Encrypted messenger app Telegram received an update today that brings additional features and enhancements to the platform, including media albums, saved messages, and an improved search function.

Starting with Telegram 4.5, whenever users send multiple photos or videos they will be grouped into albums. Each album can include up to 10 photos or videos, which are displayed in chat threads as "elegantly proportioned thumbnails", the upshot being that recipients will be notified just the once instead of ten times over.

Telegram 4
The order in which the photos are sent can now be controlled within the app, too. Photos selected for sharing get a sequence number, so users can send "before and after" pictures in the correct order. In addition, users should find profile photos easier to navigate, thanks to thumbnails that show in the lower part of the screen.

Elsewhere, Telegram users can now bookmark important messages and media by forwarding them to a personal cloud storage area called Saved Messages. Each saved message also has a "go to" button that takes users to the place in the chat where it was originally posted. Saved Messages can be found in the Chats list and in Settings.

The developers have also improved the global search algorithm used for finding public channels, groups, and bots. It's now possible to search for public channels and bots by their titles, and most popular items will always be displayed first.

Lastly, Channel admins can now pin messages to focus their subscribers' attention on important announcements, while the settings screen and context menu has been redesigned. The app has also been tweaked for iPhone X.

Telegram is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

iosiseasy Avatar
91 months ago
Still the best chat app. Just waiting for Live Photo support.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
palmerc2 Avatar
91 months ago
Still the best chat app. Just waiting for Live Photo support.
Agreed. IMO it’s better than WhatsApp / any other chat app. Pretty cool integration with stickers, and gifs. The ability to create chat groups with up to 10k members, I think WhatsApp has a maximum of 200~ish members. The ability to create announcement channels.

Also, seamless usability between mobile and computer is stellar. I use it equally between my phone and computer. WhatsApp for desktop requires the phone to be on and have an internet connection. Everything passes through your phone, so it’s much slower. On WhatsApp when you send a message on desktop I’d imagine it goes computer > WhatsApp server > your phone > WhatsApp server > recipients phone.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C DM Avatar
91 months ago
All comments above seem coordinated in effort to promote Telegram as a better alternative to WhatsApp. Kind of like Russian trolls promote Putin and fake news on social networks. Oh wait, Telegram IS Russian. BEWARE: If you care about your own privacy, make sure to check how Telegram is using shady/unproven encryption techniques to protect your private communication. Also, the Russian government recently forced Telegram to build back door for them.
So various people who use an app (and perhaps like it) and comment about it in a story about the app somehow equates them to some sort of "Russian trolls"?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bustycat Avatar
91 months ago
All comments above seem coordinated in effort to promote Telegram as a better alternative to WhatsApp. Kind of like Russian trolls promote Putin and fake news on social networks. Oh wait, Telegram IS Russian. BEWARE: If you care about your own privacy, make sure to check how Telegram is using shady/unproven encryption techniques to protect your private communication. Also, the Russian government recently forced Telegram to build back door for them.
You probably don't know that the founders created Telegram after being in exile because of refusing to provide information of VK, and Telegram also refuses requests from the Russian government.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C DM Avatar
91 months ago
The founder (Pavel Durov) is a big fan of Putin (check his instagram). Also, if the Russian gov took over VK.com, what’s holding them from taking over Telegram? Also, it’s important users are aware of Telegram’s dubious and unproven encryption techniques.
[doublepost=1510807478][/doublepost]

Only stating my observation. Even best messenger apps never get 5 starts on app stores, so it’s suspicious all comments here are positive, especially considering it’s the only messenger with dubious cryptography and have its servers located in Russia.
Tons of messenger and all kinds of apps get 5 stars or all kinds of positive reviews. Out of barely a handful of posts total is it somehow so surprising that most would be from people who use the app (and thus like it) to the point that it somehow suggests some conspiracy? Seems like that's trying too hard to read too much into rather simple reality that is commonplace.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vlad777 Avatar
91 months ago
I’ve only mentioned WhatsApp once to summarize every single coordinated bot comment before me. That said, WhatsApp is using superior encryption to Telegram, WhatsApp servers aren’t located in a country where the gov can access private chat data without court orders or very special circumstances.

It’s up to you, the consumer, to decide whether you want to use Telegram with its weak unproven encryption, and have your data being easily available to the Russian gov for cyber crimes they have been actively involved in since 2008.
Everything you say is a PURE lie.

Telegram founder’s (Pavel Durov) Instagram has no sign that he likes Putin. Actually, A few weeks ago Durov has started a court fight against Russian government, because he refused to give a backdoor to Telegram users communication and Russian government fined Telegram. Russian government is constantly trying to push Telegram, because it has no access to users communication. Can you tell me why WhatsApp or Facebook has no problem with Russian government?

Telegrams servers are spread all over the world. London for European users, Singapore for Asian, San Francisco for American.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

election results 2024 live activities

Track 2024 U.S. Election Results Live on Your iPhone Lock Screen

Tuesday November 5, 2024 5:02 am PST by
Apple News is providing Live Activities support for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, allowing iPhone and iPad users to track electoral results in real time directly from their Lock Screen. The feature is rolling out for U.S. users over the course of Election Day, November 5, providing continuous updates of the electoral count. So if you're interested, you don't need to repeatedly check...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 2

Monday November 4, 2024 12:34 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 updates to developers, and Apple is continuing to refine the Apple Intelligence capabilities. There are also a handful of smaller features that are worth knowing about. Find My Find My has a new option to Share Item Location with an "airline or trusted person" that can help you locate something that you've misplaced....
iCloud General Feature

Here's What's New in Apple's Updated iCloud Terms and Conditions Taking Effect Next Week

Friday September 13, 2024 7:39 am PDT by
Apple has started notifying users about an upcoming revision to its iCloud Terms and Conditions, which takes effect on Monday, September 16. We compared the text of the upcoming iCloud Terms and Conditions with the current U.S. version from September 18, 2023 and identified four key changes: "Apple ID" references have been changed to "Apple Account" throughout. iCloud users must agree to ...
ipads early bf deals

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Tuesday November 5, 2024 7:02 am PST by
Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but you can already find great prices on numerous iPads, including the 9th generation iPad, 10th generation iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Of course, there is a chance that ...
ios 18 2 chatgpt plus

iOS 18.2 Beta 2 Shows Siri ChatGPT Limit, Offers 'Plus' Upgrade Option

Monday November 4, 2024 10:54 am PST by
With the second beta of iOS 18.2 that's available for developers today, Apple has further fleshed out the ChatGPT integration that's available with Siri. In the Settings app, there's now a section that shows the ChatGPT daily limit, and offers an option to upgrade to the paid ChatGPT Plus plan. The beta includes an Advanced Capabilities section with a "Daily Limit" reading that shows up as...
M4 MacBook Pros Thumb

M4 MacBook Pro Reviews: Processor Benchmarks Impress, New Nano-Texture Option Worth the Extra $150

Thursday November 7, 2024 6:14 am PST by
The first wave of reviews of Apple's new M4-powered MacBook Pro models were published this morning. We've collected some of the latest impressions from YouTube channels and select media outlets below. Apple last month announced the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding next-generation M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, with Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display and camera ...
early apple watch black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals

Wednesday November 6, 2024 6:33 am PST by
Black Friday is just around the corner, and Apple Watch deals have begun appearing ahead of the shopping holiday on November 29. In this article, we'll take a look at all of the best early Black Friday Apple Watch deals, including the new Series 10 models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...