How to Set a Custom Emoji Status on Telegram

An emoji status is a small emoji shown next to your name in chats, your profile and group member lists. It is a Telegram Premium feature. To set one, open your settings or tap the Premium star next to your name, choose an emoji from the list, and it appears straight away. Press and hold an emoji instead of tapping it to make the status expire after a set time.

This guide covers the steps on each platform, timed statuses, using custom emoji packs and collectible gifts, statuses set by Mini Apps, what changes when Premium ends, and why the option sometimes does not appear.

What an emoji status is, and who sees it

When you subscribe to Telegram Premium, a small star badge appears next to your name. An emoji status replaces that badge with an emoji of your choice. People see it:

• next to your name in their chat list;
• at the top of your profile;
• beside your name in groups where you post or appear in the member list.

It is a quick way to say something without a word: a plane while you travel, a coffee cup while you are in a café, a laptop while you are working, or a logo you like. Telegram's announcement of the feature presents it as exactly that, a status people can read at a glance.

The status is visible to anyone who can see your name. It is not covered by privacy settings in the way your last seen time or profile photo are. If you would not want a stranger in a large group to see it, pick something neutral.

Before you start

• You need Telegram Premium. Without it, the option to set an emoji status is not available, apart from a few cases noted below. See Telegram Premium vs free for what Premium includes, and check the Premium screen in the app for the current price, which varies by platform and country.
• Update the app. Newer status features, such as wearing collectible gifts, need a recent version.
• Statuses sync across devices. Set it on your phone and it appears on your computer too, because it is part of your profile, not a device setting.

How to set an emoji status

On Android

1. Open Telegram and tap the menu (three lines).
2. Tap the Premium star or status icon next to your name at the top of the menu. Alternatively, open Settings and look for the option to set or change your emoji status.
3. A panel of emoji opens. Scroll through the suggestions or search.
4. Tap an emoji to set it with no end time.
5. Check your profile to see it next to your name.

On iPhone and iPad

1. Tap the Premium star or status shown next to your name at the top of the chat list, or open Settings and tap the status option near your name.
2. Pick an emoji from the panel.
3. Tap to set it, or press and hold to choose a duration.

On Telegram Desktop

1. Open the main menu (three lines).
2. Click the status icon next to your name, or the option to set an emoji status.
3. Choose an emoji from the panel. Desktop also offers duration options for statuses.

If you cannot find the entry point, tapping or clicking the star next to your own name is the most consistent way in across apps.

Making a status expire on its own

Statuses are most useful when they are temporary. A "busy" status left on for three weeks tells people nothing. Telegram lets you set an end time so the status clears itself.

1. Open the status panel as above.
2. Instead of tapping an emoji, press and hold it (on Desktop, look for the duration options when choosing).
3. Pick how long the status should last from the options shown, such as an hour or a few days, or set a custom time if offered.
4. When the time is up, the status disappears and your normal Premium badge returns.

Example: before a long flight, you hold the plane emoji and choose a duration that covers the trip. Friends who message you see the plane next to your name and know why you are slow to reply, and you do not have to remember to remove it when you land.

Using custom emoji packs

The status panel is not limited to the standard emoji keyboard. Premium users can use custom emoji, including animated ones, from Telegram's own packs and from packs made by other people and brands.

1. Open the status panel.
2. Scroll past the recent and suggested emoji to the custom packs you have added.
3. Pick any emoji from those packs.

To get more choice, add custom emoji packs when you see them in messages: tap a custom emoji someone sent and choose to view or add its pack. Creating your own pack is possible too; see how to create a custom emoji pack on Telegram. A small personal pack with your own logo or initials makes a distinctive status.

Wearing a collectible gift as your status

Telegram gifts can be upgraded into unique collectibles. If you own an upgraded gift, you can wear it as your status. Telegram's announcement of the feature describes the effect: the gift's symbol becomes your status, gets a special glitter effect, and your profile's colours and pattern change to match the gift's backdrop.

1. Open your profile and find your gifts.
2. Open the collectible you want to wear.
3. Choose the option to wear it.

To stop, choose the option to take it off, or set a different status. Wearing a gift does not move or sell it. For more on how gifts work, see Telegram gifts explained.

