserted the correct GROUP_CHAT_ID?

Thank You so much, you saved my Life!

Hello everyone Please help someone! It is very urgent to figure it out! Can someone tell me what these errors are related to:
Please enter your phone (or bot token): ********
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "D:\Telegram Desktop\backup_will_be_inside_me\backup_script.py", line 13, in
client.start()
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\auth.py", line 128, in start
else self.loop.run_until_complete(coro)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\asyncio\base_events.py", line 653, in run_until_complete
return future.result()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\auth.py", line 184, in _start
await self.send_code_request(phone, force_sms=force_sms)
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\auth.py", line 434, in send_code_request
result = await self(functions.auth.SendCodeRequest(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 30, in call
return await self._call(self._sender, request, ordered=ordered)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 67, in _call
future = sender.send(request, ordered=ordered)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\network\mtprotosender.py", line 181, in send
state = RequestState(request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\network\requeststate.py", line 17, in init
self.data = bytes(request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\tl\tlobject.py", line 194, in bytes
return self._bytes()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\tl\functions\auth.py", line 644, in _bytes
self.serialize_bytes(self.api_hash),
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Acer\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python311\Lib\site-packages\telethon\tl\tlobject.py", line 112, in serialize_bytes
raise TypeError(
TypeError: bytes or str expected, not <class 'int'>

@AnarialPrescott At some point the program gave telethon an int(eger) instead of a str(ing) or bytes.

@Enough7 thank you! can you please tell me at what point this could have happened and how to fix it?

@AnarialPrescott Okay, just because you asked that nicely :).
The error is raised here.
Before the error occurred this line is executed.
That line is located in a function called edit_2fa.
It looks like that code segment is trying to change your password and fails because your E-Mail-Address is not confirmed.
So it is probably related to two factor authentication, try turning it off or test it with a different account if possible.

@Enough7 Thank you very much for your answers! But, unfortunately, even with two-factor authentication disabled and with another account does not work and still the same mistake(
But still thank you very much for helping me!

@AnarialPrescott You can contact the developers of Telethon here

@Enough7 Thank you very much for your help!!!

I've created a discord server to ease the conversation for people needing to install python/help in executing the script: https://discord.gg/zpu7YUP3Um

Can this be altered so that it can also be run as a non-admin? E.g. a bot that sits in the group and records all messages and notices when a message has been deleted and flags this to the owner of the bot?

How to restore data into the group?

Hi guys
I have
api_id = **
api_hash = **
group_id = **

But when I run
c:\1>python backup_script.py
I have
Please enter your phone (or bot token): ****
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "c:\1\backup_script.py", line 13, in
client.start()
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\auth.py", line 128, in start
else self.loop.run_until_complete(coro)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\asyncio\base_events.py", line 684, in run_until_complete
return future.result()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\auth.py", line 184, in _start
await self.send_code_request(phone, force_sms=force_sms)
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\auth.py", line 434, in send_code_request
result = await self(functions.auth.SendCodeRequest(
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 30, in call
return await self._call(self._sender, request, ordered=ordered)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\client\users.py", line 67, in _call
future = sender.send(request, ordered=ordered)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\network\mtprotosender.py", line 183, in send
state = RequestState(request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\network\requeststate.py", line 17, in init
self.data = bytes(request)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\tl\tlobject.py", line 194, in bytes
return self._bytes()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\tl\functions\auth.py", line 643, in _bytes
self.serialize_bytes(self.api_hash),
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\hunny\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\Lib\site-packages\telethon\tl\tlobject.py", line 112, in serialize_bytes
raise TypeError(
TypeError: bytes or str expected, not <class 'int'>

Any help, please

I want to send it to some group/channel instead of downloading it

Can this be altered so that it can also be run as a non-admin? E.g. a bot that sits in the group and records all messages and notices when a message has been deleted and flags this to the owner of the bot?

I doubt this, as it uses your account so you would need admin access to view (and therefore) save the messages

Can this be altered so that it can also be run as a non-admin? E.g. a bot that sits in the group and records all messages and notices when a message has been deleted and flags this to the owner of the bot?

I doubt this, as it uses your account so you would need admin access to view (and therefore) save the messages

I actually wrote the code which will download the file and then send it to desired channel via telethon

Can this be altered so that it can also be run as a non-admin? E.g. a bot that sits in the group and records all messages and notices when a message has been deleted and flags this to the owner of the bot?

I doubt this, as it uses your account so you would need admin access to view (and therefore) save the messages

I actually wrote the code which will download the file and then send it to desired channel via telethon

Hi, can you please share this code?

Here is my attempt at creating a "restore" script. Note that you cannot restore messages with their original date, so this script will send them as brand new messages, and append the original date to the message body. It will also send photo, video, audio, etc. media messages, and stickers correctly.

First of all, you will have to edit the dump.json file, because OP's script does not output valid json format. To fix this, append [ at the beginning, and ] at the end of the file.

