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While WhatsApp remains the king of instant messaging in terms of sheer user base, Telegram is one of its main competitors and for good reason. The app offers speed, security, and simplicity, and is a strong WhatsApp alternative. Whether its due to WhatsApp being a Meta-owned company, or the privacy policy updates, or anything else, a lot of users have switched to Telegram over the last few years. If you’re on of them, here are 35 cool Telegram tricks to let you make the most out of the messaging app. In general, Telegram is as safe or safer than most other chat apps. It could be argued that WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption on all messaging is a better approach, but the company’s ties to Facebook/Meta may turn off privacy advocates. While you can send uncompressed media in other messaging apps, you have to convert it in another format like EXE or PDF. Telegram, however, allows you to send uncompressed video and images directly (without converting them into another format). It saves you a lot of trouble.

To find more themes, Android users can try the Themes for Telegram app. If you use an iPhone, have a look at the Telegram Themes subreddit. If you want to send big files, Telegram has much of the competition beat with support for up to 2GB files. Meanwhile, WhatsApp’s limit is a measly 100MB, WeChat’s limit is also 100MB, and Skype’s limit is 300MB. Telegram files are also stored in the cloud, so you can access them from other devices. On iOS, Telegram offers you the flexibility to choose a default browser where the links are opened. Though Safari is set as the default option, you can set other browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge as the preferred choice. If you are a group admin and it’s getting hard for you to manage the group due to the sheer amount of messages, you can use utilize the slow mode feature.

Premium users also unlock more ways to react to messages, with over 10 new emoji like 👌😍❤️‍🔥💯 (and the new favorites 🤡🌭🐳). Most people use third-party apps to make sure that no one gets a hand on their private conversations. Telegram, however, has its own lock function to hide privates messages behind a passcode. Last year, Telegram brought a unique feature that allows you to discover Telegram users and groups based on your location. This comes really handy when you want to add someone to your Telegram without sharing your mobile number. Also, if you are going to conferences, campuses or festivals, you can find several groups related to the place and event just like that. To add nearby people, open the Telegram menu and go to “Contacts”. Here, tap on “Add People Nearby” and there you have it. Previously, it was required to keep the screen open for this feature to work. But now users can turn on the “Make Me Visible” option in the People Nearby window so nearby users can see their profile without needing to have the window open. Telegram Location Share

Customize Theme and Message Corners Plus, if you’re using the “secret chats” feature, you’re getting the same level of end-to-end encryption. On top of this, users can’t forward or screenshot messages in secret chats, and messages can be programmed to self-destruct. Deleting a message also deletes it for everyone on the service, and users have the option to delete not just their own messages, but other users’ messages, too. It’s also worth mentioning that all chats are encrypted, even if not end-to-end encrypted.