Telegram 5.5 Adds the Ability to Unsend Messages at Anytime, Anonymous Forwarding, GIF Search, and More

Privacy-focused messaging app, Telegram, has received a new stable which brings a ton of new features to the app. Among the key new features arriving on the app is the ability to delete messages in a private conversation for both the sender as well as a recipient without any time limit. Moreover, one can now forward messages anonymously by preventing anyone from tracing it back to the sender's profile. Users can now choose also choose who can view their profile picture. A search feature has been added to the app's Settings section. Moreover, large GIF files and videos will now be streamed, instead of making users wait for them to download.

The new features and UI changes are now live on the Telegram app for Android (v5.5) and iOS (v5.5). Telegram's unsend feature for deleting sent messages has been quite useful, but it only allowed users to delete messages within 48 hours of sending it. Now, one can delete messages for the sender and the recipient in a private conversation without any time limit. This can be done by simply long-pressing on a message and tapping on the delete button.

Another nifty privacy feature is anonymous forwarding, which prevents other people from tracking a forwarded message to the sender's account. Users can specify – between contacts, nobody, and everybody – as to who can add a link to their account in a forwarded message. There is also an option to restrict a select few users from doing so. Once this feature is enabled, tapping on the original sender's name in the ‘From' field will lead nowhere. Moreover, rotating the phone while watching an auto-play video will automatically switch the view to full-screen mode.

There is also a new tool that lets users control who can view their profile picture. For more ease, the Telegram app's Settings section has now gained support for a search feature, allowing users to easily find the tools they are looking for, and also find answers to queries listed in the app's FAQ section. The GIF, emoji, and sticker search panel has also been redesigned and some features have been added too. Also, users can now control whether they want to receive notifications from all accounts, in case they have multiple Telegram profiles. Call quality has also been improved.

For voice-based control, the Telegram app for Android has gained support for TalkBack while the iOS version has gained support for VoiceOver as an accessibility feature. Another useful feature is the GIF and video streaming. Users will no longer have to wait for a large GIF or video file to download before they can watch it in action. The Telegram app will now natively stream it, allowing users to watch the GIFs and videos as soon as they receive them. For example, users can now quickly preview a GIF by long pressing on it.

Moreover, all sticker packs one has downloaded now come with a dedicated icon, making it easier to find the right one. Additionally, the app will now automatically suggest the relevant emoji based on the first word users type in the message field. Also, one can now use keywords in multiple languages to find the right emoji on the app's Android version. Also, emojis sent without an accompanying text will appear larger on the Telegram app for Android. This feature will soon be available on the app's Android version and will soon arrive on the iOS version too.

March 26, 2019