Telegram Tips

Telegram Web. Open one of Telegram’s web apps in your browser on any device – desktop or mobile. • WebZ • WebK Telegram Web supports your favorite features like animated stickers, dark mode and chat folders, and is incredibly efficient – requiring only a 400 KB download and no installation. Like our Desktop apps, Telegram Web is standalone. Once you log in, you do not need to keep your phone nearby or connected to the internet.

Pinch to Zoom Media. Instantly expand photos and videos in chats by pinching to zoom in – without opening them in the media player.

Fast-Forward and Rewind Videos. In the media player, press and hold on the right or left side of the screen to fast-forward and rewind – or double-tap to skip 10 seconds in either direction. On iOS, press and hold the +/- 15s buttons.

Voice Chat Profiles. Tap on a user in the list of voice chat participants to see their full bio and expanded profile pictures. You can also change your picture and edit your bio right from the interface, without minimizing the chat.

Voice Chat Reminders. After a voice chat is scheduled, you can tap on the countdown banner to receive a notification when the chat starts – even if it goes live at a different time.

Scheduled Voice Chats. Group and Channel admins can schedule a voice chat for a specific date and time. Users will see a countdown at the top of the chat, which they can tap to set a notification for when it goes live. To schedule a voice chat, open the Group or Channel’s profile page. Android: tap ⋮ > Start Voice Chat > Schedule Voice Chat iOS: tap Voice Chat > Schedule Voice Chat

Payments. Merchants can display goods and accept credit card payments in any chat. Telegram charges no commission and stores no payment info – see how it works with our demo items in @TestStore. Transactions are securely processed by 8 payment providers, such as Stripe. Any merchant can start using the Payments API right away – no application or approval necessary.

@TelegramTips are available in 8 other languages – with more to come in the future. 😈 Español Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Português ‎العربية Polska Bahasa Melayu 한국어

Invite Speakers and Listeners to Voice Chats. Admins in voice chats can share specific invite links that let users instantly join with speaking privileges or with their mic muted. Listeners can raise their hand at any time to ask admins for the ability to speak.

Broadcast Groups. Groups that are close to 200k members can convert to a Broadcast Group with no member limit. After converting the group, only admins can send messages but all members can read along and participate in voice chats.

Groups. Up to 200,000 people can talk, text and share media in group chats. Groups can be private or public and offer powerful admin tools to manage discussions of any size. In Broadcast Groups, the number of read-only members is unlimited. To see what your community thinks about hot topics or current events, try creating a poll or starting a voice chat.

Record Voice Chats. Admins can tap Start Recording to save audio from voice chats. The audio file is instantly sent to the admin’s Saved Messages chat, ready to share with their audience.

Chat List Swipe Gestures. In Settings, Android users can assign a specific action to swiping left in the chat list – like mute, pin, delete, archive or mark as read. By default, iOS users can swipe right to pin or mark as read, and swipe left to mute, delete or archive.

Limitless Voice Chats. Group and Channel admins can start a voice chat to bring an unlimited number of people together for live talks, podcasts and more. Specific invite links let users instantly join as a listener or speaker, and listeners can raise their hand if they want to add to the conversation. Your bio text is visible in the list, which you can use to add info or ask questions. For voice chats in channels, you can join with your personal account or appear as one of your channels for extra privacy.

Preview Chats. Press and hold a chat’s profile picture on Android to pull up a preview of its messages – without marking messages as read. On iOS, press and hold anywhere on the chat. This also opens up a menu with additional actions 🦾.

Send Without Compression. Photos and videos can be sent at their full quality and size – up to 2 GB per file. On Android, tap 📎 > File > Gallery On iOS, tap 📎 > File > Photo or Video

Invite by QR Code. Convert an invite link for your group or channel into a scannable QR code to send and share anywhere.

Imported Messages. You can move chats from other apps to Telegram and keep all your memories in one place. When importing chats, if the destination chat on Telegram is new or has less than 1000 messages, everything will be seamlessly sorted by its original date and time.

Invite Links. Share unique links inside or outside of Telegram to let other users instantly join your group or channel. In addition to the permanent link, you can create multiple links with custom properties – like a limited duration or number of uses. Any invite link can also be converted into a QR Code.

