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This is the English mirror of @tginfo. Ask Questions & Discuss: @tginfochaten Beta Channel: @betainfoen TON: @infotonen Other Languages: @tginfoall Feedback & Commecrial: @infowritebot
Telegram for Android and iOS updated to version 11.7, Telegram Desktop updated to version 5.10.5
The applications provide users with the following new features.
• The ability to “wear” collectible gifts
Owners of collectible gifts can now “wear” them: use the emoji, background, and pattern of such a gift to decorate their profile. To do this, press the “Wear” button on the collectible gift screen.
• The ability to send collectible gifts to the blockchain
Now gifts — just like collectible public names and phone numbers — can be transferred or auctioned using the TON blockchain. This way, owners will be able to maintain control over collectible gifts — even if they lose access to their Telegram account or delete it.
To send a gift to the blockchain, go to “Settings > My profile > My gifts” and tap on one of the gifts, then select “Transfer > Send via blockchain”.
• Gifts for channels
Now you can give gifts not only to other users, but also to channels. To do this, open the channel and click the 🎁 button in the lower right corner, or open the channel profile and select the appropriate option from the menu of the button with three dots in the corner of the screen.
The owner of the channel that received the gift can hide it from the channel profile, upgrade it, or send it to a user, another channel, or the blockchain. Subscribers of the channel may also view gifts that aren't hidden by the channel, as well as apply various filters to the channel's public gift list.
Please note: the ability to send gifts to channels will be available to users in different regions gradually. But it is already guaranteed to be available for the @durov channel.
• Posting gifts in stories and links to gifts
You can now share your gifts in stories. In addition, each collectible gift now has a unique link in the t.me/nft format.
Furthermore, users of the Telegram app for iOS now have the ability to choose a video cover when publishing it and send star reactions to channel posts on behalf of their public channels.
• Article on the official Telegram blog
https://telegram.org/blog/wear-gifts-blockchain-and-more
Download the update
• Android: Google Play, APK from the official website or verified channel.
• iOS: App Store.
• Windows/macOS/Linux: official website or GitHub.
• Windows: Microsoft Store.
• Linux: Flathub or Snapcraft.
#update #Android #iOS #desktop
Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated to Version 5.10.4
What's new:
• Add messages search in channel comments.
• Allow sending your unique gifts to blockchain.
• Add option for running in backround on Linux.
• Fix possible freeze on quit on macOS.
Download:
• Windows/macOS/Linux: the official website or GitHub.
#update #desktop
Temporary Slowdown in Telegram DC2
Between 14:25 and 14:40 UTC, Telegram users experienced temporary disruptions in the DC2 data center (Europe), with messages loading and sending slowly.
The likely cause of this brief malfunction appears to be a major internet outage across Russia, during which Telegram remained one of the few major platforms still operational.
#outages #Russia
Telegram Has Changed Its Approach to Cooperation With the US Authorities
According to new data released by Telegram, the messenger has significantly increased its cooperation with United States law enforcement agencies in 2024.
• Telegram has fulfilled 900 requests from US authorities for 2024, providing data for 2,253 users.
• Only 14 requests affecting 108 users have been processed until October 2024.
• The number of fulfilled requests skyrocketed after CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France in August 2024.
• Telegram updated its privacy policy in September, permitting the disclosure of IP addresses and phone numbers to law enforcement, but solely when legally required.
Experts attribute the change in Telegram's policy to growing pressure from regulators in various countries. Earlier, the company was known for its refusal to cooperate with the authorities in the provision of user data.
Telegram has not made any official comments on the increase in the number of fulfilled requests at the time of writing the post.
#USA
Telegram Info Celebrates 9 Years!
Nine years ago, the original Telegram Info channel in Russian was launched. The English branch followed on December 20, 2018, more than six years ago. Initially, we relied on machine translation, but over time, we found human translators to improve the quality.
Our Key Projects(in English):
• TON Info: A channel dedicated to TON updates; launched five years ago.
