Telegram rolled out a new update at the year end with several new features like hidden media, zero-storage usage, new drawing tools, profile pictures for contacts, hiding group members, and more. The update comes along with the 9.3 version of the app on App Store and Google Play Store.
Hidden Media
Telegram already supported spoiler formatting to hide any text in messages, but now one can cover photos and videos with a shimmering layer that blurs the image. It will take your recipients one tap to break the spell and see the content.
To get the blur layer, tap on the attachment menu and select one or more items by tapping at the three horizontal dots at the top-right corner, tap Menu Android or Menu iOS and choose ‘Hide with Spoiler’.
Zero Storage Usage
Telegram hardly takes up any space in your device, and users can remove media and documents from phone’s storage and re-download them from Telegram cloud at any time. With the recent update, users can add separate auto-remove settings for cached media from Private Chats, Groups, and Channels – with exceptions for specific chats.
To check put the new options open Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage.
New Text and Drawing Tools
Telegram media editor has been fully redesigned. Now, drawing tools dynamically change width based on drawing speed and automatically smooth the lines. In addition, there is a new blur tool to redact sensitive data or unwanted objects – and high precession ways to choose colors, including the Eyedropper tool. When adding text to photos or videos, you can now change its size, font, and background. Adding custom animated emoji to text on images is available for all users, even if they don’t have a Telegram Premium subscription.
To to quickly add shapes like rectangles, circles, arrows, stars, and chat bubbles, tap the “+” button, or hold the surface to fill the canvas with color or to erase everything.
Profile Pictures for Contacts
When editing your contacts, users can customise contact profile pictures which will not be visible to others. All the more, one can suggest a picture suggestion for their contact’s profile. It will take the contact just two taps to add it to their profile.
To do this, go to Contact’s Profile > Edit, then choose ‘Set Photo for’ or ‘Suggest Photo for.
Public Profile Pictures
One can limit people viewing their profile picture, and allow the rest to see their profile pictures. One can set visibility to ‘Nobody’ and add some users or groups as exceptions.
The options fir Public Profile are available in Settings > Privacy and Security > Profile Photo.
Hiding Group Members
The latest update of Telegram brings tools like the aggressive anti-spam setting helping chat admins keep large groups clean, but some may want to protect their members from unwanted personal messages. Admins of groups with 100+ members can now choose to hide the member list.
New Progress Animations on Android
Telegram Premium users get 10 new packs of custom animated emoji as a present from Telegram artists. Users can find these new features in the Emoji emoji tab of your Stickers’ sticker panel.
Telegram has also brought full-screen effects in sync with chat partner, where a emoji - Santa, Christmas Tree, Snowman, Nail Paint, Goofiness-sent in any 1-on-1 chat will have a 3D effect.