Telegram Blog

Rich Text Editor, Communities, Ephemeral Messages in Groups, 350 Million GIFs

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:12:27 GMT

Rich Text Editor, Communities, Ephemeral Messages in Groups, 350 Million GIFs

Enjoying the summer is overrated. Try our new update instead:

Rich Text Editor: Write blogs, articles and long posts.
- Add tables, inline media, lists, headings, quotes and more.
- Use an intuitive visual editor optimized for mobile and desktop.
- Generate text, formulas or tables with our privacy-conscious AI tools.
- Send over 32,000 characters in a single message.

Communities: Link several channels, groups, or bots together.
- Join other chats in a community without an invite link.
- Access all community chats from a single item in your chat list.
- Control who can add more chats to your community.

Ephemeral Messages in Groups: Get replies from bots that are only visible to you.
- Send ephemeral commands to bots and receive private replies in the same chat.
- Forget scrolling through AI summaries and greetings meant for other members.

350 million GIFs: New, faster search in the GIF panel.
- Find high-quality GIFs optimized for Telegram (YMMV).
- Make searches with complete privacy.
- Enjoy the summer after all.

Rich Text Editor

We know you can barely express yourself in words. So today, we're giving you ~~more GIFs~~ an advanced text editor with support for headings, tables, lists, quotes and code blocks! It also lets you add photos and videos in the middle of a message.

Don't worry, the editor comes with an intuitive, visual interface — and you can even use our Cocoon-powered AI tools to generate “your” text with full privacy.

Like our rich formatting update for bots, the editor lets you send up to 32,768 characters in a single message. Show those machines what a human can do!

The Rich Text Editor is currently available to Telegram Premium users only. Why? Because otherwise, we'd have to call it the Poor Text Editor — and you don't want that.

Telegram Communities

Several groups, channels, and bots can now be linked together into communities around a shared topic. Community members can see its other chats and join them instantly. Starting a cult has never been easier!

Chats in a community can be Visible to all members or Hidden from everyone except community admins and members of that chat. Cult 101: Always keep a hidden recipe-sharing group for your High Priests.

Communities save space in your chat list. You can toggle whether a community appears as separate chats or as one chat that expands when you open it.

Communities are collaborative by default, allowing any member to add more chats — but you can restrict this in settings before your cultists add 47 cat groups. When adding chats is limited, you will see them as suggestions instead.

Ephemeral Bot Messages

With guest bot mode, you could already get information from bots in any chat. After today’s update, these messages will no longer clutter the group chat for everyone else.

Bots in groups can now send messages visible only to a specific person, such as greeting messages, private AI summaries, errors, confirmations, or menus with buttons.

Bots can send ephemeral messages at any time or in response to specific commands. These commands are highlighted in the bot menu with a special icon, and the resulting messages are visible only to the bot and the person who used them.

Bot developers can learn more about ephemeral messages here.

350 Million GIFs

Did we just say we were not giving you more GIFs? We lied. The GIF panel now lets you search over 350 million GIFs in 36 languages. The new search is powered by offline indexing of widely shared, publicly available GIFs with open-source AI models.

Unlike in all other messaging apps, your Telegram GIF searches are entirely private, don't rely on any third parties — and are now much faster.

That's it. Now go get an ice cream or something.

July 14, 2026
The Telegram Team

Smartwatch Apps, Rich Text for Bots, AI Guardians for Groups, and Much More

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:13:38 GMT

Smartwatch Apps, Rich Text for Bots, AI Guardians for Groups, and Much More

Today's update lets you wear Telegram on both wrists and brings dozens of new features and improvements.

Get Telegram on your Apple Watch or Android smartwatch to:
- Send text and voice messages
- Listen to voice messages
- View media and video messages
- Read long messages
- Preview locations
- Send stickers
- Manage your chats
Receive formatted messages from bots with dozens of rich text options:
- Inline media, carousels, and collages
- Tables and nested blockquotes
- Headings and anchors
- Collapsible sections and footnotes
- Math formatting and formulas
- Superscript, subscript, and moooooo0000000re
Add AI guardians to screen people before they join your groups.
Include links in poll options.
Open .md files directly in the Telegram Browser.
Control which links open in your preferred browser.
See more of your chats with new header bars on Android.

Watch Apps for Everyone!

Most people have at least one arm, and some of them have a smartwatch. If all of the above is true for you — rejoice: we have new apps for Apple Watch and Android Wear OS.

Now you can browse chats and media, and read messages of any length without risking to drop your phone. Feel free to listen to voice messages and watch videos if there's nobody in the next stall. You can also send text messages — or voice messages, if your hands are busy zipping up.

For some reason, our Android developer added muting and pinning chats, as well as deleting messages. Meanwhile, the iOS developer added viewing locations and sending stickers. Why?? We will never know. We've convinced them to steal these features from each other in the next update.

If you're using a Huawei watch and can't run the Wear OS app, ask nicely — our developers will make an app for you too. If you're using something truly exotic, watch this or make your own app.

Obscenely Rich Text Formatting for Bots

Telegram is where AI bots go to meet, chat, and compete. If you manage to get a bot's attention, it can now respond with rich text — so rich you'll want to start a riot and demand to tax it.

This includes formatting, tables, blockquotes, checklists, inline images, the weird sh#t you need to spell Elon's son's name, and oh so much more.

Bots can also pack a LOT of this stuff into one message — up to 32,768 characters now, with a merciful Show More button after the first 8,000 or so.

Developers are welcome to study our rich text formatting docs here.

Guardian Bots for Group Chats

If you need some smart muscle to guard the door to your group chat, you can add AI bots as admins to process join requests. Naturally, they can also smite the unrighteous who post in the chat, if you want them to.

AI Guardians can use flexible mini-app interfaces to screen new applicants — like finally making people pass an IQ test before posting comments.

Links in Poll Options

You can already do so many things with polls that Telegram could work as a standalone polling app. But is that enough? Never!

Poll options can now include links — for more context and a healthy dose of this.

Support for MD Files

The in-app browser now supports Markdown files in .md format and natively renders the text.

We simply couldn’t rest until a billion-plus Telegram users, mothers and fathers, grandmas and grandpas, and other demographics could open their .md files and view the Markdown properly.

Quick Browser Selection

Links to external sites can be opened right in the Telegram Browser or in your preferred app. Now you can easily choose a different browser from your default when you long press a link — no more copy-pasting links or switching apps.

Seriously, are you still reading this? Did your AI assistant fail to make a summary? Well then, there's more!

On both Android and iOS, you can whitelist sites to always open or never open in the Telegram Browser. By the way, the Telegram Browser does not store browsing history — so your “course research” and “homework assignments” are totally safe.

To manage your browser settings, go to Settings > Chat Settings > In-App Browser on Android or Settings > Privacy and Security > Open Links in on iOS.

This is where we usually add some kind of tie-in to the main topics and tell you that we have more features underway.

ok bye

June 11, 2026
The Telegram Team

Guest AI Bots, Bot-to-Bot Chats, Chat Automation, Custom AI Styles, 100M+ Emoji & Sticker Search and Much More

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:35:31 GMT

Guest AI Bots, Bot-to-Bot Chats, Chat Automation, Custom AI Styles, 100M+ Emoji & Sticker Search and Much More

Today's update is an AI Bot revolution and more, adding over 10 new features and hundreds of improvements to Telegram:

Get responses from AI bots in any chat by tagging their @username.
Set up autonomous bots that communicate with other bots.
Watch bots stream text as it is generated.
Automate your chats by connecting a bot to your profile.
Build and share custom AI styles for the text editor.
Search through over 100M emoji and stickers in 36 languages.
Set limits for voting in polls – by channel or country.
View poll statistics to track votes for each option over time.
Schedule messages that will be delivered silently.
Remove reactions in groups where you're a moderator.

