Overview of Official and Third-Party Telegram Clients
Conclusion
Telegram offers a range of official and third-party clients. Users need to exercise caution when choosing one to ensure security and privacy. Official clients are open-source, but some third-party clients might pose security risks.
Telegram Official Clients
Telegram currently offers the following official clients:
- iOS: Telegram, Telegram X (discontinued)
- Android: Telegram, Telegram X
- Windows: Telegram Desktop
- macOS: Telegram, Telegram Desktop/Lite
- Linux: Telegram Desktop
Telegram's official clients are open-source, meaning anyone can download their source code and compile or modify it to create new unofficial client applications. These unofficial clients might be maliciously altered, posing a risk of uploading user data to private servers. Therefore, extreme caution is advised when selecting a third-party client.
Secure Third-Party Clients
Currently, the following third-party clients are widely recognised as safe and free from malicious code:
- iOS: Intent (AI features), Swiftgram (developed by long-standing developers), iMe Messenger, Nicegram (increased ads after acquisition)
- Android: Intent (AI features), Plus Messenger (most downloaded)
- Windows: Unigram, Kotatogram
Special Note: On the Android platform, there's an app called "Telegram中文版" (Telegram Chinese Version). This is not an official client but a third-party application, and it includes paid "membership" features, so caution is advised when using it. Furthermore, when searching for "telegram中文版", the first few pages of results are often fake phishing websites, so please remain vigilant.
Client Sync and Language Support
Both official and unofficial clients can connect to Telegram servers, meaning groups, channels, and message content are synchronised in real-time. Telegram does not limit the number of clients or devices; users can view the same content across different clients and devices, with all messages fully synchronised.
Unofficial clients can also use Telegram's officially supported language packs, ensuring a consistent user experience.
More Information
For more details, please visit the Official Telegram website.