Home Screen Widgets. Add custom widgets to your home page that show a preview of recent messages, or just a shortcut to your chats. All widgets display unread message counters and instantly open the chat when tapped.

Auto-Delete. Set a timer in any chat to automatically erase messages either 24 hours or 7 days after sending. The timer only affects the messages sent after it is enabled, and can be modified at any time.

Your phone number is hidden. By default, it is only visible to your contacts. In groups and chats, you will always appear as your chosen name. If you create a username, people can find your profile and get in contact with you – without needing to know your phone number.

Trending Stickers. Tap the (+) button in the sticker panel to see packs that are relevant for the season – or a certain day, like Valentine’s Day.

Global Search. Use the search field at the top of your chat list to find people by their usernames, as well as messages or media from all your chats. Global Search also shows public channels and groups that you are welcome to join.

Delete Without a Trace Messages, chats, call history and groups you created can be completely deleted at any time. Simply make your selection and check the box to delete for all participants – deleted items leave no trace, giving you full control over your digital footprint.

Polls. To create a poll in your groups or channels, open the 📎 attachment menu and choose “Poll”. Polls can be anonymous or have visible votes, showing who voted for what. You can also create multiple answer and quiz-style polls.

Free space. Telegram requires next to no storage space to run on your device. Go to Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage to selectively clear your cache – or set Keep Media to regularly remove unused items. Media and files stay available to re-download whenever needed. On Android, you can also store your Telegram data on your SD Card. Here’s what the iOS version looks like, with additional settings like a Maximum Cache Size.

You can use the ‘Saved Messages’ chat to bookmark important messages, set reminders, store media, or send documents of up to 2GB each between your devices. Whenever you forward a message, ‘Saved Messages’ will be at the top of the list. To quickly access the chat on Android, swipe right for the Side Menu > Saved Messages. On iOS tap Settings > Saved Messages.

Telegram apps are standalone and synced with the cloud – all your messages and media are available everywhere you go. Unfinished messages save as Cloud Drafts, so you can finish typing and send from any device. Try desktop.telegram.org or macos.telegram.org on your computer for the best experience.

Video messages. Tap once on the Voice Message button to switch to video. Tap on a video message to play it with sound.

Delivery status. One check = message delivered. Two checks = message read. You can use Telegram on any number of devices at once, including computers and tablets. Simply log in using the same phone number to access all your messages – without keeping your phone connected.

Over the last 7 years, Telegram has protected the private data of people all over the world and redefined what a messaging app can do. Here are some of its features: • Editing messages and media • Moving chat history from other apps • Sending documents and videos up to 2GB • Deleting messages without a trace • Native desktop and tablet apps • Multiple accounts and Chat folders • Usernames instead of phone numbers • Granular privacy settings • Group chats with up to 200,000 members • Admin tools and stats for group owners • Voice Chats for unlimited audiences • 20,000+ high-quality Animated Stickers • Custom Color Themes like Retro • Video messages • One-to-many channels • Video editing tools • API and Bot platform for developers • Programmed emoji 🎯🎳⚽️🏀🎲🎰 • Disappearing photos or videos • Self-Destructing end-to-end encrypted Chats • Partial selection for messages • Scheduled and Silent Messages • Pinned messages and polls • Persistent chat history • Saved Messages and Drafts • Encrypted Voice and Video Calls @TelegramTips are available in several other languages – here’s a list.

Change Colors. You can choose from dozens of color schemes in Chat Settings (Appearance Settings on iOS). For more artistic freedom, try the full Theme Editor – or find links to themes created by others.

Cloud Themes sync across your devices and have unique, shareable links. Everyone can make them in our Theme Editor. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, our designers put together this tribute to an app that used to be independent: https://t.me/addtheme/RetroGreen

Edit or Delete Messages. Fix typos or remove anything you send by accident. Edited messages show an edited label, and deleted messages leave no trace and no placeholder in the chat. You can also edit sent media to change photos and videos.

Unsend anything. On Telegram you can “unsend” messages you have sent or received for both sides, and there is no time limit. You can also delete chats and call logs entirely from both your and the other person's device with just two taps.

Partial Selection. You can select any portion of a message to copy or share, instead of only the full text. Here’s how it looks on Android.