• Beta Info: A channel that provides insights into new Telegram features before their official release.
Thanks to the efforts of volunteers from various countries, our network of channels continues to grow. Currently, we manage over 40 channels in multiple languages, including Russian, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Chinese, Persian, Arabic, French, and others. You can find a complete list of our communities on TGStat.
Our Achievements:
• Our Russian-language channel surpassed 60,000 subscribers, while the English and French channels have each crossed the 20,000 mark.
• This year, we’ve published many FAQ articles on our website, delivering helpful content the community need.
Our Team:
• The core editorial team is a multinational, passionate group united by a mission: spreading information about Telegram and making the messenger more accessible. Your feedback and suggestions play a vital role in helping us create high-quality content.
Additionally, if you'd like to contribute to @tginfo by creating tools, writing news, designing covers, or translating materials into your language, contact us via @infowritebot.
Thank you for your support over the years!
— The @tginfo Team
#anniversary@tginfoen
About Converting Gifts to NFT
Currently, there are several features in the process of converting gifts that are not obvious to users.
• Not every gift can be converted
Firstly, only gifts from limited series can be converted.
Secondly, even such gifts cannot always be converted now. Apparently, only the following gifts can be converted into NFT at the moment: 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🧪, 🐸, 👁, 🍲, 🔤, 🌺, 🐈⬛, 🍄.
Perhaps in the future, Telegram will gradually allow the conversion of any limited gifts.
• You can not convert a gift received from a deleted account into NFT
If the sender's account is currently deleted, then when you try to convert it, the platform will write off your stars, but will not be able to perform the conversion itself. We strongly recommend that you do not try to convert gifts received from deleted accounts into NFT until Telegram fixes this bug.
#NFT
Converting Gifts to NFTs is in The Upcoming Update
Strings related to converting gifts to NFTs have been found in the Telegram source code for Android. Users will be able to convert gifts into unique collectibles. They will probably have to pay for this operation with stars.
Collectibles can be:
• Sent to other users within Telegram.
• Sold for stars within Telegram.
• Sent to external blockchain addresses for sale on third-party NFT platforms (after the “unlock” period).
Collectibles will have attributes typical of NFTs:
• Unique number.
• Model.
• Background.
• Symbol.
• Information about origin (who gave it and when).
It is important to note that all information is based on lines of code from the application, so these features may undergo significant changes before release.
We continue to monitor the development of this feature and will report any new details as soon as they become known. Read more about Telegram Beta versions on our second channel - @betainfo.
#gifts #NFT
Telegram For iOS No Longer Overheats The Device
On December 19, users began to report that the Telegram iOS version 11.5.2 (29993) causes the device to overheat and drain the battery super-fast.
We are happy to inform you that version 11.5.3 (30003) has just appeared in the App Store, which supposedly solves this problem.
Update your app and write in the comments whether your iPhone will stop overheating.
UPD 12/26/2024 23:20 UTC
A new bug has appeared in version 11.5.3: when viewing a video story, the application only plays sound, but does not display the video.
#iOS
Telegram is Now Profitable
Pavel Durov announced on his channel that, for the first time in its history, Telegram has become a profitable platform.
The founder of the messenger shared some key figures:
• The number of Telegram Premium subscribers has tripled, surpassing 12 million.
• Advertising revenue has grown several times over.
• Telegram's total revenue has exceeded $1 billion.
• The company’s reserves now stand at more than $500 million excluding crypto assets.
Over the past four years, Telegram issued debt obligations amounting to around $2 billion. Taking advantage of favorable bond prices, the messenger has repaid part of this debt.
According to Telegram's founder, the monetization innovations introduced this year—such as Stars, Gifts, Giveaways, Mini Apps, Affiliate Platform, Telegram Business, and Telegram Gateway—demonstrate that social platforms can achieve financial sustainability while remaining independent and respecting user rights.
Durov emphasized that the goal of monetization is to ensure that users always remain Telegram’s top priority.