Guest Bots

Telegram is the only platform where all AI models can compete freely — while users have full control over their experience.

AI assistants and automated tools built as Telegram bots can now be mentioned in any private or group chat — even when they aren’t members. This lets them quickly answer questions, fact-check, generate text or images, perform tasks and more.

To mention a bot that supports this feature, simply include its @username in your message. Once the bot processes your request, it will reply directly in the chat where you mentioned it.

To enable Guest Mode, bot developers are invited to check out this guide.

Bots only have access to the specific message they are tagged in and any replies to that message. Bots cannot see which users are in the chat and cannot access other messages.

Bot-to-Bot Communication

With this update, bots are now able to respond to other bots, not just users. AI enthusiasts can leverage this to automate workflows with fully autonomous agents.

To enable Bot-to-Bot Communication and learn more about this feature, see this guide.

Streaming Text for Bots

For a seamless user experience, bots can stream responses as they are generated — rather than waiting for the full message before sending.

Recent updates to the Bot API have made this even more efficient, for faster responses that have new animations.

Chat Automation in Profiles

With this update, every Telegram user can connect a bot to their profile — and allow it to respond to messages on their behalf.

When connecting a bot, you configure which chats it can access — like excluding all chats with your contacts, or only responding to new chats.

Developers can follow this guide to enable this feature. To connect a bot to your profile, go to Settings > Chat Automation.

Custom AI Styles

Any user can now use their own prompts to build unique styles in the text editor. With this, teams can easily standardize text for posts and promotions, while communities can create meme-filled styles for their members.

Each custom style has a shareable link that allows other users to preview the style by generating examples and instantly add it to their text editor.

To build your own AI Style, tap the 'Create' button in the 'Style' tab of the AI Text Editor.

Expanded Emoji and Sticker Search

Over 100 million emoji and stickers created by Telegram users can now be easily found via the search function in the sticker panel. The search bar supports keywords in 36 languages — with more coming soon.

The search function is powered by custom AI models that run on the Cocoon Network to efficiently scan and label the millions of public stickers generated by Telegram users each year.

To quickly make your own stickers, use the built-in sticker editor or upload your artwork via the @Stickers Mini App.

Statistics for Polls

Polls in groups and channels now display an interactive graph for admins, which tracks the number of votes for each option over time.

Poll stats become available after a poll receives 100 votes.

Custom Limits for Polls

Channel admins are now able to set custom limits on who can participate in polls — allowing only subscribers or only users from specific countries.

To set limits for your poll, enable 'Restrict to subscribers' or 'Limit by country' in the poll settings.

Silent Scheduled Messages

Messages you schedule in advance can now be delivered silently — so your updates and reminders won't disturb the recipient.

To silence a scheduled message, hold the 'Send' button, select 'Schedule Message' and then tap the icon.

Removing Reactions

Group admins can now delete reactions from specific users to make moderation in communities even easier. When deleting a reaction, admins can also choose to remove all reactions from that user in just two taps.

To remove a reaction, tap or hold a message, tap again to expand the list of reactions, then hold down to delete a reaction.

Hundreds of Bug Fixes

Thanks to user reports on Telegram's Bug and Suggestion Platform, our developers were able to make over 200 improvements across all Telegram apps.

Enjoy spring while our developers and AI agents are working to bring you more.

May 7, 2026
The Telegram Team

AI Editor, Mighty Polls, Live Photos, Bots Managed by Bots, and More

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:14:14 GMT

AI Editor, Mighty Polls, Live Photos, Bots Managed by Bots, and More

In today's update we introduce an AI Editor that can translate, transform, or fix your text in just two taps, new features for Polls like attaching media and suggesting new responses for active polls, support for Live and Motion Photos in all apps, bots that can create and manage other bots — and more.

AI Text Editor

Tribal: Magic words fix bad talk. Magic words change style. Magic words swap tongues. Spirits help. Fire keeps secret. All safe in Cocoon cave.

The message bar now has a built-in editor that can instantly fix grammar, rewrite your text in a different style or translate your message into another language — all powered by Telegram's Cocoon AI.

The text editor offers different styles like Formal, Short, Tribal, Corp, Zen, Biblical and Viking — which you can use to make your communication more efficient or to add whimsical flair to conversations.

The text editor also allows you to add a style while translating your text — to make you sound like foreign royalty or a multilingual monk.

Like all of Telegram's AI features, the text editor utilizes the Cocoon Network to give users complete privacy. Requests are processed in a confidential environment with zero access to user data.

When writing a message, tap the 'Ai' icon that appears above the 'Send' arrow after typing more than 3 lines of text.

10+ New Features for Polls

Viking: A hoard of new weapons has been forged for the arsenal of polls, including the power to bind media to questions and answer options like gold to a warrior's belt. By Thor's hammer, the simple runes of setting grant a warrior an endless bounty of combinations!

We’ve added many new poll features — here’s what you can do now:

Attach media or locations to questions and choices.
Add a description for context.
Let users suggest new options in active polls.
Show who voted next to each option.
Disable revoting for fixed results.
Shuffle options for each user.
Set time limits for polls.
Hide results until the time runs out.
View results without voting as the creator.

The streamlined poll settings also let you create new types of quizzes – for example with revoting allowed or with multiple correct options in case the truth gets complicated.

If you create a poll with visible votes in a group chat, you will receive a notification each time someone responds, which tells you what option they chose.

Both past and active polls now appear in a dedicated tab on group and channel profiles — so it is easy to find active polls or review the results of past polls.

Live and Motion Photos

Biblical: Behold, all the messengers of Telegram have now been gifted with the power of images that stir and move. For as it is written, “The eyes are the lamp of the body,” and now they shall see life within the stillness.

Telegram now natively supports iOS Live Photos and Android Motion Photos — so users can send looping photos that are viewable in any Telegram app.

The sender can choose from 3 different styles in the media editor: Live, Loop and Bounce. Live plays the photo once when opened, Loop continuously plays, while Bounce plays forward and reverse on a loop.

To send a Live Photo, tap the 'Live' button in the top corner of the media editor and select a style.

Managed Bots

Corp: Telegram bots have now unlocked a powerful new capability to architect, deploy, and scale their own bot networks! This strategic pivot empowers every visionary to harness the transformative potential of AI, enabling the seamless launch of innovative bot solutions with zero coding overhead.

Users can now create their own personalized bots with just a few taps. With the latest update to the Telegram Bot API, bots are able to create and manage other bots on your behalf.

This allows anyone to utilize AI bots to easily develop and launch their own bot — with no coding required.

Developers are welcome to study our detailed guide here.

Document Scanner on iOS

Zen: Telegram now holds a tool to turn the camera into a brush that paints PDF scans of any document. The master once asked, if a leaf is scanned, does it still whisper to the wind?

Telegram for iOS now allows users to create scans of documents with their phone's camera — and can stitch multiple images into one file.

The document scanner instantly removes the background, crops the image and converts it to PDF format. While scanning, you can tap an image to make manual adjustments — like changing the border, adding a filter or rotating the image.

To scan a document, open the attachment menu and select File > Scan Document.

Warning About Unofficial Apps

Telegram's official apps are fully open source with verifiable builds and encryption protocols — for maximum trust and transparency.

