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05 · FIND AN ANSWER · All guides · Get help
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- Does TgWitness recover messages deleted before it started?
- Does a valid signature prove Telegram sent the message?
- Is every Telegram event guaranteed to arrive?
- Can I use a bot token instead of a user account?
- Do I need my own API ID and API hash?
- Can several people have separate access permissions?
- Are messages and attachments encrypted on disk?
- Does Lock stop collection?
- Why can two accounts show different histories?
- Does a public proxy failure switch me to a direct connection?
- Are an evidence export and a backup interchangeable?
- Is a witness on my server independent?
- Is Linux, macOS or Docker support already fully qualified?
- How do I report a problem or contribute?
No. A deletion notice may be recorded without prior content. History acquisition returns what is currently visible to the account, not a reconstruction of all earlier versions.
No. It verifies integrity relative to a signing key. An operator controlling the collector and key can fabricate a journal. Separately retained checkpoints and independent witnesses constrain later rewriting, but do not establish Telegram origin by themselves.
No. Account permissions, connection failures, service behavior and process interruptions affect visibility. Rechecks and saved update state help recovery, but coverage reports and controlled delivery tests still matter.
The collector uses a Telegram user authorization through MTProto. A bot token is used separately by the optional witness.
They are optional in the normal sign-in flow. The workspace can reuse saved/imported credentials or use the built-in pool. They identify an application; they do not provide account access without authorization.
Yes. Issue a token under Access, choose its workspaces/chats and permissions, then set limits if needed. The main panel token remains unrestricted; a witness token is separate. See access and permissions.
The vault encrypts sessions, credentials and signing secrets. The local journal and attachments are not encrypted by TgWitness. Use disk encryption and restrictive permissions. Exports can optionally be wrapped in a password-protected ZIP.
No. Lock clears browser access; the running collector continues. Pause observation stops collection. Closing the tab also leaves the process running.
They may have different access, membership dates and visibility. Each workspace preserves its own observations and signing identity. Compare records with their original workspace attached.
Hide IP mode does not fall back to Direct. The explicitly selected fallback mode can connect directly after its configured delay; tunnel/VPN mode permits direct routes. External HTTP requests and the independent witness have their own routing rules. See connection routes.
No. An evidence export deliberately excludes login and signing secrets. A service backup must preserve the entire stopped data directory and any external master key.
It has a separate process and key, but the same operator still controls that server. Independent custody requires a separate operator or system outside that control.
Consult the current verification record. Implemented launchers and CI definitions are not evidence that every platform and live-service scenario has been executed.
Use Support for help and bug reports, Contributing for development, and Security for vulnerabilities.
01 · Connect and capture
02 · Investigate and export
03 · Independent checks
04 · Run and protect
05 · Find an answer
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