Then run this script in the same folder where you ran OP's script. Don't forget to replace the api_id, api_hash and chat_id variables.

import json
import time
import glob
from telethon import TelegramClient
from telethon.tl.types import PeerChat
from datetime import datetime

with open("dump.json","r") as file:
    content = json.load(file)
    # sort by date:
    content = sorted(content, key=lambda x: x["date"])

    api_id = API_ID
    api_hash = API_HASH
    chat_id = GROUP_CHAT_ID

    client = TelegramClient('session_name', api_id, api_hash)
    client.start()

    group = client.get_entity(PeerChat(chat_id))

    for msg in content:

        message_id = msg["id"]
        message = msg["message"]
        has_media = msg['media'] != None
        has_message = message != ""
        date = datetime.fromisoformat(msg["date"]).strftime("%Y %b %d, %H:%M")

        # print message, date, and attachment info:
        print(f"{i} {message}, {date}, has_media: {has_media}")

        if (has_message):
            message = str(date) + "\n\n" + str(message)
        else:
            message = str(date)

        did_send_media_msg = False

        if has_media:
            file_names = glob.glob(f"{message_id}.*")
            for file_name in file_names:
                print(f"Sending Media: {file_name}")
                client.send_file(entity=group, file=file_name, caption=message, silent=True)
                did_send_media_msg = True

        elif has_message or (not did_send_media_msg):
            print(f"Sending Message: {message}")
            client.send_message(entity=group, message=message, silent=True)

        # sleep to avoid rate limiting, you may experiment with reducing this time:
        time.sleep(1)

Hello, Can someone help me recover my telegram messages? I can pay!!

Gyus! I've updated code from dJani97

python
import json
import time
import glob
from telethon import TelegramClient
from telethon.tl.types import PeerChannel
from datetime import datetime
import asyncio

async def main():
    with open("dump.json", "r") as file:
        content = json.load(file)
        # sort by date:
        content = sorted(content, key=lambda x: x["date"])

        api_id = '__'
        api_hash = '__'
        chat_id = '__'

        client = TelegramClient('session_name', api_id, api_hash)
        await client.start()

        group = await client.get_entity(PeerChannel(int(chat_id)))

        for msg in content:
            message_id = msg["id"]
            message = msg.get("message", "")
            has_media = msg.get('media', None) is not None
            has_message = message != ""
            date = datetime.fromisoformat(msg["date"]).strftime("%Y %b %d, %H:%M")

            # print message, date, and attachment info:
            print(f"{message_id} {message}, {date}, has_media: {has_media}")

            if has_message:
                message = str(date) + "\n\n" + str(message)
            else:
                message = str(date)

            did_send_media_msg = False

            if has_media:
                file_names = glob.glob(f"{message_id}.*")
                for file_name in file_names:
                    print(f"Sending Media: {file_name}")
                    try:
                        await client.send_file(entity=group, file=file_name, caption=message, silent=True)
                        did_send_media_msg = True
                    except Exception as e:
                        print(f"Error sending media {file_name}: {str(e)}")

            if has_message or not did_send_media_msg:
                print(f"Sending Message: {message}")
                try:
                    await client.send_message(entity=group, message=message, silent=True)
                except Exception as e:
                    print(f"Error sending message: {str(e)}")

            # sleep to avoid rate limiting, you may experiment with reducing this time:
            time.sleep(2)

asyncio.run(main())

Added sending message in any case, added async() and just fixed code and now it's working)

@Silenseo hello, can you help with that error?

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Users/mishachka/Desktop/untitled folder/restore_order.py", line 61, in
asyncio.run(main())
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/asyncio/runners.py", line 194, in run
return runner.run(main)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/asyncio/runners.py", line 118, in run
return self._loop.run_until_complete(task)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/asyncio/base_events.py", line 687, in run_until_complete
return future.result()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Users/mishachka/Desktop/untitled folder/restore_order.py", line 11, in main
content = json.load(file)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/json/init.py", line 293, in load
return loads(fp.read(),
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/json/init.py", line 346, in loads
return _default_decoder.decode(s)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/json/decoder.py", line 337, in decode
obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.12/lib/python3.12/json/decoder.py", line 355, in raw_decode
raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1899754 (char 1899753)

can you help with that error?

Something happened with your JSON file.
Please look at this point:

To fix this, append [ at the beginning, and ] at the end of the file.

can you help with that error?

Something happened with your JSON file. Please look at this point:

To fix this, append [ at the beginning, and ] at the end of the file.

yeah I checked it, no luck. Tried the same on windows and works just fine (except noticed the comma at the end of JSON and removed it maybe that was an issue). Thank you very much, regardless! That helped a lot

Thank you very much, regardless! That helped a lot

You're welcome)

api_id = ''
api_hash = ''
chat_id = ''
I hope these are not real account )

Thank you very much, regardless! That helped a lot

You're welcome)

I mangaged to run the code successfully, but nothing is happening after i logged in. what could be wrong?

THANKS
@avivace for the backup script
@dJani97 for providing a restore script
@Silenseo for his edited restore script
@NabiKAZ for his tip for faster speeds
@MohammadJouza for providing a guide

Because I had problems with the GROUP_CHAT_ID I made a quick fork with info for how to find it, to auto add -100 if missing and to work even if someone gave the GROUP_CHAT_ID as text.