μ-Note: March 2026 Telegram Messenger Features
Telegram published a list of its Messenger-centric feature updates on March 1, 2026. "Member Tags, Login with Telegram, Disable Sharing, GIF Editing, Date Formatting, Voting Timestamps" runs down what the "core" engineers have been doing in the last month or couple of weeks. Click here for the source document
Here's an alphabetical listing of what is "new."
- Date & Time Formatting: Messages can include formatted dates/times that auto-adjust to recipient time zones and integrate with calendar/reminder tools.
- Disable Sharing in Private Chats: Paying subscribers can block forwarding, screenshots, and media saving in one-to-one chats. (If Telegram Messenger were secure, why is this function needed.)
- Edit GIFs and Stickers: Built-in editor now supports modifying GIFs and stickers; for example, cropping, adding text, fiddling with drawings, and emojis.
- GIF Captions: Users can attach captions directly to GIFs and position text above or below.
- Log In With Telegram: Users can sign up and log in to apps using Telegram accounts. A user can share his / her phone numbers and receive notifications.
- Member Tags: Users can add customizable tags to display roles or interests in groups. Administrators can set permissions, and administrative "tags" are easier to spot.
- Photo to sticker function: Photos can be converted into editable stickers, with options to cut objects, add text, and save or reuse.
- Poll Timestamps: A polls with visible votes display when each allegedly-human participant voted.
- Streaming Responses for Bots. Bots can stream responses.
The blog post did not provide any Cocoon AI features, but these may be lurking under the shiny interface. Telegram seems to be demonstrating featuritis, not innovation.
Stephen E Arnold, March 11, 2026