Overview of Official and Third-Party Telegram Clients
Conclusion
Telegram offers various official and third-party clients, and users should exercise caution when choosing to ensure security and privacy protection. Official clients are open-source, while some third-party clients may 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 modified, posing a risk of uploading user data to private servers. Therefore, extreme caution is needed when choosing third-party clients.
Secure Third-Party Clients
Currently, the following third-party clients are widely recognized as safe and free of malicious code:
- iOS: Intent (AI features), Swiftgram (reputable developer), 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 is an app called "Telegram中文版" (Telegram Chinese Version). This is not an official client, but a third-party app that includes paid "membership" features. Use with caution. Furthermore, when searching for "telegram中文版," the top results are often fake phishing websites; please remain vigilant.
Client Synchronization and Language Support
Both official and unofficial clients can connect to Telegram servers, so groups, channels, and message content are all synchronized in real-time. Telegram does not limit the number of clients and devices; users can view the same content across different clients and devices, with all messages fully synchronized.
Unofficial clients can also use language packs officially supported by Telegram, ensuring a consistent user experience.
More Information
For more details, please visit Telegram's official website.