#Profit
Upcoming Update: Millions of User Stickers in Search
Pavel Durov shared plans for Telegram's upcoming update in his official channel.
Next month, the sticker tab will include a search feature for millions of popular user-created sticker sets.
As a reminder, Telegram recently launched an AI search for 40,000+ official sets. This update will serve as a logical step forward in enhancing the sticker search functionality.
Durov further noted that stickers have been one of the many innovations that define Telegram, and that AI search will make it easier to find them.
#stickers
The app does not show the user when searching by phone number
Sometimes Telegram users face that they cannot find another user by their phone number: the app reports that such a user does not exist.
In the new article, we explain why this can happen and what can be done in such a situation: https://tginfo.me/user-not-found-by-phone-number-en
#FAQ
Moderation Statistics on Telegram's Official Website
Telegram's official website now features a new section dedicated to moderation data: https://telegram.org/moderation.
The page includes several sections detailing various types of content prohibited on the platform. For each type, the following information is provided:
• The number of blocked groups and channels, broken down by day.
• Instructions on how to report this type of content.
• Explanations of the moderation process for this content.
#moderation
Account Theft Using Fake Gift Message
The most popular method of stealing a Telegram account is still social engineering. Attackers convince the victim to provide their login details either by threatening ("Your account will be blocked within 24 hours if you do not log in to this site") or by promising some kind of benefit.
In recent days, users have increasingly reported receiving a fake message from attackers about a Telegram Premium subscription gift. The message contains a link that supposedly needs to be followed to receive the gift. When clicking on the link, the user is asked to enter their account details (phone number, one-time authorization code, and cloud password), which immediately fall into the hands of attackers.
Please be vigilant!
• Do not enter any account details in any bots or on any sites unless you are 200% sure that you are interacting with the official Telegram resource.
• Check the links you follow in Telegram: in mobile apps, just press and hold the link, and in Telegram Desktop, hover the mouse cursor over the link.
• Follow all other recommendations from the section “6. How to protect your account from theft?” of our article about account theft.
#hacking
Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated to Version 5.9.0
What's new:
• Affiliate programs for bots.
• Add option to show folder tags in chats list.
Download:
• Windows/macOS/Linux: the official website or GitHub.
#update #desktop
Survey for the most popular Telegram client
At the end of the year we have a survey to find out which client is the most popular among our readers.
This time, the voting system has been redesigned, and the survey now includes four polls to vote for:
• Most popular Android client
• Most popular iOS client
• Most popular desktop client
• Most popular web client
We need your help in spreading the survey to get more accurate and representative data.
Results of previous years:
2019 • 2020 • 2022
#survey
Telegram Updates Requirements for Mini-Apps Using Blockchain
On January 21, 2025, following an agreement with TON, Telegram updated its Terms of Service for bot developers, which introduce new rules for mini-apps that use blockchain or promote cryptocurrency services.
Key Changes:
• Exclusive Use of TON Blockchain: Mini-apps must use TON Blockchain exclusively to create, distribute, and manage cryptocurrency tokens or blockchain assets.
• Mandatory Use of TON Connect SDK: Interactions with crypto wallets must be facilitated through TON Connect SDK. Other protocols are permitted solely for transferring assets from other blockchains.
• Restrictions on Wallet Promotion: Promotion of cryptocurrency wallets is prohibited unless the wallets:
• Operate exclusively on TON Blockchain,
• Use TON Connect exclusively for app interactions,
• Primarily provide services related to TON.
Deadlines and Actions for Developers:
• Immediately: Stop using other blockchains for tokens or assets and migrate to TON Blockchain.
• By February 1, 2025:
- Transition to TON Connect SDK for wallet-related apps.
- Remove advertisements and links to wallets and services that don’t meet the new requirements.
• By February 21, 2025: Fully migrate the app to TON Blockchain, including assets and smart contracts.
Who Is Not Affected:
• Developers of regular bots without mini-apps.
• Creators of mini-apps that do not use blockchain technology.
