Telegram Android App Unveils iOS-Inspired UI Overhaul

Telegram released a significant update to its Android application on February 6, 2026, incorporating user interface elements borrowed from its iOS counterpart.

Credit: X/@AbhishekYadav

The changes include a reduced header height at the top of the app, where the label remains alongside access to Stories, and the hamburger menu shifts from the left side to the right for improved reachability.

Developers repositioned the search function into a full bar instead of an icon, and for users with chat folders, labels now appear within rounded pill shapes.

A new floating navigation bar at the bottom features four tabs for Chats, Contacts, Settings, and Profile.

The Settings page receives simplifications to ease navigation, complete with a dedicated search icon.

Rounded cards appear throughout the interface, paired with blurred and translucent backgrounds, softer icons, and increased spacing for a modern aesthetic.

Telegram Updated UI for Android. Credit: Tarun Vats

All of this new design draws from the Liquid Glass style, which includes transparent elements and refraction effects, allowing users to adjust visual intensity via Power Saving options to conserve battery.

The rollout follows an earlier January 3, 2026, update that implemented Liquid Glass fully on iOS.

Telegram's Android version now mirrors aspects of that iOS implementation, marking a shift toward unified visuals across platforms.

Telegram Updated UI for Android. Credit: Tarun Vats

Stories, once exclusive to premium accounts, are open to all users with this update, permitting one post per day for non-premium holders from the Chats screen using photos, videos, or gallery selections.

Customization tools encompass drawings, stickers, links, locations, weather data, and audio additions, while privacy settings restrict visibility to everyone, contacts, close friends, or selected individuals.

Expired Stories on Telegram now save to a dedicated album for ongoing access.