Telegram also provides a platform for independent developers to create third-party versions of the Telegram app. A new security alert appears on the profiles of users of third-party apps — letting others know that messages sent to them may be less secure.

Thus end the tidings of this day; yet we shall return swiftly with mightier wonders still — for a man’s work under our Lord is never done.

March 31, 2026
The Telegram Team

Member Tags, Login with Telegram, Disable Sharing, GIF Editing, Date Formatting, Voting Timestamps

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:23:51 GMT

Member Tags, Login with Telegram, Disable Sharing, GIF Editing, Date Formatting, Voting Timestamps

In today's update, we add tags to help group members show who they are, a setting to disable sharing messages in specific 1-on-1 chats, GIF editing and captions, new tools for signing up and logging in to apps and websites with Telegram — and more.

Member Tags

Members in group chats can now add a tag next to their name — to show their role at work, what they study in school, and more. This helps you introduce yourself in neighborhood chats or highlight your interests in online communities.

Admins can choose whether group members are able to set their own tags or if only admins can assign them. Member tags of group admins are always displayed in a different color to make their roles clear.

To allow members to set their tags in your group, go to Group Settings > Permissions and turn on 'Edit Own Tags'.

Disable Sharing in Private Chats

In 2021, Telegram added content protection settings for groups and channels, which help communities and content creators make their posts more exclusive.

With today's update, users can now disable sharing in any 1-on-1 chat to foster an atmosphere of mutual trust. This restricts message forwarding and prevents screenshots or saving media from the chat.

To disable sharing in a chat, open a user's profile, tap ⋯ or ⋮ and select 'Disable Sharing'. This feature is currently available to users of Telegram Premium.

Captions for GIFs

When selecting a GIF in the GIF panel, you can now add a caption directly to it — and send it all as one message. Just like with other media, your caption can be placed above or below the GIF for perfectly formatted memes.

To add a caption, press and hold in the GIF panel and select 'Add Caption'.

Instant Stickers from Photos

Photos you open in the media viewer can now be converted to stickers in just one tap. These stickers can be edited to cut out objects, add text and emoji and more before sending.

Stickers you create can be saved to your favorites or added to sticker packs.

Editing GIFs and Stickers

GIFs and stickers from the panel can now be edited in Telegram's powerful media editor — to add text, drawings and emoji, or to trim GIFs and change their length.

To edit a GIF or sticker in the panel, press and hold and select 'Edit'.

Timestamps for Polls

Polls with visible votes now show a timestamp for each user who voted, so participants can see when each vote was cast.

Streaming Responses for Bots

Last year we gave AI bots the ability to stream text as they generated a response. With today's update, every bot on Telegram can enable this feature — for satisfying replies that scroll across the screen.

Log In With Telegram

It’s now possible to use your Telegram account to sign up and log in to apps and websites in just a few taps — without filling out forms or creating passwords.

You can share your phone number to avoid extra verification steps. You can also let services message you on Telegram for convenient notifications.

Developers can find more information about how to integrate Log In With Telegram in this detailed guide.

Time and Date Formatting

You can use the new 'Date' formatting option to send a specific time and date in a message. Recipients can tap it to add an event to their calendar or set a quick reminder.

Date formatting automatically adapts to each recipient's local date and time — so no one has to do time-zone math.

Messages from bots can also utilize dynamic time variables to give users a precise date and time in a message, tailored to their time zone.

For all the recent updates to the Telegram Bot API, check the latest changelog.

Welcome to March. Spring updates are coming!

March 1, 2026
The Telegram Team

Android Redesign, Group Ownership Transfer, Gift Crafting, Colored Bot Buttons

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:38:33 GMT

Android Redesign, Group Ownership Transfer, Gift Crafting, Colored Bot Buttons

This release adds the biggest interface update in the history of Telegram for Android, a crafting system to generate exclusive new gifts — and much more.

Massive Redesign

Telegram for Android has a fully redesigned interface that makes navigation and search even quicker and more intuitive. The new bottom bar lets you easily jump between your chats, settings, profile and more in just one tap.

Along with the design changes, our Android developers completely rebuilt the interface code — to maximize efficiency and make it even more responsive than before.

You can control interface effects to maximize performance and extend battery life in Settings > Power Saving.

Our iOS developers added even more Liquid Glass to the app — like the redesigned media viewer, new preview panels for sticker and emoji packs, as well as updated context menus in user profiles and when selecting messages.

On iPads, there is also a new keyboard setting to send messages with the shortcut ⌘+Enter.

Leaving Groups to a New Admin

If a group owner leaves the chat, ownership of the group will be automatically transferred to one of its admins after one week.

For even more control, group owners are now shown a confirmation window when leaving the group — where they can instantly choose a new owner.

Group and channel owners can also transfer ownership to another member at any time — without leaving the chat.

Gift Crafting

Since the launch of collectible gifts, Telegram users have minted millions of gifts from over 100 collections.

This update introduces a crafting system where existing collectible gifts can be combined to create Uncommon, Rare, Epic or Legendary versions — with stunning artwork and unique effects.

The crafting interface lets you add up to 4 gifts, with each additional gift increasing your chances of success. Using multiple gifts with the same attributes also makes it more likely that those attributes will appear in the final item.

Anyone can securely buy and sell collectible gifts on the Gift Marketplace in Telegram.

Colored Buttons for Bots

Bot developers can now assign colors and emoji to their buttons — to make interfaces more intuitive or to highlight specific actions.

For the full details on the latest updates to bots, check out the dedicated changelog for the Bot API.

That's all for this update, we'll be back soon after we finish crafting the next set of legendary features.

February 9, 2026
The Telegram Team

AI Summaries, New Design and More

Sat, 03 Jan 2026 16:49:34 GMT

AI Summaries, New Design and More

Telegram's first update of 2026 brings even more Liquid Glass interfaces on iOS and AI summaries for channel posts and Instant View pages — built to maximize privacy and protect user data.

AI Summaries

Long posts in channels can now be instantly summarized — to recap the latest news and stay productive. Instant View pages get an automatic AI summary at the top.

The new AI summaries are powered by open-source models running on Cocoon — a decentralized network designed to maximize privacy. In Cocoon, each request is securely encrypted to protect user data.

Cocoon can be integrated into any AI application — learn more in the detailed developer documentation.

New Design

Telegram for iOS now fully supports Liquid Glass — with transparent elements and beautiful refraction effects throughout the entire app.

You can control interface effects to maximize performance and extend battery life in Settings > Power Saving.

Happy New Year!

In 2025, Telegram launched over 75 new features across 13 major updates (this would have been the 14th if Apple reviewers took winter holidays less seriously). That's an average of 26 days between updates, and sometimes just 8 days — like the week we launched secure group calls and the gift marketplace.

We wish you a wonderful New Year filled with innovation, inspiration, and goals you'll be proud to achieve.

January 3, 2026
The Telegram Team

Passkeys, Gift Purchase Offers and More

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:30:16 GMT

Passkeys, Gift Purchase Offers and More

In today's update, we add secure passkeys for instant login without SMS codes, gift purchase offers with built-in scam protection, and a simple way to add audio from your profile to stories.

Passkeys

You can now create a passkey on your device to instantly log in to Telegram with a PIN or biometric data like Face ID and fingerprints — instead of an SMS code.

Passkeys work anywhere, any time — even if you’re traveling, spending winter on an isolated beach, or your SMS service is interrupted.

The unique encrypted keys for your Passkeys are stored on your device — and can be synced with password management apps from iCloud, Google and more. This makes passkeys not only the fastest way to log in, but also the most secure.