• Developers whose mini-apps do not promote blockchain-related services.
• TON multi-chain wallets that allow users to send and receive Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies.
• Wallets offering staking programs for tokens such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others.
• Wallets enabling cross-chain token swaps directly through their app interface.
Telegram’s official service accounts are sending notifications to mini-app developers, requiring them to adapt their blockchain usage. Developers with questions about the migration to TON are advised to contact @BotSupport with the hashtag #MigrationToTON.
Interestingly, Telegram’s move comes after its founder, Pavel Durov, criticized Apple’s monopolistic practices with the App Store. Now, Telegram itself is introducing restrictions that may be perceived as an attempt to monopolize blockchain services on its platform.
#TON #bots
Pavel Durov Promises to Improve Telegram Moderation
Pavel Durov testified before French judicial authorities and promised to improve content moderation.
Key points:
• Pavel Durov stated that “Telegram was not created for criminals” and promised that it would commit to improving its moderation procedures.
• Each month, the platform removes 15-20 million accounts and up to two million channels or groups for violations.
• In the first 6 months of 2024, Telegram disclosed data of more than 10,000 users.
The court noted that prior to Durov’s arrest, criminal use of Telegram was increasing. According to French gendarmerie, in the first 5 months of 2024, 535 criminal cases related to illegal activities on Telegram were opened in France. For comparison, there were 808 such cases throughout all of 2023.
The judges paid special attention to Telegram’s "People Nearby" feature, which was disabled after Durov’s arrest. This feature was suspected of facilitating illegal activities through geolocation, such as drug trafficking or pimping.
“In most countries, this function is used for good purposes, not for illegal ones,” Durov emphasized.
In December 2024, the messenger announced its first annual profit. However, Durov told investigators that the platform has a $2 billion debt.
#courts #France
Telegram for Android and iOS Updated to Version 11.6.2
Users have gained the ability to share collectible gifts. Additionally, users may publish such gifts in their stories.
To share a gift, navigate to the "My Profile" section, open the "Gifts" tab, select the desired gift, and click the "Share" button.
Furthermore, collectible gifts are now available via direct links in the format t.me/nft/PlushPepe-171, where PlushPepe is the NFT name and 171 is its serial number.
How to Update
• Android: Download from Google Play, APK from the official website, or the verified channel.
• iOS: Download from the App Store.
#update #Android #iOS #NFT #gifts
How To Upgrade The Gift To a Unique One And Convert It To NFT
What can be upgraded?
There are currently 72 gifts available in Telegram. Of these, 61 gifts are limited. Of the limited gifts, 21 can now be upgraded to unique.
According to Pavel Durov, the list of gifts available for upgrade will be supplemented by at least 25 more unique gifts.
At the time of publishing this post, the following gifts are upgraded: 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎂, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🎁, 🧪, 🫦, 🔤, 🌺, 🎁, 🐈⬛, 🍄, 🎁, 👁, 🍲, 🐸.
How to upgrade a gift?
To upgrade a gift to a unique one, follow these steps:
1. Make sure the upgrade option is available on the gift.
2. Select the gift.
3. Click the "Upgrade for ⭐️ 25" button.
4. When upgrading, you can choose to leave a link to the sender's profile with their comment or hide this information.
What happens after upgrading?
An upgraded gift gets unique characteristics:
• Unique serial number;
• Gift model;
• Background patterns;
• Background color.
These features are randomly generated, and their rarity is determined by the percentage chance of dropping. The lower the probability of a particular feature appearing, the more unique the gift becomes.
Important to know:
• You cannot upgrade a gift again.
• If you have not hidden the author and comment on the gift, then it will be impossible to change this in the future.
• A message will be sent to your dialogue with the sender stating that you have upgraded the gift, including all its new features.
How to convert a gift into NFT?
An upgraded gift can be converted into NFT on the TON blockchain, but only 21 days after the upgrade.
Timer features: If an upgraded gift was sent or received again, the timer is reset to 21 days.