Statuses set by Mini Apps

Mini Apps, the web apps that run inside Telegram, can offer to set your status. A game might set a controller while you play; a taxi app might set a car while your ride is on its way. Telegram's developer documentation describes this, including an optional time limit.

A Mini App cannot change your status silently. It asks, and Telegram shows you a confirmation with the emoji it wants to set. You can decline. Some apps ask for permission to manage your status in future. If you change your mind, look for that permission in the Mini App's settings or menu inside Telegram, or simply stop using the app. If an app keeps changing your status in ways you do not want, set your own status again and revoke its access. The guide to Telegram Mini Apps explains what Mini Apps can and cannot do.

Emoji statuses for channels

Channels can also show an emoji status next to their name. This is unlocked through boosts rather than an owner's Premium, once the channel reaches the boost level Telegram requires for it. The channel's boost and appearance settings show which features are available at each level. If you run a channel and want a status, the guide to channel boosts explains how boosts work and what they unlock.

Using a status well

A status works best when it answers a question people would otherwise ask you. A few patterns that work:

• Availability. A moon at night, a laptop during focus time, a plane while travelling. Pair it with a duration so it never goes stale.
• Work and community roles. If you moderate a big group or run a channel, a consistent status, such as your project's custom emoji, helps members recognise you in long member lists. Keep it the same for a while, so people learn it.
• Events. A temporary status for a launch, a holiday or a live stream signals what is happening without a post.

Two cautions. First, a status can reveal more than you mean: a plane emoji tells every group you are in that you are away from home. If that matters, choose something vague. Second, in professional chats, an animated or jokey status can distract. Many people keep a calm status for daytime and something playful for evenings, switching with the duration option rather than by memory.

Removing or changing your status

1. Open the status panel the same way you set it.
2. Pick a different emoji to change it, or choose the option to reset it to the default Premium badge.

A timed status clears itself; you can still remove it early.

What happens when Premium ends

If your Premium subscription or gift expires, your custom status is removed and your name appears without a badge. A collectible gift you wore is no longer shown as a status, but you still own the gift. When you renew Premium, you can set a status again. See how to cancel Telegram Premium for what else changes when Premium ends.

Why the option is missing

You do not have Premium

The most common reason. Check Settings: if there is no Premium badge next to your name, statuses are not available. A gifted Premium period counts the same as a paid one.

The app is out of date

Update Telegram from your app store or Telegram's website. Collectible statuses and some duration options need recent versions.

You are looking in the wrong place

Each app puts the entry point slightly differently. Tap the star next to your own name in the menu or settings; that consistently opens the status panel.

The status shows on one device but not another

The other device may need an update to show newer emoji, especially animated custom ones. Restart the app on that device.

Common mistakes

• Treating the status as private. Everyone who sees your name sees it, including strangers in big groups.
• Leaving a temporary status on for weeks. Use the press-and-hold duration option instead.
• Approving every Mini App request. Read what the app wants to set, and decline if it does not suit you.
• Expecting statuses without Premium. Apart from channel boosts, the feature belongs to Premium.
• Confusing a status with the verification badge. An emoji status, even a tick-shaped one, is decoration chosen by the user. It says nothing about whether an account is official. See how to get verified on Telegram for what real verification looks like.

FAQ

Can I set an emoji status without Telegram Premium?

Not for a personal account in general. The feature is part of Premium. Channels can unlock a status through boosts instead.

Can people tell how long my status will last?

They see the emoji, not the end time. When it expires, it simply disappears.

Can I use any emoji, including animated ones?

Yes, with Premium you can use standard emoji and custom emoji from packs you have added, including animated ones.

Does wearing a collectible gift cost anything?

No. If you already own the upgraded gift, wearing it as your status is free and does not transfer it.

Can someone fake an official look with a status?

Someone could choose an emoji that resembles a badge, which is why you should never trust a status as proof of identity. Check for Telegram's real verification mark and the account's username instead.

Summary

With Telegram Premium, tap the star next to your name, pick any emoji or custom emoji, and it appears beside your name everywhere. Press and hold to make it expire on its own. You can also wear a collectible gift, accept statuses from Mini Apps you trust, and give channels a status through boosts. When Premium ends, the status goes away until you renew.