To create a passkey, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Passkeys — you can do this on any device. Read more in our FAQ.

But don't throw away your SIM card yet! Even with a passkey enabled, make sure that your account is registered to an active phone number you control.

Gift Purchase Offers

When viewing a gift on a user's profile, you can now make an offer to buy the gift with Stars or TON.

Gift offers are protected by Telegram and allow for a convenient and secure way to make direct sales in Telegram — keeping both buyers and gift owners safe from scams.

When you make an offer, you set a price and a time limit. Your payment is reserved for the duration of the offer. If the offer is rejected or expires, your full payment is instantly refunded.

To make an offer, tap ⋯ or ⋮ while viewing a gift and select 'Offer to Buy'.

When someone offers to buy your gift, you'll see how close the offer amount is to its estimated value. Once you confirm the sale, the gift is automatically transferred to the buyer.

Audio in Stories

When posting a Story, you can now quickly add audio from your profile playlist.

Just tap the Sticker Button > Audio and choose files from Saved Music.

Have a nice week, whether you're skating, hibernating — or enjoying summer below the equator!

December 12, 2025
The Telegram Team

Live Stories, Repeated Messages, Auctions for Gifts and More

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:47:18 GMT

Live Stories, Repeated Messages, Auctions for Gifts and More

In today's update, you can start a stream with a live chat in your Telegram Story. We've also added repeating scheduled messages, an auction system for new gifts that ensures fair distribution — and more.

Live Stories

Every Telegram user can now host live streams in Telegram Stories to share experiences in real time.

Anyone watching the stream can send comments just like in group calls and video chats. To support content creators and make your comment stand out, highlight and pin your message with Telegram Stars by tapping the message bubble icon.

The Star icon in the bottom corner of the stream shows how many Stars the host has earned so far — and viewers can tap the icon to donate additional Stars.

Live Stories can be launched from user accounts, as well as groups and channels that have unlocked posting Stories via boosts. Live Stories offer the same privacy controls as ordinary stories: Everyone, My Contacts, Close Friends and Selected Users.

Hosting Live Stories

Streams in stories support RTMP keys for external apps like OBS and XSplit — which allows content creators to seamlessly stream on Telegram with their existing setup.

To manage comments or set a price per comment, tap in the top corner while streaming and select 'Live Settings'. To make a user a chat admin, give them the admin permission 'Manage Video Chats / Live Streams' in your group or channel.

Repeated Messages

Scheduled messages and reminders can now be set to repeat at intervals like every day or twice per month — to automate tasks at work or build healthy habits.

To schedule a message, press and hold the 'Send' arrow in any chat. To make it repeat, tap 'Repeat' and select your preferred interval.

Auctions for New Gifts

Telegram Gifts are unique collectibles which you can wear in your status, group into collections, move to your blockchain wallet — or trade on the Marketplace. Limited-edition gifts sometimes sell out in just a few seconds.

To guarantee fair distribution, new gift releases will be based on auctions — allowing users to place bids with Stars for new gifts over several rounds.

Your place in the auction determines the unique number of your gift — so the top bidder in Round 1 will receive the #1 gift, 2nd place will get #2, and so on.

At the end of each round, the top bidders will each receive a gift — while lower bids automatically carry over to the next round. Once all the gifts have been awarded, any remaining bids will be automatically refunded.

You can participate more than once to get several gifts — and increase your chances by increasing your bid at any time. The bid interface shows how many Stars you need to bid to win a gift in that round.

To browse gifts for sale, go to Settings > Send a Gift.

Gift auctions show an 'Auction' banner and have dedicated t.me/auction links. The next auction is coming very soon, stay tuned!

New Interface Designs

Telegram for iOS now has even more Liquid Glass interfaces, like redesigned profiles, an updated Settings menu and a new attachment menu — with sophisticated and energy-efficient animations.

Similarly, Telegram for Android has a new input field with a minimalist design and satisfying blur effects as you scroll.

November 19, 2025
The Telegram Team

Comments in Group Calls, Notes for Contacts, Suggested Birthdays and More

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:33:58 GMT

Comments in Group Calls, Notes for Contacts, Suggested Birthdays and More

In today's update we're launching live comments and reactions in group calls and video chats, notes for contacts, suggested birthdays, new ways to customize your profile colors — plus threaded chats and response streaming for AI bots, improvements for gifts, Liquid Glass on iOS, and more.

Comments and Reactions in Group Calls

Participants in group calls and video chats can now send comments and reactions directly in the call interface to share thoughts during the conversation.

Comments and reactions are temporary messages that briefly appear on the call screen — a quick way to confirm info in teams, show love to creators or ask questions while muted.

Comments and reactions are currently available in group calls and video chats in groups with fewer than 1000 participants.

To send a comment or reaction, tap the 'Message' button. If you send just an emoji, people on the call will see an animated reaction.

Liquid Glass for iOS 26

Telegram for iOS now features an updated Liquid Glass interface to match iOS 26. The bottom navigation bar, keyboard, sticker panel, and more all feature transparent elements with a satisfying refraction effect as you scroll.

We’ll keep updating the app’s design in step with Apple’s evolving iOS 26 standards.

Notes for Contacts

When adding or editing a Telegram contact, you can now include a private note — to help you remember how you met, where they work, or their favorite ice cream flavor.

Notes for contacts are only visible to you and appear on the user's Telegram profile under their bio.

To add someone as a contact, open their profile and tap 'Add to Contacts'. Once a user is in your contacts, tap 'Edit' on their profile to set a note or even change their profile picture.

Suggested Birthdays

When editing someone's contact info, you can suggest a birthday to add to their profile — so their friends can help celebrate it with Telegram gifts and thoughtful messages.

After you suggest a date, a message appears in your chat with that user, letting them add the birthday to their profile with one tap.

You can add your own birthday to your profile via Settings > Edit > Date of Birth.

New Profile Color Settings

You can now change your profile appearance directly from the main Settings page. In addition to the preset color options, you can select a gift to use its backdrop and symbol on your profile cover.

Certain collectible gifts now unlock unique reply styles — and allow you to add their backdrop and symbol to links you send and replies to your messages.

These appearance settings are only available to Telegram Premium subscribers — along with dozens of other fun and powerful features.

Threads and Streaming Responses for AI Bots

Bots now support threaded conversations to manage several different topics in parallel. This is especially useful for AI chatbots — and lets users easily access information from previous topics.

Instead of waiting for full replies, chatbots can now stream responses as they’re generated.

Telegram enables large language models and AI platforms to monetize bots with subscription plans to support further development.

Developers must enable these features before users can access them. More details are available on this page.

Improved Gift Interfaces

The interface for sending gifts is now more streamlined and shows all available gifts in one list — including ones available on the Gift Marketplace.

After upgrades are released for a particular gift, the cost to upgrade gradually decreases with time.

The upgrade interface now shows the exact time when upgrades will become available at a reduced price.

Removing Gift Signatures

Gifts that you receive from other users or purchase on the marketplace may include a description with who sent the gift, as well as a custom message.

It's now possible to remove gift descriptions with Telegram Stars — if you want to hide the message from your profile or increase resale value on the marketplace.

Once removed, the gift description will no longer be visible on Telegram.

Displaying Blockchain Gifts

Users can move their gifts to the blockchain for maximum security. Starting today, if you connect your account to Fragment, you can showcase your blockchain gifts on your Telegram profile.

Bugs and Suggestions Mini App

In 2020, Telegram launched a site for users to report bugs and suggest new features.

