12 Telegram Features You’re Going to Love

Besides the basic, easy-to-find-and-know options, there are several great Telegram features that you may not be aware of. Telegram is a social media app created in 2013 in Russia by Pavel Durot. It was launched as an iOS and Android application and gained traction for its reliable encryption technology thanks to the increase in distrust for the more mainstream messaging apps like WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook making the privacy scandals that Facebook has been involved in spread into their other projects. Right now, it is estimated that Telegram has 550 million monthly users, making it one of the most popular messaging apps out there. Along with one of the primary goals of the companies being privacy, telegram offers an array of very useful features, like the end to end encryption. Meaning that there are no third-party members in your messages. The message you send will stay between you and the recipient. Along with that, Telegram has many features that will make your life much easier and safer. Here is a list of the top 12 most useful features on telegram. 

12 Telegram Features You May Not Know About

1. Creating public or private channels

One of the best Telegram features is the ability to create public channels allows you to interact with others that you have similar interests with. Once the channel is created the admin creates a title for it, allowing others to come along and find a channel of their interest and converse with others. All this is also possible in a private channel, the only difference is that people can only join once they receive the special link for the channel. 

2. Secret chat.

The secret chat feature is like Snapchat but safer. It enables you to send encrypted messages to others that are set to a time limit. Once the message has been viewed, that message will disappear from the chat log.

3. Chat folders.

For a busy person, their messages often go haywire. To prevent that telegram has a feature designated to organize all of your chat logs. You can separate business from leisure and you can also name those folders allowing you to be even more organized throughout your hectic day. 

4. Nearby users 

Thanks to the nearby users Telegram feature, this app is not only a messaging app but is considered to be a social media app since it allows you to connect with others in your vicinity. If you are looking to make friends, Telegram’s safe and reliable servers connect you to others with the same intent. 

5. Message editing

Sometimes we make a mistake, we make an embarrassing error, or just flat out say things we didn’t mean. With the Telegram app, you have the ability to correct those mistakes, you can edit any message you have previously sent regardless of how long ago it was. The only downside is that your mistake will be known because the text bubble will display that you have edited your message. 

6. Silent messages

Silent messaging is one of my favorite features on Telegram. I always get annoyed when I get a lot of notifications when at work. The silent messaging feature allows you, the sender, to send a message to the recipient without their phone vibrating or making the notification sound. It even works if their phone has not been put on Do Not Disturb. If you know someone who doesn’t appreciate being massaged while working and have something important to tell them, this is a great feature offered by Telegram to take advantage of. 

7. Send gifs and YouTube videos from the app

One of the Telegram features that has made the user interface convenient is where you can send gifs and youtube videos straight from the app. All you have to do is put the @ symbols and write gif or youtube and type out the video you are looking for and once you found what you want, you can send it right then and there without having to switch applications. 

8. Slow mode

When you create a group chat and there are a lot of people in it, there is a possibility that some people might spam and disrupt the flow of the conversation. When in that scenario the admin can restrict the amount of messages people can send by setting a timer for the individuals in the chat. Once they send their message the timer stops them from sending another for till that set amount of time has expired.

9. Polls and quizzes

When in a group chat and want to settle a dispute, or you want to decide on which restaurant to eat at next, you can set polls to make those decisions. You also can set up quizzes and have a little fun with the people you are chatting with. 

10. Sending uncompressed media

In other messaging apps, when you want to send uncompressed media you will have to convert it to something like a pdf. But in Telegram, you have the option to send those same uncompressed files straight out of the app. When you press on the send picture section of the interface and have selected what you want to send, you tap on what reads “send without compression” doing so allows you to send those documents directly without converting them. Which would keep the quality of the file you are sending in the best condition. 

11. Add accounts

When it comes to Telegram features, this one ensures that you’re not stuck using only one account. Unlike other messaging apps, Telegram allows you to create multiple accounts which could also help you organize your chats by one account being for business and the other for personal matters.

12. Chat conversion 

If you are just getting into Telegram and have been using WhatsApp before making the switch, there is no need to worry about losing all of your previous chats and files. Rather than having to switch back and forth from one app to the next, you can find all the pictures and videos you want directly on Telegram along with the old text messages you have sent when you convert your data from your WhatsApp onto your Telegram account. This allows you to make a swift and convenient transition from WhatsApp to Telegram.  

So, there you have it. The top 12 most useful Telegram features. I find Telegram to be a pretty neat platform. Their emphasis on privacy has made the app something people can put their trust in and use freely without fear of their conversation being watched and exploited by third-party members. It has pushed the boundaries of what a messaging app can be to the point where it is considered to be a social media app. When all of these unique features start getting used to their fullest potential by the general public, I do not doubt that telegram will grow to be even bigger than it already is.