For example, your friend upgraded a gift 11 days ago and gave it to you. To convert it into NFT, you will have to wait 21 days from the moment of receipt.
What's next?
After conversion, the gift will be sent to your non-custodial wallet. You will be able to sell it through marketplaces: for example, Fragment.com and others, and also use it at your discretion.
#NFT
Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated to Version 5.10.0
What's new:
• Collectible Gifts.
• Reactions for Service Messages.
• Verification from Third Parties.
• Custom Emoji in Folder Names.
Download:
• Windows/macOS/Linux: the official website or GitHub.
#update #desktop
Telegram for Android and iOS Updated to Version 11.6
Here’s what’s new in this update:
• Verification from Third Parties
One can now get verification marks not only from the Telegram platform itself, but also from other organizations. First, these organizations must receive verification from Telegram for their bots, and then they will be able to issue such marks to others. The appearance of these marks differs from how official Telegram verification "ticks" are displayed.
The procedure for issuing such marks and obtaining the right to issue them is described on a special page of the official Telegram website.
• Collectible Gifts
Users will be able to convert gifts into unique collectibles. Collectible gifts have special attributes and can be transferred to other users or auctioned on NFT marketplaces.
• Chat Type Filter For Global Search
On the global search screen, users can click the "From all chats" button and choose which chats the application should search for the entered string: all chats, only private dialogues, groups or channels.
• Reactions to Service Messages
Now you can send reactions to service messages: about a new member joining a group, leaving a group, changing a name or chat avatar, a message with a gift, and others.
• Emoji Support for Folder Names
Now you can add emoji to a folder name. To select an emoji, you need to click a button to the right of the folder name on its settings screen. Not only standard emoji are available for selection, but also custom ones. In addition, users can disable animation for added emoji.
• Built-in Camera Gains QR Code Scanning Capability
Premium users can now scan QR codes without leaving the Telegram app. You can only scan the code using the camera that is designed for shooting for stories. There is one more limitation: the QR code must contain a link to the user profile, bot, public group or public channel, that is, to something that has a public username.
• The Ability to Send a Gift to Yourself
Users can now send star gifts to themselves. To do this, go to the "Settings › Send a gift" section and click on your name.
• Video Stories Viewing Bug on iOS is fixed
In Telegram for iOS 11.6 the bug of videostories viewing is fixed.
The article: https://telegram.org/blog/collectible-gifts-and-more
How to Update
• Android: Download from Google Play, APK from the official website, or the verified channel.
• iOS: Download from the App Store.
#update #Android #iOS
TGStat-Generated Channel and Chat Summaries for 2024
At the end of each year, @TGStat_Bot provides a summary for your chats and channels. This includes statistics such as the number of views, reposts, mentions, and reactions.
To get this summary card, go to @TGStat_Bot and type: "2024 @username", replacing "username" with the address of your channel or chat. For example: "2024 @tginfoen".
Feel free to share your cards in the comments below.
New Year Visual Effects
At the end of each year, the appearance of the side menu in Telegram for Android changes slightly:
• From December 24 to January 1, the side menu features New Year-themed icons and a snowfall animation.
• On January 1 only, the snowfall animation appears in chats and at the top of the chat list.
Note: Snow animations will only be visible if the following setting is enabled: Settings > Power saving > Animation in Chats > Wallpaper rotation.
In Telegram Desktop, the animation involving snowfall is there in the profile section of the side menu. However, it will appear still if Power Saving > Interface Animations is disabled.
#FAQ
Gift Exchange For Stars Is Limited To 90 Days
The ability to send gifts by paying for them with stars became available (/channel/tginfoen/1991) to users on October 6. The recipient of such a gift can not only publish it in their profile, but also exchange it for stars with a 15% commission.
Just a few days after this feature appeared, users noticed that when trying to exchange a gift for stars, the application warns that such an exchange is only available for 90 days after the gift is received.
For the very first gifts, this period expires in early January 2025, approximately 01/05/2025. We have no information on whether Telegram applications will remind users in advance that some gifts will soon become impossible to exchange for stars.
