How to Fix Telegram Not Working for Mobile & Desktop App

The Telegram app boasts over 500 million active users. Through its built-in ‘Secret Chat’, allows users to communicate without leaving a single trace on the server. Telegram recently introduced its desktop version that allows users to benefit from its clever features from a computer.  

You’re probably here because you have been encountering problems with your Telegram mobile or desktop app. Maybe the Telegram server is experiencing problems, or your computer, Wi-Fi, or phone is the root of the malfunction... In this article, we will be going over some common issues with the Telegram app, and talking about the step-by-step solutions you can try. 

Why your Telegram Might not be Working  

Internet connexion

The first thing you’ll want to do if you notice your Telegram desktop or mobile app isn’t working correctly is to check your Internet connexion. Many problems encountered when using apps are due to fragile Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G. If you’re on your phone, consider connecting your device to a nearby Wi-Fi network, and if you’re on your computer, restart your router. Contact your Internet provider if that doesn’t work. Once you’ve resolved the Internet issue, you may notice your Telegram app is working just fine. 

Telegram Server 

Though Telegram has proven to be pretty efficient at keeping its server up and running, server mishaps can happen, which leaves its 500 million users unable to communicate via the app. In this case, there’s not much you can do, except wait for the server to be fixed by Telegram. However, you can check whether the server is down or not at https://downdetector.com/, a website which you can type any website, app, or software into and it will tell you whether or not the provider is experiencing issues at the moment. 

Device Problems

Like all apps, when your Telegram isn’t working, it may be because of a momentary system glitch. Fixing this problem requires different steps according to whether you’re dealing with the phone or desktop app. They can be because of your browser cache data, from a firewall blocker, or because of a proxy/VPN server. 

How to Fix Telegram Not Working?

What to Try First

Check your Internet Connexion

Whenever any app seems to be having trouble operating normally, the first thing to do is to check your internet connexion. 

• If you’re using Telegram on your phone, open another app and see if it is working normally. The best apps to use when checking internet connexion are ones like Messenger and Gmail, which tell you on the home screen if you’re lacking connexion. 

• If you’re on your desktop, open a tab on your browser and press random keys to initiate a search - if results come up, your Internet is working fine. If not, try connecting your device to another network. Sometimes, on mobiles, users think they were connected to a Wi-Fi network when they were actually running on poor 3G/4G. 

Check your VPN Connexion if needed

Telegram has gained so much popularity recently because of its high-security features. This means that some countries have banned the app, fearing that users would be able to communicate around illegal activities. If you are not able to access Telegram from your device, it may be because your location doesn’t allow access. In this case, you’re going to need to install a VPN to your device, if you haven’t already. 

Step 1: Download the VPN app or browser extension of your choice. Some good options include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, IPVanish, PureVPN, CyberGhost, ProtonVPN, Surfshark, Norton Secure VPN…. 

Step 2: Open the VPN and connect to a server - you will have a new IP address.

Step 3: Reinstall the Telegram mobile or browser app. 

Step 4: Login. You should now be able to use the app. 

If you already had a VPN working in the background when using Telegram, change your VPN’s location and try again. 

How to Fix Telegram Mobile App Not Working

Let’s talk about some steps you can take if your Telegram mobile app isn’t working. 

Step 1: Go into your device’s Settings. Sometimes, devices can accidentally disable apps’ data usage. This may be the case. Check the Telegram app has its allocated data in the data usage category of your phone’s settings. If not, reallocate data usage. 

Step 2: Change up your Internet connection. It’s easy to be alarmed whenever a problem occurs on any app, before checking Internet connection. Try switching up your connection for Wi-Fi if you’re using 3G/4G/5G, and vice-versa. Tip: Check you haven’t activated airplane mode by accident. 

Step 3: Reboot your phone to fix any temporary system glitches that may have occurred. Switch your phone off and on again, then try accessing the Telegram app. This simple step fixes network bugs. 

Step 4: If you do not have the latest Telegram app, you may need to update it, because it could have become obsolete. Telegram frequently updates its app, so the issues you are having may be because of an old version. Update the app to the latest version available.  

Step 5: If you have the latest version of the Telegram app, you might need to reinstall it. Consider deleting it from your device, then reinstalling it and logging in with your usual credentials. No need to worry about your message and call history: you won’t lose any data if you reinstall the app. 

Step 6: If you’re using Telegram on an Android device, you may need to clear the cache to resume usage. To do so, long-press on the Telegram icon in your device settings and open App info. Click Storage & cache and clear the cache. Reopen the Telegram app and assess whether the issues you had noticed are gone. 

Step 7: Some users have reported their device’s battery saver mode interfering with their Telegram app. Try disabling the mode by going into your device’s settings and clicking “turn off Low Power Mode”. 

How to Fix Telegram Web Not Working

Here are some steps you can take if Telegram isn’t working on your browser. 

Step 1: Your browser may be the root of the issue. Try restarting your browser. Open Telegram again and see if it works. 

Step 2: If your browser isn’t working with Telegram, try using another browser. On Mac, try Chrome instead of Safari, and on PC, try Chrome instead of Firefox. 

Step 3: If you have a firewall on your software, that may be the problem. Go to the firewall’s settings and check the Telegram URL is authorized. You may not have been able to access Telegram from your browser because it has been added to your firewall’s block list. 

Step 4: Clear your browsers’ cache to clear redundant data from your browser - this may be what is preventing Telegram from working correctly. Once you have cleared your browsers’ cache, reboot it along with the Telegram web app. 

How to Fix Telegram Desktop Not Working

If your Telegram desktop app isn’t working, it might be a good idea for you to try the above steps. After trying those three steps, if your Telegram desktop app still isn’t working, try restarting your computer. 

Hopefully, all these steps should have led to you being able to use Telegram again. It may have become indispensable for you to communicate with friends and family, carry out projects and chat with a group of people. If you weren’t able to resolve your particular issue with Telegram through these steps, you can always reach out to Telegram Support, who have been known to answer questions very quickly!