Chat History and Synchronization
To ensure the highest level of security and privacy, the system has specific rules regarding how chat history is handled and synchronized across devices.
Why can't I see messages from before I joined a group?
In an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) system, each participant uses unique encryption keys to protect their communications.
- Security Isolation: When you join a group, you are only provided with the keys necessary to decrypt messages sent from that point forward.
- Privacy Protection: You do not have access to the history of the group prior to your arrival, ensuring that past conversations remain private as originally intended by the existing members.
Message Synchronization Limitations
While it is technically possible to synchronize all history to a new device, doing so would increase security risks. Therefore, we have implemented the following limitations:
- Manual Sync (10-Day Limit): You can manually trigger a synchronization to a new or additional device, but this is limited to the last 10 days of chat history.
- Security Risk Prevention: Limiting sync prevents a compromised device from easily harvesting your entire long-term communication history from the server.
- Full Recovery via Backup: If you need to move your entire history to a new device, please use the Encrypted Backup feature. This ensures that your complete history is transferred securely under your own control.
Tip
For instructions on how to create a full migration of your data, please see our Backup and Restore guide.