Understanding Telegram's Contacts and Private Chat Features

Conclusion: Telegram does not have a 'friends' feature; instead, communication is facilitated through contacts, groups, and channels. Understanding Telegram's contact management and private chat functionalities can help you better protect your privacy and enhance your overall user experience.

Telegram's Contacts

• Concept of Contacts
  Telegram does not have the concept of "friends," and therefore, there's no 'add friend' feature. Users interact with each other through 'Contacts'.

• One-way and Two-way Contacts
  Telegram's contacts are categorised into one-way and two-way contacts.

  • Adding One-Way Contacts: Tap on the other person's profile information and select 'Add Contact'. The other party will not receive any notification and will not know that you have added them to your contact list.
  • Becoming Two-Way Contacts: A two-way connection is established between you and the other person only when they also add you as a contact.

• Privacy Settings
  When adding a contact, always ensure you uncheck "Share My Phone Number". If this option remains checked, your phone number will be visible to the other person.

  • If you have already added someone as a contact and enabled this option, you can disable sharing your phone number by navigating to "Settings → Privacy → Phone Number → Always Allow".
  • For better management, it is advisable to add frequently communicated contacts to your list. You can also modify their names or add notes for easy identification.

• Notification Mechanism
  Upon adding a contact, the other party will not receive any alerts or notifications, meaning they will not be aware that you have added them to your contacts.

Telegram's Private Chat Features

• Private Chats and Encrypted Conversations
  Telegram allows users to send direct private messages and engage in encrypted conversations without the need to add them as contacts. Currently, there are no restrictions preventing other users from initiating a private chat with you.

• How to Send Private Chats
  To send a direct private message, tap on the other person's profile information and select "Send Message". If you encounter a prompt stating, "You can only send messages to two-way contacts at the moment," there could be two reasons:

  1. Your mobile number is associated with the +86 country code. It is recommended to contact Telegram's official support to get it unlocked.
  2. Your account might be under official restrictions from Telegram.

• Using Links and Usernames
  Users can also send private messages by using the other person's unique link or by searching for their username, further enhancing the convenience of private communication.

By understanding Telegram's contact management and private chat functionalities, users can better safeguard their personal privacy and enhance their overall usage efficiency.