Now the Bug and Suggestion Platform is also available as an official mini app, so anyone can submit a report or suggestion in just a few taps — without switching apps.

The founder of Telegram is turning 41 today, but is not celebrating. Find out why here.

October 10, 2025
The Telegram Team

Music on Profiles, Stickers Mini App, New Profiles, and More

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 17:16:57 GMT

Music on Profiles, Stickers Mini App, New Profiles, and More

In today’s update, you can add music to your profile, choose a default profile tab, set unique chat themes based on your collectible gifts, help your friends upgrade their gifts — and more.

Music On Your Profile

Audio files from any of your chats can now be added to your profile with a single tap in the media player. Once on your profile, the track appears in a stylish bar beneath your photo.

As you add tracks to your profile, it automatically creates a playlist that includes the previous ones.

To add music to your profile, tap the 'Add to Profile' button in the media player or select that track and tap Save to… > Profile.

Stickers Mini App

Telegram users can create custom stickers with a built-in editor and manage packs through the @Stickers bot.

Starting today, the new Stickers Mini App lets you create stickers and emoji, manage your packs, and view detailed usage statistics.

Any user can create, send and share custom artwork using Telegram's open platform for stickers and emoji.

New Profile Design on Android

Thanks to a recent contest, profiles on Android now feature a sleek new design with scrolling animations first introduced on iOS.

Telegram regularly hosts contests for developers, designers, content creators and more — some of which offer the opportunity to join the Telegram team.

Default Profile Tab

Now you can choose which tab appears first when someone opens your profile — to better highlight your saved stories or your gift collections.

To change the default tab on your profile, go to Settings > My Profile, hold down on a tab and select Set as Main Tab.

Gift Themes

Since 2021, Telegram users can apply themes to individual chats. Today we are adding dozens of new dynamic chat wallpapers based on Telegram gifts — which their owners can now set as a custom theme in any private chat.

The only way to unlock these wallpapers is by owning a gift. Each wallpaper is based on gift attributes, using the model and backdrop to create a unique theme for every collectible. One gift unlocks one theme for one chat.

This currently works with Plush Pepes, Precious Peaches, Durov's Caps and Heart Lockets.

Upgrading Gifts for Other Users

You can now send Stars to cover the cost of upgrading a gift on someone else's profile — in case they're low on Stars or didn't know it could be converted. If the user later decides to upgrade their gift, this will be free for them.

The new 'Upgradable' filter filter makes it easy to find gifts that can be upgraded. And with the 'Upgrade Next Gift' button, you can upgrade multiple gifts back-to-back.

To make unboxing collectibles even more exciting, our designers added extra suspense to the upgrade animation.

Gift Value

Users can securely trade collectible gifts in the Gift Marketplace within Telegram.

When viewing a gift's attributes, the new 'Value' field shows its approximate resale price. You can expand it to view more statistics like the average sale price of other gifts in the same collection.

Summer is over. Let's get back to business.

August 31, 2025
The Telegram Team

Public Post Search, Story Albums, Gift Collections and More

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 18:14:19 GMT

Public Post Search, Story Albums, Gift Collections and More

Today's update introduces global search for public posts on Telegram, sorting stories into albums and organizing gifts into collections, managing bots via a new stylish mini app — and so much more.

Public Post Search

Search now has a 'Posts' tab, where you can see relevant results from public channels. This makes it even easier to find specific information and browse a variety of sources in one lightning-fast interface.

Post search is initially available to Telegram Premium users — the people who help keep Telegram free, fast and secure for more than a billion users around the world.

Story Albums

Your favorite vacation stories, pet pictures and more can now be organized into story albums on your profile — to create highlight reels of your best adventures and favorite memes.

Businesses and content creators who post stories in their channel can also utilize albums to display products for customers or group content into playlists.

To add stories to an album, go to the 'Posts' tab in your profile or channel and tap 'Add Album'.

Gift Collections

You can now group gifts on your profile or channel into custom collections — based on theme, rarity, or any other trait.

The same gift can appear in multiple collections, letting you create unlimited combinations. Collections also support granular filters for easy browsing.

To add gifts to a collection, open the 'Gifts' tab on your profile or in channel, select a gift and tap 'Add Collection'.

Profile Rating

Telegram profiles now show a badge with a numerical rating based on the total volume of successful transactions they've made with Telegram Stars.

It highlights your Telegram level and helps channel owners see that you can be trusted for Suggested Posts and other requests.

Purchasing gifts, sending Paid Messages and funding Suggested Posts with Stars increases your rating. However, if you refund Star purchases or convert gifts to Stars your rating will decrease.

Premium Gifts

Telegram Gifts are so popular that new releases sell out in minutes. While you can always buy gifts from others on the gift marketplace, we want more people to get gifts right at launch.

Soon, you may see a new type of gift — available only to Telegram Premium users, with each person able to buy just a limited number. Stay tuned!

The vast majority of Telegram Gifts can still be purchased by all users — only specific sets of limited-edition gifts will require Premium to purchase.

BotFather Mini App

Developers of Telegram bots and mini apps can now manage them in the new @BotFather mini app — from creating bots to updating settings, icons, and descriptions.

Any developer can create sleek mini apps that support full-screen mode, subscriptions, home screen shortcuts, geolocation, motion tracking — and more.

Want to build services and games for over 1 billion Telegram users? Start here.

That's all for today's update — we'll be back soon with another collection (or album?) of new features.

July 31, 2025
The Telegram Team

Checklists, Suggested Posts and More Monetization Options for Channels

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:59:08 GMT

Checklists, Suggested Posts and More Monetization Options for Channels

Today's update introduces checklists to help teams and individuals track tasks without leaving Telegram. We've also added suggested posts — a safe, easy way to organize partnerships and promotions with channels, opening new opportunities for creators to crowdsource and monetize content.

Checklists

Premium users can now create collaborative checklists in any chat to track tasks and coordinate teams — or manage shopping and to-do lists.

Checklists have granular permissions letting you control if others can mark tasks as done or add more items to the list.

To create a checklist, open the attachment menu and tap 'Checklist'. You can send checklists to groups, 1-on-1 chats and your Saved Messages.

Suggest Posts in Channels

Subscribers are now able to submit content to their favorite channels as suggested posts through a transparent and automated interface.

Suggested posts are sent to channels via direct messages — and can be anything from fan art to promotional videos, product reviews and more.

You can set a specific date and time for the post — or select 'Anytime' to let the channel owner choose.

To suggest a post, tap the icon that appears in the message bar when sending a direct message to a channel.

Funding Suggested Posts

When suggesting a post, you may offer Telegram Stars or Toncoin to the owner in exchange for posting the message.

Toncoin can quickly be added to your Telegram account via Fragment — which allows for larger purchases.

Stars can also be purchased in bulk via Fragment and @PremiumBot — for users on desktop or who don't have access to Apple or Google Pay.

The channel owner will receive their reward 24 hours after posting — if the post is removed earlier, Telegram will automatically return the full amount to you.

Monetizing via Suggested Posts

Suggested posts give channels of any size a way to crowdsource content and participate in affiliate marketing — all from inside the Telegram app, protecting creators from scams and preserving their privacy.

Note that Stars are purchased via third-party providers like Apple, which may issue refunds to buyers within 21 days — potentially causing Stars to be deducted from your balance. Accepting payments for suggested posts in Toncoin is safer, as Toncoin payments can’t be refunded by the buyer.

When you receive an offer for a post, you can suggest edits to the post before accepting — to modify the text and media or change the price. Once both parties approve the post, it can be instantly posted or automatically scheduled for a specific time.

