Telegram is rolling out several new features with its first update of 2025, the company announced on Wednesday. As part of the changes, the instant messaging app gives users the ability to convert received gifts into collectibles which come with special attributes and can be transferred to others. Additionally, the update brings an in-app QR code scanner, service message reactions, emojis in folder names, extra message search filters, and more features.
The company says that this was meant to be the 17th major update of 2024 but could not meet the deadline due to a “lack of attention from Apple’s review team”.
New Features on Telegram
Telegram detailed its new features in a blog post. As per the company, the gifts received on Telegram can now be upgraded to collectibles. They can be transferred to other users or auctioned on NFT marketplaces. Upgrading a gift into a collectible unlocks a new appearance with custom variations designed by Telegram artists. The instant messaging platform says collectibles also get background colour, icon and number as secondary traits, making sure each collectible is unique and some are rarer.
Following the update, service messages, such as someone joining a group or sending a gift, now support emoji reactions. Telegram also makes it easier to find messages from specific chats, courtesy of new extra filters for refining searches in private and group chats and channels.
Official third-party services can assign extra verification icons to user accounts and chats as a measure of improving transparency. A small logo appears next to the name if a user receives third-party verification. However, the company emphasises that third-party verification marks are completely separate from the verified checkmarks that Telegram provides for public figures and organisations.
Telegram’s in-app camera on both Android and iOS now supports QR code scanning by default. With this, users can directly open links in their preferred browser without switching apps. Further, folders now support custom emojis, enabling Premium users to make their folders more expressive.