If you intend to make such an exchange, make sure that you do not miss the moment when it becomes impossible.
To find out when the gift exchange period for stars expires, you need to open the screen of this gift and click the "Sell for xx stars" button.
#stars
Ads between channel posts
Now Telegram native ads can be displayed not only at the very bottom of the channel, but also between its posts.
Advertisers were not given the opportunity to switch the way the ads would be displayed: the platform makes this decision itself.
Some users could previously see advertisements in the Telegram Desktop application not at the end of the channel, but in its middle. Previously, this happened due to a bug in the application, but now it has become a feature.
#aboutAds
Prepaid Stars on Fragment for Giveaways
The Fragment platform now provides the option to prepay stars for hosting giveaways in Telegram channels and groups
• Purchases on Fragment are made using TON, free from app store commissions. However, KYC verification is required.
• You can purchase a large quantity of stars at once on Fragment, making it ideal for large-scale giveaways.
• After purchasing stars on Fragment, you only need to launch the giveaway from the channel or chat settings page. Detailed instructions will appear after paying for stars on the Fragment platform.
#Fragment #stars
Voice chats are unstable
According to information from users, on December 7, voice chats in Telegram have been unstable since the beginning of the day. Problems are observed both when connecting to existing chats and when creating new ones.
We do not know when the problem will be fixed. The post will be updated as new information appears.
#outages
Telegram to Collaborate With IWF to Struggle Against Child Pornography
The BBC reports that Telegram has agreed to collaborate with the international organization Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to prevent the distribution of child pornography and content related to violence against children.
IWF calls Telegram's decision "transformational", but noted that much work still needs to be done within the framework of the cooperation.
IWF is one of the few organizations in the world that has the right and ability to monitor the appearance of child pornography, materials containing scenes of violence against children, and to achieve its removal from the network.
Telegram emphasized that even before the start of cooperation with IWF, the messenger found and removed hundreds of thousands of materials containing inappropriate content every month using its own moderation tools. Official membership in IWF will help to combat such content even more effectively.
Telegram for Android and iOS Updated to Version 11.5
Here’s what’s new in this update:
• Story Collages: Users can now combine up to 6 images or videos in a single story and choose various layout options. Selected elements can be moved, replaced, or deleted.
• AI-Powered Sticker Search: The sticker panel now supports advanced search queries with multiple keywords, but only among official sticker sets from the Telegram team. Third-party stickers are not supported.
• Captions Above Media Files: A new button, "Move Caption Up," has been added to the media editor. It lets you quickly change the position of text relative to the attached image or video.
• Affiliate Programs: All users and channels on Telegram can now earn Stars through affiliate programs from Mini App developers. When someone you refer uses your link to access a mini-app and makes purchases using Telegram Stars, you earn a percentage of the Stars spent.
• Launching Affiliate Programs: Mini App or bot developers can now create their own affiliate programs and set the percentage of their future revenue they’re willing to share as rewards, as well as the duration for which these rewards will be given to those who refer users.
Read the full article: telegram.org/blog/affiliate-programs-ai-sticker-search
How to Update
• Android: Download from Google Play, APK from the official website, or the verified channel.
• iOS: Download from the App Store.
#update #Android #iOS
Telegram is Preparing an Affiliate Program for Mini Apps, Bots and Channels
Lines were found in the Telegram source code for Android that reveal plans to implement an affiliate program for mini apps, bots and channels.
Key details:
• Channel owners will be able to participate in the affiliate program and receive a commission for users attracted to mini-apps.
• Users and channel owners will be able to share referral links and earn on the spending of attracted users.
• Payments will be made in stars.
• Mini apps owners will be able to customize the commission percentage and the duration of the program for their partners.
• Tools for tracking statistics on referral links and earnings will appear.
It is important to note that all information is based on lines from the application code, so these functions may undergo some changes before the release.
We tell more about Beta versions of Telegram on our second channel @betainfoen.