That's all for today — we'll be back once we check the next set of new features off our list.

July 1, 2025
The Telegram Team

Direct Messages for Channels, Voice Trimming, Topic Tabs and HD Photos

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 14:29:19 GMT

Direct Messages for Channels, Voice Trimming, Topic Tabs and HD Photos

In today's update, we add new ways for users to start conversations with their favorite channels, navigate topics more efficiently, trim voice messages before sending, send photos in higher quality — and more.

Send Direct Messages to Channels

You can now send direct messages to channels and have private chats with owners and admins. Content creators can enable this mode to talk with subscribers without sharing personal info.

Messages from subscribers appear in a new streamlined interface, separate from the owner's personal chats.

To send a direct message to a channel, tap the message bubble in the bottom bar of the channel. To turn on direct messages for your channel, go to Channel Settings > Direct Messages.

Content creators can also set a fee per each direct message to keep conversations manageable and meaningful.

Topic Tabs

Topics in groups have a new tab layout that allows faster access from the chat list and lets you jump between conversations in one tap.

You can switch between a larger bar on the side or minimalist bar at the top of the chat.

Topics can be enabled in any group via Group Settings > Topics.

Trim Voice Messages

After recording a voice message, you can now move the start and end points to cut out the exact fragment you wanted. No need to start over for the perfect take — you can just keep going and choose the section you want to send.

This option appears when you swipe up to lock recording during the voice message. After recording and trimming the message, you can record additional sections by tapping again on the microphone icon.

You can also pause and resume recording for voice and video messages.

Send Photos in Higher Quality

Since 2014, Telegram users could send full resolution photos in the original file size. For regular photos, Telegram optimizes images so that they are instantly delivered and use 90% less mobile data.

Today's update adds a new quality option, 'High Definition' — to give your selfies and travel photos even more detail. HD images have 4 times the pixels, while using less than 0.5 MB of data.

To send an image in HD, tap the SD button in the photo editor or select 'Send In High Quality' via the attachment menu.

Share Media to Stories on iOS

You can now share media directly to your Telegram story from other apps using the default 'Share' button on iOS.

For example, if you found a long-lost picture from 2015 in the Photos app, you can tap 'Share' to instantly open it in the story editor — without switching apps or scrolling.

More Poll Options

Since 2018 communities of every size have used polls to make decisions and schedule events.

This update makes polls even more flexible with support for up to 12 options. Polls can also now be sent to your Saved Messages — to bookmark the results for future reference or share the poll with other chats later.

That's all for today — we'll be back after we build even more innovative features.

June 3, 2025
The Telegram Team

Gift Marketplace, Posting Several Stories at Once, Auto-Translate For Channels

Thu, 08 May 2025 19:52:52 GMT

Gift Marketplace, Posting Several Stories at Once, Auto-Translate For Channels

Introducing Telegram’s second major update in just 8 days! You can now safely buy or sell collectible gifts in the new marketplace. The story editor lets you post multiple stories at once or split long videos into several stories. Channels can enable auto-translation so everyone sees posts in their language. We've also made it easier for channels to unlock new features with boosts.

Buy Rare Gifts in the Marketplace

Telegram introduced collectible gifts in January, and they became an instant hit — some collections sold out in minutes. Ever since, users have been asking for more gifts.

Starting today, you can use Telegram Stars to buy thousands of rare gifts from other users in a safe, easy-to-use gift marketplace. It not only expands the selection but also lets you sell your own gifts to earn Stars for new ones.

Advanced search filters make it easy to find exactly what you're looking for, such as a specific model, backdrop or symbol.

To send a gift, open any user's profile and tap the 'Send a Gift' button. Use the 'Resale' filter if you want to buy rare upgraded collectibles.

Sell Your Gifts for Stars

To sell a collectible gift, open it on your profile, tap the 'Sell' button and set your price in Stars.

Once listed, the gift appears in the marketplace and gets a 'Sale' label on your profile — so friends and followers know it’s available.

If you change your mind, tap the 'Unlist' button to cancel your listing.

Post Several Stories at Once

The story editor now lets you select and post multiple photos or videos in one go — perfect for trip highlights or meme dumps.

Split Long Videos into Several Stories

If your video is over 60 seconds, the editor will automatically split it into clips to post as a series of stories.

Set Your Channel to Auto-Translate

All Telegram users can translate messages — and Premium users can auto-translate entire chats.

Now, channel owners can enable auto-translation for all users. When it's on, visitors see messages in their preferred language, helping creators reach a global audience.

Tap the translation bar at the top of the channel anytime to switch back to the original text.

Level Up Faster with Boosts

Channels unlock features by leveling up with boosts. This update lowers the boost requirements — so perks like auto-translation are easier to reach.

That’s all for today — have fun in the marketplace while we make our developers switch from hunting rare gifts to building new features.

May 8, 2025
The Telegram Team

Extra-Secure Group Calls, Automated Accounts, and More

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:39:42 GMT

Extra-Secure Group Calls, Automated Accounts, and More

Today’s update introduces extra-secure, easy-to-use group calls. We’re also rolling out a major upgrade that enables full automation for Telegram Business accounts, new options for gift users, a simpler way to appeal account restrictions — and more.

Secure Group Calls Made Easy

Telegram first introduced group calls in 2021, bringing powerful video chats for groups and live streams for channels.

Now, you can start an end-to-end encrypted conference call without creating a group chat — ideal for spontaneous meetings with coworkers or catching up with friends and family.

With our upgraded group calls, you can:

Instantly add up to 200 users to any active call
Share audio, video, or your screen with dozens of people
Invite others with a call link or QR code
Quickly verify end-to-end encryption using emoji

Protect your calls with encryption and distributed security

Group calls are secured with end-to-end encryption. Participants can confirm this by comparing the 4 emojis shown on their screens — if they all match, the call is fully secure.

In addition, group calls use blockchain-like technology to ensure that, unlike in other apps, no one — not even Telegram — can secretly join as a listener.

We welcome security researchers to study the detailed documentation and open source code that powers the new group calls. For more than 10 years, Telegram has offered over $100,000 to anyone who could crack its encryption protocol — and no one has ever succeeded.

How to start a group call

From an existing call. Just call anyone on Telegram, then tap the 'Add Person' button in the top right corner of your screen — and you're all set.
From the Calls Tab. Open your Calls Tab (you may need to enable it via Settings > Recent Calls), then tap New Call and select multiple people to call.
Using a link. In the Calls Tab, tap New Call, then select New Call Link.

You can send your call link to others — even via email or other apps — so they can join the call when they're ready. It's perfect for scheduling group calls in advance or letting friends join at their convenience.

From the link menu, you can also generate a QR code for others to scan. Just tap the button and choose Get QR Code.

Automated Business Accounts

Telegram Business (Telegram Premium) users can add third-party chatbots — including AI-powered ones — to automatically manage messages. This update introduces over 10 new features, enabling businesses to fully automate their messaging, profile, transactions, and stories.

You can control permissions for third-party chatbots using streamlined settings like 'Manage Messages' or 'Manage Profile', with individual toggles for specific actions — such as deleting messages, editing profile photos, posting stories, and more.

Telegram Business is included for all Premium subscribers. To add a chatbot and manage its permissions, go to Settings > Telegram Business > Chatbots. Information for chatbot developers is available on this page.

Get More Gifts with These New Settings

In October, we introduced Telegram Gifts which you can send with Stars and upgrade to collectibles, unlocking unique styles and making them tradeable on the blockchain. Telegram users already exchange over 10 million gifts per month.

