Telegram's updates are always jam-packed with thoughtful new features, and that's not different for the latest release the company has pushed to the stable channel, Telegram version 8.0.1. The release brings Facebook Messenger-like synced chat themes, interactive emoji, improved read receipts, and the option to record live streams and video chats.

One-to-one chats

The new themes are separate from the global theming options in your Telegram app settings, and instead refer to individual chats only. Telegram's designers have created a total of eight new themes (with many more to come) that can be applied to specific one-to-one conversations. Each of them comes with gradient message bubbles, animated backgrounds, and unique background patterns.

When you apply a theme, your conversation partner will also see the change on their end, making both of you feel more connected and also helping you avoid accidentally sending sensitive messages to the wrong chat.

Each of the themes comes with day and night versions, respecting your respective dark or light mode system settings. They can be set up by tapping a chat's header and then the three-dot menu, where you should find a new Change Colors option.

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Chat themes aren't the only thing Telegram wants to sync between you and your chat partner. When you're both online, you can share fullscreen emoji animations with each other, complete with vibrations. Telegram writes, "Send a single 🎆 🎉 🎈 👍 💩 or ❤️ to any private chat, then tap on the animated emoji to unleash a fullscreen effect."

Group chats

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For group chats, this release brings improved read receipts, as we've already spotted in the beta. As before, a group message is marked as read with two checkmarks as soon as only one member of the group sees it. But now, you can also tap and hold the message to view who exactly has seen the message and who hasn't, in case you need to make sure everyone is on the same page with a date you're trying to set up. Telegram automatically deletes these read receipts from its servers after seven days for privacy reasons. The company says that read receipts are only live for "small groups," but doesn't specify what exactly qualifies as small. The screenshot shows a 12-member group, for what it's worth.

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Telegram has also added the option to record live streams and video chats, giving members who missed the show or lecture a chance to catch up with everyone else. Only group admins can start a recording, with options to only save the audio or both video and audio. Before they start, they need to choose an orientation for the video file, portrait or landscape. While recording, a red dot will appear next to the title of the broadcast, and once the event is finished, the file will be saved and automatically uploaded to the admin's saved messages.

Technical stuff

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has additionally shared that the new Telegram version is the first to use a 64-bit storage architecture for chats, messages, and scripts. That's because "Telegram had been quickly approaching the maximum number of 32-bit IDs, which is about 2.1 billion," as he writes. The new update will thus allow the chat app to continue to grow, as it makes room for many more users and groups to come.

A side effect of the update is that Telegram has to rebuild its local database on your phone to work with the new 64-bit system. That's why it might take a minute or two until the app is ready to use when you first open it following the update.

Telegram is additionally investigating some connection issues Android users have reported following the update. If you're facing the problem, logging out and back in should fix it, but Telegram is working on an update that will mitigate the problem completely.


As always, the new Telegram update is rolling out on the Play Store as we speak. If it's not available for you yet, you can also get the app from APK Mirror.

[appbox googleplay org.telegram.messenger]