Emoji Suggestions. Android users can type any word in the message field to get relevant emoji suggestions. On all platforms, you can also type : followed by a keyword to search for emoji like :heart If we’re missing a keyword for an emoji in your language, feel free to suggest it here.

Sticker Suggestions. Type any emoji and Telegram will suggest stickers relevant for your situation – from 😍 to 😱 Subscribe to @TrendingStickers to get the latest packs first.

Animated emoji. Sending a single emoji in a message will display a stylish animated version. We keep expanding the animated emoji army, adding new ones with every update.

Mini-Game Emoji. There are several emoji which you can send in chat to test your luck: 🎰, 🎲, 🎯, ⚽️ and 🏀. Go for the jackpot, goal or bullseye – but try not to roll snake eyes 😉

Scheduled Messages. Hold the ‘Send’ button in any chat and select ‘Schedule Message’ to automatically send things at a specified time in the future (DeLorean not included). If you can't guess what time would be good, choose to deliver the message when your recipient comes online.

Send When Online. You can schedule messages or media to be sent when your recipient comes online. Slide your message in with the morning post – or time a duck sticker for the exact moment a meeting gets boring.

Send Without Sound. Hold down on the send button to send a message with a silenced notification, so you won't disturb anyone’s Monday meditation.

Reminders. If you schedule a message in your ‘Saved Messages’ chat, it will turn into a reminder. Be your own time-travelling secretary – whether it's about a dentist appointment next week, or waking up in time for pizza delivery.

Archived Chats. Swipe left on a chat to transfer it to your archived chats folder. When an archived chat gets a notification, it will pop out of the folder and back into your chat list. Muted chats will stay archived forever. An unlimited number of chats can be pinned in your archive to keep messages there in the order you want.

Hiding the archive. Swipe left on the archive to hide it. Show it again by swiping down.

Chat Folders. With work, studies, friends and family all in one app, a little organization goes a long way. Users can add chat folders to create separate tabs for specific chats so they never miss a message. There are several preset options (like ‘Unread’), as well as custom folders that include and exclude chats by type and read status. For everything else, you can individually add and remove chats from a folder so they have everything you want and nothing that you don’t. For even more control, folders support unlimited pins to always keep chats in your preferred order. To get started, go to Settings > Folders on any device. Oh, and they sync across all your devices 👍

Channels are a powerful tool for broadcasting messages to unlimited audiences. Only admins are allowed to post updates, but you can add comments to engage with users – see @durov for example. Channels are anonymous: posts show the name and photo of the channel, rather than the individual who posted them. The list of subscribers is also private and only visible to admins. For dozens of other channel functions that couldn't fit here, check out our full guide.

Channel Comments. Channels with a linked Discussion Group have a comment button under each post, where both subscribers and visitors can share their thoughts on the latest updates. Comments appear in their own separate threads, but also are posted in the discussion group to give admins and frequent participants a place to see every new comment in one place. If you are not a member of the channel’s discussion group, notifications for replies to your comments are sent to a special chat called Replies.

Pinned Messages. All Telegram chats support multiple pinned messages, so important info is always within reach. Tap the top bar to jump between messages or hit the button on the right side to see all pins on a separate page. When pinning a message in a group, you have the option to send a notification to all group members, even if they have the chat muted.

Polls in Groups and Channels. Telegram polls can be anonymous, or have visible votes so that everyone in the group sees who voted for what. Multiple answer polls can be helpful when deciding on a date or place for an event. Polls with Quiz mode enabled have a correct answer and can power anything from trivia games to public service exams.

iOS Storage Usage Settings. Telegram needs next to no storage space to run on your device. Go to Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage to selectively clear your cache – even for individual chats. Set Keep Media to regularly remove unused items, or a Maximum Cache Size to keep everything compact. Here’s how it looks on Android.

Multiple Accounts. All Telegram apps let you stay signed in on 3 accounts (with different phone numbers) simultaneously.