If you like sending and receiving gifts, you can add a 'Gift' button to the input field — both for you and your chat partners .

You can now also choose which gifts are displayed on your profile. For example, if you want gifts from your contacts or certain friends to become visible automatically.

Premium users are able to select which gift types other users can send them. For example, popular accounts that turn on Star Messages can now choose to accept only 'Unique' or 'Limited-Edition' gifts — to make their inboxes even more manageable.

How to manage your gifts

To add the 'Gift' button, control which gifts are shown on your profile or choose which gifts you accept, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Gifts.

You can also manage gifts on a one-by-one basis by going to My Profile and switching to the Gifts Tab. Tapping a gift lets you:

Show or hide it from your profile.
Pin it to the top of your gift list.
Wear it to showcase it in your status.
Transfer it to another user or your blockchain wallet.

To send a gift, open any user's profile and tap the 'Send Gift' button.

Appeal Account Restrictions with Frozen Accounts

Thanks to robust moderation tools and user reports, people who attempt to send scam or spam messages on Telegram are quickly detected and banned. While these systems have an extremely low error rate, users are now able to appeal their ban from inside Telegram in case of a mistake.

Rather than being immediately logged out, banned violators will have a frozen account — where they cannot contact other users, but are able to submit an appeal for our moderators to review. If successful, the account will be unfrozen and its restrictions will be lifted.

When an unknown user messages you for the first time, you can tap at the top of the chat to instantly block them and report their messages to moderators.

Do More Things Faster With New Gestures

Both iOS and Android have a new gesture to quickly forward channel posts to your Saved Messages or recent contacts — in just one tap. Simply hold down on the share arrow, drag your finger to the chat where you want to forward the message, and release.

For iOS users specifically, there's now an extra gesture to add a story. While browsing recent stories at the top of the chat list, you can pull right on the list of stories to instantly open the story editor and make a new post.

On iOS, swiping right on the main chat list itself also opens the story editor.

That's all for today. Enjoy these new features while we call in our developers to make more.

April 30, 2025
The Telegram Team

Star Messages, Pinned Gifts, Verification Platform 2.0, and More

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 13:16:57 GMT

Star Messages, Pinned Gifts, Verification Platform 2.0, and More

Today’s update gives content creators and public figures more control over their privacy while offering new ways to monetize their popularity. Now you can filter incoming messages, protect your peace of mind, and earn Telegram Stars — all while staying connected with your audience.

This update also introduces an info page for new chats to prevent scams, the option to gift Premium with Stars, and Verification Platform 2.0, helping startups save on user verification — plus much more!

Stay in Control of Your Inbox with Star Messages

If you receive a high volume of messages, you can now set a fee for incoming messages from users outside your contacts. This ensures that only those who truly value your time can reach you — giving you full control over your inbox while allowing you to earn Stars for your attention.

With this feature, you can:

Filter out unwanted messages and avoid inbox overload.
Ensure that every message you receive is meaningful — strangers can only contact you if they're willing to send Stars.
Monetize your popularity while safeguarding your privacy and peace of mind.
Stay open to new conversations while protecting your account from spam and message floods.

This setting can also be applied to group chats and channel discussions to keep interactions focused and free from spam, helping group owners monetize their community and earn Stars from meaningful conversations.

Flexible Controls & Instant Refunds

Star Messages come with customizable settings — you can allow certain users or members of specific groups to message you for free. And if you ever need to make an exception after a message is sent, you can instantly refund the Stars with a single tap.

How to Enable Star Messages

• In private chats: Ensure you have Telegram Premium, then go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Messages.
• In groups: Enable 'Charge Stars for Messages' in the Permissions section.

Take control of your messages, protect your time, and turn your popularity into an opportunity — all while keeping your inbox safe and manageable!

Know Who’s Messaging You with Contact Confirmation

Now, when someone outside your contacts messages you for the first time, you’ll see a detailed info page that helps you spot scams, avoid impersonators, and verify who you're talking to — before you even reply.

This page gives you essential insights about the sender, including:

Their country (based on their phone number).
Any shared groups you have in common.
When they joined Telegram — so you can spot fresh accounts.
When they last updated their username or profile picture — a handy way to detect sudden identity changes.
Clear indicators showing whether the user is an official account, has third-party verification, or is just a regular user.

With this new feature, you’re in control of who gets your attention — no more second-guessing unknown senders or falling for impersonators. Whether you're chatting with a potential collaborator, a fan, or a new friend, you’ll have the info you need to decide whether to engage — effortlessly and with confidence.

Gift Premium with Stars

Now you can use your Telegram Stars to share Premium perks with others. Use your balance to gift Premium to friends — all without spending extra money.

Earned Stars from Star Messages? Use them to celebrate holidays or congratulate contacts with a Premium subscription: exclusive features, faster downloads, custom emoji and more — all powered by your Stars!

To send someone a Premium subscription with Stars, open their Profile and tap ⋮ / ⋯ > Send a Gift.

Withdraw Stars via Fragment

Users and groups that earn Telegram Stars through Star Messages can withdraw these Stars via Fragment, converting Stars into valuable rewards. These rewards can be instantly used to purchase Telegram Ads, collectibles on the TON blockchain and more.

For operational reasons, Stars can be withdrawn 21 days after they are earned.

Manage Group Star Balances

Group owners who receive Stars from Star Messages can now view and manage their group’s Star balance directly from the group’s profile, making it easier to track and utilize earned Stars.

Pin Gifts on Your Profile

In addition to wearing your favorite gift, you can now pin up to 6 other gifts to showcase them both on your gifts tab and on your profile cover.

You can view, sort and pin your gifts in My Profile > Gifts.

Stream to Chromecast on Android

Android users can now cast videos straight to their Chromecast devices — whether you're watching memes with friends or presenting important content in a meeting, enjoy it all on the big screen!

How to cast: Open a video, tap the Settings icon, and select Chromecast.

Save Even More on User Verification

Telegram Gateway is a cost-effective and privacy-focused solution for user authentication, allowing businesses to verify their customers’ phone numbers through Telegram at a fraction of traditional SMS costs.

Telegram’s Verification Platform was already 9x cheaper than other services, and now it’s 20% more cost-effective! Today's update lets developers set a max delivery time — if a code isn’t delivered within the window, it’s automatically refunded.

SMS verification elsewhere can cost $0.50 or more per message, while Telegram Gateway offers authentication for just $0.01.

It’s completely free to test — letting startups cut unnecessary costs and focus on building great products. Learn more in our detailed guide and start saving today!

That's all for today, we're just warming up for Telegram's spring updates.

March 7, 2025,
The Telegram Team

AI-Powered Sticker Search, Improved Videos and More

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:21:32 GMT

AI-Powered Sticker Search, Improved Videos and More

Today's update lets you search millions of stickers with AI, copy video links at the current time, set cover photos for videos, react with Stars as your channel, browse similar bots — and more.

AI-Powered Search for Millions of Stickers

In December, we added AI-powered search for over 40,000 stickers and emoji from Telegram's official packs.

With this update, the AI model now returns results from millions of custom stickers and emoji uploaded by Telegram users. Try searching for complex keywords like thinking monkey or space dog – the sticker panel will instantly return exactly what you're looking for. This feature supports searching in 29 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic and Hindi.

Any Telegram user can make their own stickers or emoji in just a few simple steps.

Copy Video Link at Current Time

Since 2019, captions and replies to video messages have supported timestamps like 1:38 to highlight funny moments or direct viewers to certain sections.

