diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 258bcc68c..e890a223b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Delta Chat Android Changelog
 
+## Unreleased
+
+* Remove deprecated "real-time apps" switch
+
 ## v2.34.0
 2025-12
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ApplicationContext.java b/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ApplicationContext.java
index 4bbdf0fee..2fd3a5aee 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ApplicationContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ApplicationContext.java
@@ -168,7 +168,11 @@ public class ApplicationContext extends MultiDexApplication {
               }
             }
 
-            // 2025.11.12: this is needed until core starts ignoring "delete_server_after" for chatmail
+            // 2025-12-16: The setting was removed.
+            // Revert it to the default if it was changed in the past.
+            ac.setConfigInt("webxdc_realtime_enabled", 1);
+
+            // 2025-11-12: this is needed until core starts ignoring "delete_server_after" for chatmail
             if (ac.isChatmail()) {
               ac.setConfig("delete_server_after", null); // reset
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/connect/DcHelper.java b/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/connect/DcHelper.java
index 34e59c34b..72b3edc44 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/connect/DcHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/connect/DcHelper.java
@@ -60,7 +60,6 @@ public class DcHelper {
     public static final String CONFIG_MEDIA_QUALITY = "media_quality";
     public static final String CONFIG_PROXY_ENABLED = "proxy_enabled";
     public static final String CONFIG_PROXY_URL = "proxy_url";
-    public static final String CONFIG_WEBXDC_REALTIME_ENABLED = "webxdc_realtime_enabled";
     public static final String CONFIG_PRIVATE_TAG = "private_tag";
     public static final String CONFIG_STATS_SENDING = "stats_sending";
     public static final String CONFIG_STATS_ID = "stats_id";
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/preferences/AdvancedPreferenceFragment.java b/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/preferences/AdvancedPreferenceFragment.java
index 0c73ca8ab..ae870df8c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/preferences/AdvancedPreferenceFragment.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/preferences/AdvancedPreferenceFragment.java
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import static org.thoughtcrime.securesms.connect.DcHelper.CONFIG_MVBOX_MOVE;
 import static org.thoughtcrime.securesms.connect.DcHelper.CONFIG_ONLY_FETCH_MVBOX;
 import static org.thoughtcrime.securesms.connect.DcHelper.CONFIG_STATS_SENDING;
 import static org.thoughtcrime.securesms.connect.DcHelper.CONFIG_SHOW_EMAILS;
-import static org.thoughtcrime.securesms.connect.DcHelper.CONFIG_WEBXDC_REALTIME_ENABLED;
 
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ public class AdvancedPreferenceFragment extends ListSummaryPreferenceFragment
   CheckBoxPreference multiDeviceCheckbox;
   CheckBoxPreference mvboxMoveCheckbox;
   CheckBoxPreference onlyFetchMvboxCheckbox;
-  CheckBoxPreference webxdcRealtimeCheckbox;
 
   @Override
   public void onCreate(Bundle paramBundle) {
@@ -122,15 +120,6 @@ public class AdvancedPreferenceFragment extends ListSummaryPreferenceFragment
       }));
     }
 
-    webxdcRealtimeCheckbox = (CheckBoxPreference) this.findPreference("pref_webxdc_realtime_enabled");
-    if (webxdcRealtimeCheckbox != null) {
-      webxdcRealtimeCheckbox.setOnPreferenceChangeListener((preference, newValue) -> {
-        boolean enabled = (Boolean) newValue;
-        dcContext.setConfigInt(CONFIG_WEBXDC_REALTIME_ENABLED, enabled? 1 : 0);
-        return true;
-      });
-    }
-
     Preference screenSecurity = this.findPreference(Prefs.SCREEN_SECURITY_PREF);
     if (screenSecurity != null) {
       screenSecurity.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(new ScreenShotSecurityListener());
@@ -253,7 +242,6 @@ public class AdvancedPreferenceFragment extends ListSummaryPreferenceFragment
     multiDeviceCheckbox.setChecked(0!=dcContext.getConfigInt(CONFIG_BCC_SELF));
     mvboxMoveCheckbox.setChecked(0!=dcContext.getConfigInt(CONFIG_MVBOX_MOVE));
     onlyFetchMvboxCheckbox.setChecked(0!=dcContext.getConfigInt(CONFIG_ONLY_FETCH_MVBOX));
-    webxdcRealtimeCheckbox.setChecked(0!=dcContext.getConfigInt(CONFIG_WEBXDC_REALTIME_ENABLED));
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/src/main/res/xml/preferences_advanced.xml b/src/main/res/xml/preferences_advanced.xml
index dde838992..7a1a8dad3 100644
--- a/src/main/res/xml/preferences_advanced.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/xml/preferences_advanced.xml
@@ -66,12 +66,6 @@
             android:summary="@string/pref_incognito_keyboard_explain"
             android:title="@string/pref_incognito_keyboard" />
 
-        <org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.SwitchPreferenceCompat
-            android:defaultValue="true"
-            android:key="pref_webxdc_realtime_enabled"
-            android:summary="@string/enable_realtime_explain"
-            android:title="@string/enable_realtime"/>
-
     </PreferenceCategory>
 
     <PreferenceCategory android:key="pref_category_legacy" android:title="Legacy">