Autoplaying videos and auto-download settings. Smaller videos start playing without sound when they reach your screen. To unmute them, simply press the volume buttons on your device. Automatic Media Download Settings put you in control of your data usage. It‘s easy to see your current settings at a glance and switch between Low, Medium and High presets for Mobile, Roaming and Wi-Fi. You can also manually set up automatic downloads by chat type, media type and file size. The app will remember your choices as the Custom preset in case you need to temporarily switch to Low and back — or the other way around.

Media Editor. With more functions than standalone editing apps, Telegram’s powerful media editor has tools to add text, drawings, stickers and more. Create custom GIFs from your own videos, make basic and advanced corrections, and add decorations for another layer of artistry.

Disappearing Photos and Videos. You can send disappearing media in any one-on-one chat. They self-destruct after opening, leaving no trace of your confidential content. On Android tap the ⏱ icon in the media editor, and on iOS press and hold the 'Send' button > Send With Timer.

Media Panel: Add Stickers. Decorate your photo or video with stickers – adding animated stickers creates a quick GIF featuring your favorite characters.

Partial Selection. You can select any portion of a message to copy or share, instead of only the full text. And here’s how it looks on iOS.

2X Audio Playback. Tap to enable 2X playback speed for voice messages, podcasts and long audio files. Don’t worry if you don’t finish listening – your progress is automatically saved for later.

Timestamps. If you add a timestamp like 0:05 to a video caption or reply, it will be automatically highlighted as a link. Tapping on a timestamp will play the video from the right spot. Timestamps are supported on Telegram videos and for messages with YouTube links, in case you want to mark your favorite moments.

Add people nearby. Quickly exchange contact info with Telegram users who are standing next to you (and also have this section open).

People Nearby. If you’re looking to connect with people in your community, head over to Contacts > People Nearby to see adventurous Telegram users in your area. You can join in by tapping Make Myself Visible, which adds your profile to the list so other users can send you a message. If you’re no longer in the mood to mingle, tap Stop Showing Me at any time to remove yourself from the list.

Profiles. Users, Groups and Channels all have detailed (and stunning) profile pages that include full-size profile photos and instant access to shared media. Expand any item into a fullscreen view, then tap left and right to flip forward and back.

Profile Videos. You can upload both photos and videos to your profile, showing off all your good sides. Select a video from your gallery, make any edits you’d like, then drag across the timeline to select a frame for your static picture in chats. When someone opens your profile, they’ll see your video play in an enchanting loop.

Video Calls. Start a one-on-one video call with a user from their profile page for a little face-to-face communication. You can switch your video on or off at any time, and are free to multitask in other chats – video calls support Picture-in-Picture mode. All voice and video calls are protected with end-to-end encryption. To confirm your connection, compare the four emoji shown on screen. If they match with your partner’s, your call is 100% secure.

Voice Chats. Telegram’s powerful group chats go beyond text and stickers, allowing persistent conference calls that members can join or leave at any time. After joining a voice chat, you are free to move around the app and send messages in any conversation. The microphone controls remain on screen allowing you to quickly mute and unmute at any time. Admins can get the conversation started by opening the group’s profile, tapping ⋮ or ⋯ and selecting “Start Voice Chat”.

Voice Chat Widget. Android users can enable a widget to control their microphone and see who’s talking even when Telegram is in the background.

Push-to-Talk Shortcuts. Set a preferred key to toggle your microphone in Telegram Desktop or Telegram for macOS.

Search Filters. To quickly find specific photos, videos or documents, tap on the tabs in Global Search. This lets you refine search results by keyword, source, media type and time period.

Search Results as a List. The Search function allows you to easily jump between messages containing a keyword – or sent by a particular person, or even from a certain day. Tap the number in the bottom bar to open list view and see all the results on one page.

GIF Panel. Featuring a Trending section and emoji-based tabs, quickly find a GIF to match the moment with a simple search and scroll. GIFs you’ve recently sent appear in their own tab for easy access, and you can long press on your favorites to save them for future use.

Live Location. Share your live location to let contacts or group members follow you on your journey. When multiple group members share their live location, they all appear on the same map. From the map, you can set an alert that will notify you when your friends are close. Live location is only shared for as long as you choose, and only in the chats you send it to. You can see in which chats your live location is still active from the chat list and can stop sharing it at any time.

Badge Counter Settings. By default, badges show how many unread messages you have, but can be changed to not include channels or count only unread chats.