When sharing a link to a video on Telegram in chats or on other platforms, you can now include the current timestamp in the link. When someone taps on the link, it will open the video in Telegram to that exact moment.

To share a link to a video, tap the share arrow in the video player. It will automatically give you the option to include the current time in the link.

Video Covers in Channels

Like videos you add to your story, you can now choose a frame to use as a cover photo for videos you post in channels. To create exciting thumbnails, use the video editor to add text, stickers, emoji and more before selecting a cover.

To select a video cover, tap the three-dot icon in the top corner of the video editor and select 'Edit Cover'.

Saved Progress for Videos

Videos you watch now automatically save your progress — so you can take a break at any time and return exactly where you left off.

All videos on Telegram support picture-in-picture playback so you can keep watching while you reply to messages and browse other chats.

React with Stars as a Channel

Users can support content creators with Stars by sending the Star reaction to their channel posts. To provide greater privacy and allow content creators to promote their channel in the leaderboard, users can now react with Stars as one of their channels.

Star reactions have always supported anonymous mode — allowing users to hide their name from the leaderboard.

Similar Bots

Like with channels, on bot profiles you can now see a list of similar bots — to help you find other popular services, utilities and games.

That's all for Telegram's third update of the year. We're making features to keep warm, so expect more soon!

February 12, 2025
The Telegram Team

Wear Collectible Gifts, Move Gifts to the Blockchain, Send Gifts to Channels, and More

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 23:38:24 GMT

Wear Collectible Gifts, Move Gifts to the Blockchain, Send Gifts to Channels, and More

Today's update adds 6 new features to Telegram, including the ability to wear collectible gifts as an emoji status, move gifts to the blockchain, send gifts to channels — and more.

Wear Your Unique Gifts

Gifts that you upgrade to collectibles can now be used as a unique emoji status.

Using a gift as your status gives it a glittering star effect and changes the appearance of your profile to match the backdrop and symbol from your collectible.

To wear one of your gifts, go to My Profile > Gifts, tap a gift and select 'Wear'. If you take off the gift later, your profile will return to its original appearance.

Move Gifts to the Blockchain

Like collectible usernames and numbers, gifts can now be transferred or auctioned via the TON blockchain. This gives owners permanent control — even if they lose access to or delete their Telegram account.

Moving a gift to a TON wallet also allows you to connect to outside services, such as auction sites or platforms that offer extra perks for collectibles.

To move gifts to the blockchain, go to My Profile > Gifts and tap one of your gifts, then select Transfer > Send via Blockchain.

Give Gifts to Channels

To celebrate holidays and achievements, Telegram users can now congratulate channels by sending gifts that are displayed on the channel's profile.

Just like when sending gifts to friends, subscribers can use Stars to upgrade the gift before sending — letting the recipient convert it into a unique collectible for free.

To send a gift to a channel, tap the gift icon in the bottom corner of the channel.

Channel owners can transfer their gifts to other users and channels or auction them on the blockchain. Content creators and charities can use this functionality to raise funds for special projects and important causes.

Note: Gifts to channels will be rolling out gradually and may not be available everywhere immediately. But everyone can already check out how this feature works in this channel

Share Gifts

Collectible gifts on your profile can be posted to your story — generating an elegant animated preview to show off your rare artwork and lucky numbers.

To post a gift to your story, go to My Profile > Gifts, tap one of your gifts and select Share > Post to Story.

Every collectible gift has a unique link in the format of t.me/nft which you can share with friends or post to a channel.

Filter Gifts on Channel Profiles

The 'Gifts' tab on the profiles of channels includes filters to sort gifts by their value and collectible status, the date they were received, and whether they are from a limited or unlimited collection.

Admins can enable notifications from the Gifts tab of their channels to keep track of the gifts that are sent to the channel.

That's all for Telegram's second update of January. We'll be back soon — after trying on all our best gifts.

January 24, 2025
The Telegram Team

Collectible Gifts, Message Search Filters and More

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 20:15:54 GMT

Collectible Gifts, Message Search Filters and More

Today we're releasing the first update of 2025, which includes collectible gifts that can be transferred or re-sent to other users, the ability to send reactions to in-chat events, filters for message search, an in-app QR code scanner and so much more.

Collectible Gifts

Gifts you receive on Telegram are now able to be upgraded to collectibles. Collectible gifts have special attributes and can be transferred to other users or auctioned on NFT marketplaces.

When you upgrade a gift it unlocks a new appearance from dozens of custom variations made by Telegram artists. Collectibles also receive a random set of secondary traits, including a background color, icon and number. This means every collectible gift is a unique work of art — and that some will be more rare than others.

More than 20 existing gifts like the Homemade Cake, Jelly Bunny, Spiced Wine and Santa Hat can already be upgraded to collectibles, totaling over 1400 unique appearances — with more to come in the future.

When buying a gift for another user, you can send it already upgraded — and watch as they unwrap their collectible artwork right in the chat. Upgrading a gift costs a small amount of Telegram Stars, which are used to cover blockchain fees.

If you're looking to obtain specific appearances or quickly build up your collection, collectible gifts can be instantly traded to other users.

Reactions for Service Messages

When someone sends you a gift, joins a group or starts a video chat, a special service message appears in the conversation. These messages now support reactions — so you can say thanks or welcome new members in just two taps.

Service messages also appear when someone calls you, changes the profile photo of a chat, applies a new chat background, starts a giveaway and more.

Message Search Filters

The search bar in your chat list lets you quickly find messages from any of your chats. Results in the 'Chats' tab now have extra filters that let you refine the list to show results only from private chats, group chats or channels.

Tap the other tabs in the Search interface to look through recent downloads and shared media — or to discover popular channels and mini apps.

Verification from Third Parties

Telegram allows public figures and organizations to become verified, so users can quickly identify official sources of information. To further improve transparency on Telegram, official third-party services are now able to assign extra verification icons to user accounts and chats.

This decentralized platform for additional verification will help prevent scams and reduce misinformation — with a unique proactive solution that sets a new safety standard for social platforms.

When a chat or account receives third-party verification, a small logo appears before their name. If you open their profile, you'll see a detailed explanation of their status and what it means.

Third-party verification is completely separate from the verified checkmarks that Telegram provides for public figures and organizations. In order to provide third-party verification to others, a service must first be verified by Telegram and complete an application.

More details on third-party verification are available in this guide.

Custom Emoji in Folder Names

Anyone can create customizable chat folders to help organize their conversations. Folders names now support custom emoji, which lets Premium users make their folders extra expressive — or more minimalist by replacing text with specific icons.

Over 12 million Telegram users subscribe to Telegram Premium, which offers 30 exclusive features — like faster download speeds, instant chat translation, unlimited custom emoji and more.

QR Code Scanner

The in-app camera on Android and iOS now recognizes QR codes by default, opening links in your preferred browser without switching apps.

To quickly open the in-app camera, swipe right on the main screen (on Android, tap on the camera icon in the bottom right corner).

Telegram Reaches Profitability

In 2021, Telegram first began implementing sustainable monetization features in order to stay independent and support its continued growth for years to come.

In 2024, thanks to Premium subscriptions, privacy-conscious ads, Telegram Stars and more, Telegram reached profibability. Thanks to you, our users, we were able to achieve this goal — which will allow us to keep prioritizing users and protecting privacy.

That's all for today's update — which was meant to be the 17th major update of 2024, but was sadly delayed by a lack of attention from Apple's review team. We wish you a Happy New Year, and we'll be back soon to make 2025 even more memorable.

January 1, 2025
The Telegram Team