Apple Watch gets native Telegram app with messages, GIFs, and videos
Telegram has returned to Apple Watch with a new native app that gives users direct access to messages and core chat features on the wrist. The popular messaging service is back on Apple’s wearable platform after a long absence, this time with a more complete experience than before.
Telegram has officially introduced a new native app for Apple Watch, marking its return to Apple’s smartwatch platform after several years away. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced the launch, saying users now get a fully native experience on the watch itself.
To sign in, users first need to scan a QR code from the Telegram app on iPhone, similar to the login process used for the web and Mac versions. If an additional cloud password is enabled, that layer of protection must also be entered before the setup is complete.
Once signed in, users can access contacts and conversations, along with support for GIFs, videos, voice messages, text messages, location sharing, stickers, and other basic features. That means the app offers much more than simple notification mirroring and turns the Apple Watch into a more capable communication tool within the Telegram ecosystem.
This also marks Telegram’s return to Apple Watch more than a decade after its first attempt. Telegram added Apple Watch support in version 3.0 back in 2015, but that support was later discontinued and the app eventually disappeared from the App Store. The new release brings Telegram back in a fully refreshed form that better matches today’s watchOS capabilities.
Interestingly, the App Store release notes for the update do not explicitly mention Apple Watch support. Even so, the new version is already rolling out to users and is available wherever Telegram is normally offered.
