Is Telegram down right now?Live checks and problem reportsChecking
Telegram shows its connection state where the app title normally sits, above your chat list. Connecting... means the app is trying to reach Telegram's servers and hasn't managed it. Updating... means it has connected and is downloading new messages. Both should disappear within a few seconds.
If either stays for minutes, something is in the way. The most common causes are a dead proxy saved in Telegram's settings, a VPN, a network that blocks Telegram, or an outage at Telegram. Your chats are stored on Telegram's servers, so nothing is lost while you sort it out.
Is Telegram down?
Check our Telegram status page. If many people are reporting connection problems at the same moment, it is Telegram's side and waiting is the fix. A quick second test is to open web.telegram.org in a browser. If the web version connects and the app doesn't, the problem is in the app or its settings.
Fixes, most likely first
- Turn off the proxy inside Telegram. On a phone go to Settings, Data and Storage, then Proxy (Proxy Settings on Android) and switch off Use Proxy. On Telegram Desktop the proxy options are in Settings under Advanced. A proxy added months ago from a link or channel may no longer exist, and Telegram will keep trying it.
- Turn off your VPN, or change its server. A slow or overloaded VPN server is enough to keep Telegram on this screen.
- Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data. If Telegram connects on one and not the other, the failing network is blocking it.
- Close Telegram fully and reopen it, then restart the phone or computer.
- Update Telegram from the App Store, Google Play or telegram.org.
- Check the date and time are set automatically. Telegram's encrypted connection fails if the clock is wrong.
- Allow background and mobile data. On Android: Settings, Apps, Telegram, Mobile data, and turn off battery restrictions for the app. On iPhone: Settings, Telegram, and check Mobile Data and Background App Refresh are on.
- Clear the cache. In Telegram: Settings, Data and Storage, Storage Usage, Clear Cache. On Android you can also use Settings, Apps, Telegram, Storage, Clear cache. Your chats download again from the cloud.
Stuck on "Updating..." only
If the app gets as far as Updating..., it can reach Telegram, but the connection is too slow or unstable to finish syncing. This is typical on weak mobile signal, on crowded public Wi-Fi and with data-saving modes switched on. Move to a stronger connection, turn off Low Data Mode or Data Saver, and leave the app open for a minute. After several days offline there is more to download, so it takes longer.
If you can't log in at all
When you're logged out and the code never arrives, enter your number in full international format. Telegram says the code may be sent as a message to another device where you're already logged in, not by SMS. If that fails, use the support form on telegram.org. Inside the app, support is under Settings, Ask a Question, and is answered by volunteers.
Where Telegram is blocked or restricted
If Telegram connects on some networks and never on others, a block is the likely reason. That can be a school or office firewall, or a national restriction. Telegram has been blocked for years in China and Iran. In May 2025 Vietnam's telecoms regulator ordered internet providers to block it. In Russia, the regulator Roskomnadzor blocked voice and video calls on Telegram in August 2025, and in February 2026 said it was introducing phased restrictions on the app, with users reporting slow downloads and outages in the months after.
These situations change quickly, so check recent news for the country you're in. When travelling, a Telegram that worked at home and shows Connecting... on arrival is more likely to be blocked than broken.
About Telegram's proxy setting
Telegram has proxy support built in, and it is the feature most often responsible for this error. A proxy is added with one tap on a link, and it stays switched on after the server behind it has gone. If you use one deliberately, bear in mind:
- The person running a proxy can see your IP address and that you're using Telegram.
- Free proxies shared in channels come and go. Expect them to stop working without notice.
- Whether using a proxy or VPN to reach a blocked service is lawful depends on the country. Check before relying on one.
Signs it's your device
- Telegram Web works in a browser on the same connection.
- Telegram works on another phone on the same Wi-Fi.
- The problem started after installing a VPN, firewall or ad-blocking app.
Don't hand over a login code
Connection problems bring out impostors offering help. Telegram says its service notifications come only from its verified Telegram chat, and that it will never ask for your verification code or two-step verification password. Anyone messaging you as "Telegram support" and asking for a code is trying to take over your account.
Related fix guides
Questions
Why does Telegram keep saying "Connecting..."?
The app cannot reach Telegram's servers. A proxy saved in Telegram that no longer works, a VPN, or a network that blocks Telegram are the usual causes. Sometimes Telegram itself is having an outage.
Will I lose messages if Telegram is stuck on "Updating..."?
No. Ordinary chats are stored on Telegram's servers and appear once the app finishes syncing. Secret Chats are the exception: they exist only on the two devices involved and are deleted if you log out.
Should I reinstall Telegram to fix "Connecting..."?
Try the proxy, VPN and network checks first. Reinstalling removes downloaded media and any Secret Chats, and it won't help if a network block or an outage is the cause.