Bulk Actions. Long press on a chat to open a menu that lets you select multiple chats and then pin, mute, archive or delete them. Tap ⋮ for even more options, like mark as read or add to folder. On iOS you can do the same by tapping the Edit button in the top left corner of your chat list.

Anonymous Forwarding. You can restrict who can forward your messages. When this setting is enabled, your forwarded messages will no longer lead back to your account — they'll just display an unclickable name in the “from” field. This way people you chat with will have no verifiable proof you ever sent them anything. Available in Settings > Privacy & Security > Forwarded messages.

Multi-sharing from Other Apps. When using the share extension, press and hold to select multiple recipients – and even add a comment in case your savage subtweet needs some context.

Chat Backgrounds. You can use one of your photos or search the web for wallpapers, add effects and then share your backgrounds with friends via links. Telegram backgrounds support motion and blur effects. You can also set any color as your background, apply a pattern and tweak its intensity.

Quick Night Mode Switch. On Android, open the side menu and tap the 🌙/☀️ icon to switch between your Day and Night Themes. You can also set your themes to switch automatically at specific times, with local sunrise/sunset or following your system settings.

Message Bubble Corners. Change how round your message bubbles are from Settings > Chat Settings on Android or Settings > Appearance on iOS.

Multiple accounts: preview chat list. You can press and hold on another connected account in Settings for a sneak peek of its chats list.

Group Stats. Owners of large groups with over 500 members can view beautiful, detailed graphs about its activity and growth. Stats are also available for channels.

Channel Stats. Owners of channels with more than 50 subscribers have access to detailed statistics and informative graphics about subscriber growth and post performance. Stats are also available for large groups.

Creating Polls. Create a poll in your group or channel – simply choose the “Poll” option in the attachment menu. There are multiple setting options such as visible votes and allowing more than one answer from each user.

Quizzes and Educational Tests. Using @QuizBot, users can quickly build feature-rich study materials for any subject. Set a timer for questions to help prepare for exams and add explanations to give context and inform users of what they missed. To build free online educational tools, we launched quiz.directory, a platform with high-quality quizzes made by Telegram users who received cash prizes for their contributions. Read more about Quizzes

Full theme editor. Quickly tweak the style of elements in Telegram chats and add awesome gradients to both your messages and your background. Once you're done editing, you can quickly share the result of your work with friends so that they can continue tuning your theme. Find the editor in Chat Settings on Android or Appearance on iOS. Switch between tabs (Main Color, Background, My Messages) to customize each part.

Video messages. Tap once on the voice message button to switch to video mode. Swipe up to lock recording (also works for voice messages). Video messages play in Picture-in-Picture mode so you can keep moving around the app while watching them.

Edit and Send Back Media. Instantly add notations or decorations to incoming media without saving it to your gallery.

Live Location Alerts. Tap the notification button on the Live Location map to get notified when one of your friends is close.

Automatic Media Download Settings. Decide when Telegram downloads media – based on connection, media format, chat type and file size. This setting helps you save data – to help save disk space, try adjusting your Storage Usage settings.

Admin Tools. Set individual permissions and custom titles for admins in group chats to give everyone their own role and responsibilities. You can also allow your admins to post anonymously, using the name and profile picture of the group.

Media Editor: Quality Slider. Change the resolution and size of a video before sending it.

Highlight specific parts of a message to copy just a portion of text.

Create custom Cloud Themes with your own accent, message and background colors to give your app a personal touch. Share the link to your theme with friends so they can use it as well.

Scale Font Size. Change the size of message text to see your chats with perfect 20/20 vision. On iOS, users can sync all text to their System setting, or set individual font sizes for chats and menus.

Download / Upload Progress. Keep track of media and files as you upload or download them.

Audio Player. Share music and audio files, each up to 2 GB in size. Sending multiple tracks in one message will create a playlist – tapping one song will add them all to your queue. The player bar shows whats playing and lets you quickly pause and resume from anywhere in the app. Tap the player bar to open the full audio player. In the audio player, you can press and hold on the Next and Previous buttons to fast-forward or rewind. Podcasts and long audio tracks support 2X playback. Tap the artist name to see a list of their tracks from all your chats.