No-SIM Signup, Auto-Delete All Chats, Topics 2.0 and More

With this update, you can have a Telegram account without a SIM card and set up a global timer to automatically delete messages in all new chats. Topics in groups are now even more powerful – and available for groups with 100+ members.

Sign up without a SIM card

On Telegram, your phone number was never visible to strangers – our users control who can see their number and whether others are allowed to find them by their phone number.

Today starts a new era of privacy. You can have a Telegram account without a SIM card and log in using blockchain-powered anonymous numbers available on the Fragment platform.

Auto-Delete All Chats

Telegram introduced self-destructing messages all the way back in 2013. Users can delete any messages they send or receive for both sides without leaving a trace. They can also set up auto-delete timers to clean up individual chats after a period of time.

Today we’re expanding your control over your digital footprint into the future. You can now set a global auto-delete timer to automatically remove messages in all new chats.

Existing chats will not be affected, but you can easily expand your auto-delete settings to any of them from the new menu in Settings > Privacy & Security > Auto-Delete Messages.

The timer will be automatically applied to all your new chats with users – regardless of who starts them – and to all new groups you create.

We’ve also made it easier to set up auto-delete in small private groups – the timer can now be enabled by any members who are allowed to change the group’s name and picture.

Ultimate Privacy

Telegram’s unique combination of removing messages for all participants without a trace, and controlling existing and future chats with auto-delete timers gives you full ownership of your entire message history. Together with using your account without a SIM card it delivers ultimate privacy.

Topics 2.0

Our previous update gave admins of large groups the option to organize discussions into topics, merging classic internet forums with the latest in messaging technology. Today, topics become even more powerful – and are now available for groups from 100 members or more.

Groups with topics open in a sleek two-column mode, so you can access your other chats as quickly as before. To switch to the latest topic straight from your chat list, simply tap the new button in the preview.

Groups now have a default topic called General, which holds the group’s service messages and pre-topic message history. This topic is available for all group members so they can find older messages, but admins can rename the topic or hide it from the main list.

To quickly view all the latest messages at once, you can switch to ‘View as Messages’ mode. Every message in that mode now has a button showing where it was posted – and you can tap it to go straight to that topic.

To help you navigate the list of topics, badge counters for topics you have already visited will use a bolder accent color, while ones you’ve never opened will use a lighter color.

For fans of structure and order, groups can now have up to 5 pinned topics – and each topic supports unlimited pinned messages.

Group owners can enable topics in their Group Settings, and can control who is allowed to create and manage topics in Permissions. Everyone is welcome to try topics in this public group.

Aggressive Anti-Spam

Being one of the top-5 most downloaded apps in the world also makes Telegram one of the top-5 most desired targets for spammers. Huge Telegram chats sometimes rely on third-party anti-spam bots to help admins keep them clean. Such opt-in bots can be efficient because they are not constrained by Telegram’s commitment to user privacy and can afford to be more proactive than our built-in anti-spam systems.

Now admins of groups with over 200 members can choose to unleash the full proactive power of Telegram’s own algorithms – turning on the new Aggressive mode for the automated spam filters.

Group admins can report any false positives right from their Recent Actions tab – this will help us train our droids to guard your groups even better in the future.

Temporary QR codes

Telegram users that have a public username can generate QR codes to quickly connect with people around them.

Now you can generate a temporary QR code if you don’t have a username and are hiding your phone number from everyone. Scanning the code will let people instantly add you as a contact without knowing your phone number.

Emoji search on iOS

Telegram iOS users can enjoy Emoji search – that was already available on Android – using keywords in multiple languages to find the perfect emoji, including those from your custom packs.

To open the emoji panel, simply tap in your input field while typing a message.

If an emoji keyword is missing, you’re welcome to suggest it on our Translation Platform – just don’t forget to choose your language from the list on the left.

You can also type keywords like ‘happy’ or ‘smile’ at the start of a message to see emoji suggestions based on it, or type a colon and a keyword anywhere in the message like :party or :mask. This isn’t new, it’s just neat.

Detailed Storage Usage and More on Android

The Storage Usage page has been redesigned on Android in a way that our iOS users will find familiar. It now shows how much space each chat is using on your device.

The media of individual chats can now be cleared from your cache, filtered by file type – like photos, videos, music and files.

Additionally, Android developers added support for opening Live Locations in third-party map apps and improved the design of loading elements like messages in chats, profile pictures and live locations.

New Custom Emoji

Telegram artists have put together 10 more custom emoji packs – giving Premium users even more ways to express themselves in messages, reactions and statuses.

More Interactive Emoji

Another Telegram update means new interactive emoji – send a single in any 1-on-1 chat and tap to play full-screen effects synchronized for you and your chat partner. All users can also use these emoji as reactions.