Telegram's built-in proxy setting, explained for beginners

In plain English: Telegram has a proxy setting of its own, so you never need to touch your phone's or computer's network settings. Only Telegram uses the proxy; your browser and other apps keep their normal connection. Telegram understands three kinds of proxy, and the right one depends on your device:

• SOCKS5 is a general-purpose way of talking to a proxy. Every version of Telegram offers it, which makes it the one to use on a phone.
• HTTP is the standard web proxy type. Telegram Desktop lists it; the phone apps don't.
• MTProto is Telegram's own proxy format. It uses a "secret" key in place of a username and password, and you won't need it for this guide.

HTTP and SOCKS5 both come with every plan, so you're covered on all three apps.

Quick start in 3 steps

1. In Telegram, open Settings, then Data and Storage on a phone or Advanced on a computer, and find the proxy option.
2. Add a proxy: SOCKS5 on a phone, HTTP or SOCKS5 on desktop. Enter the server, port, username and password.
3. Switch the proxy on and wait for Telegram to report that it's connected.

Have these to hand

• Your server, port and login, copied from the dashboard. Host and server mean the same thing here, and you can skip the login if your access works by IP whitelisting. Haven't ordered yet? Compare our proxy types first.
• Details that match the type you pick. If your dashboard lists separate ports for HTTP and SOCKS5, use the port for the type you select in Telegram.
• An up-to-date Telegram app, because menu names move around a little between versions.

On an Android phone

1. Open Telegram, tap the menu button (three lines, top left) and choose Settings.
2. Tap Data and Storage.
3. Scroll down to Proxy Settings and tap it.
4. Tap Add Proxy and choose SOCKS5.
5. Fill in Server and Port, then Username and Password if you have them.
6. Tap the tick in the corner to save, and make sure Use Proxy is switched on.

On an iPhone or iPad

1. Open Telegram and tap Settings at the bottom right.
2. Tap Data and Storage, then Proxy.
3. Tap Add Proxy and pick SOCKS5.
4. Type the server and port, plus your username and password if your proxy asks for them.
5. Tap Done, then turn the proxy on with its switch.

On a computer (Telegram Desktop)

1. Click the menu button (three lines) and open Settings.
2. Choose Advanced.
3. Click Connection type, then Use custom proxy.
4. Pick HTTP or SOCKS5 and enter the hostname, the port and, if needed, your username and password.
5. Click Save. Telegram then shows a small shield icon to tell you a proxy is in use.

A handy extra on desktop: you can keep several proxies saved and switch between them, and Telegram shows the ping (how long the proxy takes to respond) beside each one, so you can see at a glance which responds faster.

Find out which IP Telegram is using

Telegram tells you whether the proxy connected, but not which IP address the outside world sees. To check that, test the same details somewhere that shows the address. A browser set up with the proxy can open our What is my IP page, or you can run this one-line test on a computer (Terminal on a Mac, Command Prompt on Windows), putting your HTTP details in place of the capitals:

curl -x "http://USER:PASS@HOST:PORT" https://api.ipify.org

When the answer is the proxy's address, your username and password are correct and will work in Telegram too. Our proxy checker is another quick way to confirm the proxy is up. Bear in mind that a proxy added in Telegram is for Telegram only; your browser won't use it unless you set it up there separately.

Which type should I pick?

Telegram keeps its connection open for hours at a time, so a steady address matters more than raw speed.

• Everyday messaging: residential proxies give you an address from a home internet connection, a sensible default for an app you leave running all day.
• If a residential address still gives you trouble: step up to residential premium.
• A quick, low-cost test: datacenter proxies.

All four types, with their prices, are on the pricing page.

Common mistakes

• Looking for HTTP on a phone. The phone apps list SOCKS5 and MTProto only. Use your SOCKS5 details there.
• Picking MTProto by accident. It asks for a "secret" rather than a login. If you see that box, go back and choose SOCKS5.
• Stuck on "Connecting". Usually a wrong server or port, or a login that doesn't match. Run the test above to find out whether the proxy or the app is at fault.
• Sluggish messages. Try a different proxy or type. On desktop, compare the ping figures Telegram shows for each saved proxy.
• Using IP whitelisting? Leave the username and password empty, and make sure the public IP you're connecting from is on your dashboard's list. A new network means a new IP to add.

Is this allowed?

Running Telegram through a proxy is an ordinary privacy and connection choice, and it's fine for protecting your connection and using your own account. It's not for getting round a ban on your account, sending spam, abusing the service or anything else that breaks Telegram's terms of service. Keeping to the rules protects your account and keeps the proxy addresses in good standing. Local laws on messaging apps and proxies vary, so check yours if you're not sure.

Beginner questions

Does Telegram use up my proxy data quickly?

Text messages are tiny. Photos and videos aren't, and while the proxy is on they travel through it like everything else in Telegram. If your plan is small, look at Automatic Media Download under Data and Storage and switch off what you don't need.

Do my other apps use Telegram's proxy?

No. The setting lives inside Telegram, so the rest of your device uses its normal connection.

Can I turn the proxy off quickly?

Yes. Switch it off in the same proxy screen and Telegram connects directly again. Your saved details stay there for next time.