Telegram is one of the most popular instant messaging services on the market. Users love it for its practicality, exceptional cross-platform compatibility, and before all, the security and privacy that it provides. However, as good as Telegram as a service is, its iOS app is not always flawless. People have been reporting all sorts of issues with the Telegram app on the iPhone. That’s why I compiled a list of the most common Telegram problems users typically face, along with a list of possible solutions that may help with those problems.
Table of contents:
- Telegram can’t connect to the internet
- Telegram not sending messages
- Telegram not downloading media
- Telegram not sending code
- “Last Seen” is not accurate
- Telegram notifications not working
Telegram can’t connect to the internet
Trouble connecting to the internet is one of the most common problems iPhone users have with the Telegram app. More often than not, the issue has nothing to do with the app itself but is related to their connectivity in general. So, if you’re facing trouble connecting to the internet while using Telegram, first make sure that everything is alright with your internet connection.
If you determine that your internet connection works as intended, but you’re still unable to connect inside the app, here are some Telegram-related solutions you can try:
- Check the Telegram servers. If the Telegram servers are down, you won’t be able to use the app normally. You can check the status of Telegram servers.
- In case you’re trying to connect through mobile data, make sure Telegram is allowed to use it. Go to Settings > Telegram, and make sure Cellular Data is enabled.
- Update the app.
- Reinstall Telegram.
Telegram not sending messages
Another common Telegram issue on iOS, that’s probably the most annoying one is when the app won’t send messages to another person or a group. If this problem is bugging you, try some of the following solutions:
- Make sure you’re properly connected to the internet.
- Update the Telegram app.
- Ask the Spambot for a deeper insight. Go to Telegram Search, type @spambot, and initiate contact by typing /start. The spambot will let you know if your account has been reported for spam and what actions to take to remove the limitation.
- Make sure the recipient hasn’t blocked you.
Telegram not downloading media
Many people use Telegram for exchanging photos, videos, and other media because it allows for seamless transfer with zero compression. Something that most other IM services don’t offer. Many of my friends use Telegram exclusively for sending photos and videos, simply because it preserves quality.
That’s why it’s a big problem when Telegram won’t allow you to download media, which is exactly what some people reported. One of the worst reported Telegram issues on the iPhone. Here are some of the common solutions to that problem:
- Make sure you have enough storage space on your iPhone to download new media.
- Make sure you’ve allowed Telegram to access your media. Go to Settings > Telegram > Photos, and make sure All Photos is selected.
- Reinstall the Telegram app.
- Make sure you’re connected to a WiFi network. The app may not download media on cellular to preserve data.
- Update your iOS version.
Telegram not sending code
You can’t even use Telegram if you don’t receive the confirmation code when creating your account. And that’s exactly what some users are having problems with. If you’re among them, try some of the following solutions:
- Make sure you enter the correct phone number.
- Make sure you’ve chosen the right country code.
- Reboot your iPhone. Press and hold the Side button + the Volume down button, until the Power off slider appears. Drag the slider to the right, and your iPhone will turn off. Turn on your iPhone, and try sending the code again.
- Make sure your SIM card is enabled and you’re not out of signal.
“Last Seen” is not accurate
“Last Seen” is probably the least likable feature of not only Telegram but also every other IM app. The reasons are obvious, not everyone wants to show their online status to the world. It gets even worse if we know that Telegram’s “Last Seen” feature has been inconsistent for some reason. It tends to show that a user has been recently (or is still) online, even if that’s not the case.
Why does Telegram behave like this? We don’t know. But I can share a few tips that will at least help you minimize the damage this cunning feature can cause. And those are:
- Close the app. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and dismiss Telegram.
- Do the exact opposite. Some users have reported that completely closing Telegram as shown above may result in the app not updating your status. So, experiment with these two options to see which one messes with your status.
- Make sure you’re not connected to other devices. For example, if you use Telegram on your computer, it will display your status as Online, as long as you’re signed in. Either turn off the other device or sign out of Telegram completely.
- If nothing else works, completely disable the “Last Seen” option. Open Telegram, go to Settings > Privacy and Security, and set Last Seen & Online to Nobody (or add exceptions).
Telegram notifications not working
In case everything else works as intended, but you don’t receive notifications from the Telegram app, try some of the following solutions:
- Make sure Telegram notifications are enabled. Go to Settings > Telegram > Notifications, and make sure the Allow Notifications option is toggled on.
- Disable Low Power Mode. When your iPhone is in this mode, it will pause all battery-consuming processes, which might prevent Telegram from sending you notifications. To disable this feature, go to Settings > Battery, and toggle the Low Power Mode option off.
- Update the Telegram app.
- Update your iOS version.
That’s about it, as these are the most common Telegram issues iPhone users have experienced. If you have another problem that I didn’t mention in this article, feel free to let us know on Twitter or our Facebook page.
Editor’s note: This article was initially published in December 2020. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.
