Telegram is a popular messaging tool with 950M monthly active users. Telegram is known for its security using encrypted messages, international accessibility, and popular channels. Using this app, you can easily message friends, family, join interest groups, or follow broadcast channels.

This article will outline the benefits of Telegram, give you some tools on how to get started, and offer a few Telegram alternatives. We will also show you some easy-to-use Telegram integrations that can be connected in minutes using IFTTT.

Benefits of Telegram

There are many reasons why Telegram remains a popular messaging application for users around the world. Some of these reasons include ease of use and the heavy encryption to ensure secure messaging.

Easy to use

Telegram mirrors other chat apps and tools so it is easy to get started. New users need to sign up using their phone number that allows them to authenticate their account via a text security code.

Works over wifi

Telegram is great for international conversations between otherwise incompatible devices as it relies on data or wifi to send messages.

Sync chats across multiple devices

Telegram syncs conversations across multiple devices, perfect for users who prefer to send and receive messages on their mobile and desktop devices.

Privacy in chats

Telegram messages are encrypted and can self-destruct. Further. There are settings users can enable additional encryption as well.

What can you do with Telegram?

As with most messaging apps you can communicate with others in many ways, including:

-> Send and receive messages

-> Make voice and video calls

-> Share media

How to use Telegram

Make an account

All Telegram users must have an account in order to send and receive messages. Download the iOS, Android, or Desktop app, and follow the instructions to sign up. You will need to input your phone number and enter the verification code that is sent to you.

Start a Telegram one-on-one chat

To send a message, select the relevant contact or chat and type in your message in the chat box at the bottom of the conversation screen. All of your conversations are encrypted between your device and Telegram's servers and then from Telegram's servers and the recipient. Those messages aren't entirely secret, though. Telegram will still have the ability to read all of your messages unless they are in a Secret Chat.

Start a Telegram group conversation

You can create a new group conversation by clicking on New Group and selecting multiple contacts from your contact list. Groups can contain up to 200,000 members, but groups of that size cannot be end-to-end encrypted. Again, anything said in a group chat can be read by Telegram.

Start a Telegram Secret Chat

If you desire privacy, Telegram has the ability to set up Secret Chats with your friends. These chats are entirely encrypted from your device to your friends and Telegram does not have the ability to read these conversations.

To start a Secret Chat, tap the pencil icon and then select the contact to message. Tap the user's profile and then tap the three dots in the top right of the message. A drop down will open up and the option, "Start Secret Chat" will be near the bottom of the list. When you are messaging in a secret chat, your phone's screenshot functionality will be disabled and you can not forward secret chats to other users.

Telegram alternatives

Some alternatives to Telegram that are also accessible internationally include WhatsApp, Discord, LINE, and Signal. The messaging platform you choose will depend on your goals with the app, what the people you want to communicate with are already using, and the device(s) on which you want to access your messages.

Telegram integrations

Telegram’s open API makes it possible to integrate with thousands of web-based tools and applications. Luckily, IFTTT makes it easier than ever with our existing integration. Automate updates from different sources directly to your chat. Applets can also sync messages from Android Messages directly to Telegram.

If you have any questions about integrating IFTTT and Telegram, check out our help center guide here.

Try IFTTT

IFTTT is an easy-to-use automation platform that integrates with over 1000 services, including Telegram. Best of all, it’s free to get started and you can make your first automation in minutes. Try it yourself today!