4 Minutes
Telegram has rolled out its major autumn update, packing a wave of new tools aimed at improving calls, profiles, AI bots and digital gifting. From live reactions in group calls to blockchain-backed gifts, the update blends small conveniences with forward-looking features.
React in real time: liveliness for group calls
Imagine being in a large group call and instantly sending a thumbs-up without interrupting the speaker. Telegram now lets participants post live reactions and short comments directly from the call interface. These temporary messages appear on-screen for a brief moment, making it easy to confirm information, react emotionally or ask a quick question while muted.
The live reaction feature works for group calls and video chats with fewer than 1,000 attendees. Tap the Message button to send a text or emoji; if you send a single emoji, an animation will play for everyone in the session.
Polish and transparency: iOS 26-inspired design
On iOS, Telegram adopts a semi-transparent, glass-like aesthetic that matches iOS 26 design cues. Key elements like the bottom bar, keyboard and sticker panel now have a subtle translucency, and Telegram says it will continue updating the app to align with new iOS releases.
Personal contact notes and birthday nudges
Keeping context around contacts just got easier. When you add or edit a contact, you can include a private note to remember where you met someone, their interests or other personal details. These notes are visible only to you and appear under the contact's Bio section.
Telegram also offers suggested birthdays when editing a contact. Propose a date and it will appear in the profile for the contact to confirm, and you can also add your own birthday via Settings > Edit > Date of Birth.
Make profiles pop: color customization and premium perks
Profile styling is more flexible. From settings you can change profile background colors and layout. Premium users gain access to exclusive palette options and can even use cover styles from gifts they have received. Some gifted items unlock special reply styles, too.
Smarter bots: topic threads and instant replies
Telegram's bot ecosystem gets smarter with support for topic-based conversations and instant response streaming. That means chatbots can maintain multiple threads simultaneously and deliver partial answers as they generate them, so users don't have to wait for the full response.
Developers and AI platforms can adopt these features through shared schemes, although enabling them is up to each bot's creator.
Gifts reimagined: simpler UI and blockchain options
The Gifts page has been redesigned to be cleaner and more navigable. All gifts, including Gift Marketplace items, appear in a single list. When you upgrade a gift, the upgrade cost decreases over time and the UI shows the precise timing for those changes.
For privacy or resale value, users can strip descriptions or attached messages from gifts using Telegram Stars. A notable new option allows gifts to be moved onto the blockchain: connect your Telegram account to Fragment and display blockchain-backed gifts on your profile for added security and provenance.
Report bugs without leaving the app
The feature-request and bug-report platform that launched in 2020 is now available as a mini-app inside Telegram. That means you can file reports or submit suggestions with just a few taps, keeping feedback and development loop efficient and in one place.
With this autumn update Telegram reinforces its position as a feature-forward messaging platform: subtle design upgrades, richer profile tools, smarter bots, simpler gifting and even blockchain integration are all part of the package. Whether you value polished UI, privacy controls or developer-driven AI features, there’s something new to explore.
Leave a Comment