Telegram Stuck on "Connecting" or "Updating": Fixes

When Telegram is stuck on "Connecting", the app cannot reach Telegram's servers, even if your phone has internet. "Updating" means it has connected and is catching up on what you missed, and it should clear on its own. The most common causes are a weak or filtered network, a forgotten proxy or VPN, battery and data restrictions on your phone, or Telegram being blocked or briefly down.

This guide explains each status message, gives a quick test to narrow down the cause, and then walks through the fixes one cause at a time for Android, iPhone, Telegram Desktop and Telegram Web.

What each status message means

Telegram shows a small status where the title normally sits at the top of the chat list. Each one tells you something different.

"Waiting for network"

Your device reports no internet connection at all. Telegram has nothing to try. The fix is your Wi-Fi or mobile data, not the app.

"Connecting"

Your device has a network, but Telegram cannot complete a connection to its servers. Something between you and Telegram is failing: a slow or filtered network, a broken proxy, a VPN, or a block on Telegram's traffic.

"Connecting to proxy"

You have a proxy enabled in Telegram's settings, and Telegram cannot reach it. Either the proxy is down, the address is wrong, or the network blocks it. This is one of the most common causes of endless connecting.

"Updating"

Telegram has connected and is downloading the changes since you were last online: new messages, edits, deletions and chat list changes. After a long time offline, or if you are in many busy chats, this can take a while. If it lasts more than a few minutes, something is slowing the sync.

Knowing which message you see already halves the list of possible causes. Note it down before you start.

How Telegram connects, and why that matters for the fixes

Most apps open a web connection each time they need something. Telegram works differently. It keeps a long-lived connection open to its servers, using its own protocol, so new messages can arrive instantly. Your account and files belong to a particular data centre, and the app talks to that one and, for some media, to others.

Three consequences explain most "Connecting" problems:

• Telegram can fail while websites work. A network that only lets ordinary web traffic through, or that blocks Telegram's addresses, will load web pages but leave Telegram connecting. That is why "the internet works" does not rule out the network.
• Any interruption restarts the process. On a connection that drops for a second every minute, Telegram has to reconnect each time, then "Update" again. A flaky network looks like a Telegram problem.
• A proxy replaces the route completely. When a proxy is enabled, every connection goes through it. Telegram supports two kinds in its settings, SOCKS5 and its own MTProto proxy type. Either kind, if dead, stops the app.

Keep these in mind and the fixes below will feel logical rather than random.

Before you start

• Do not log out yet. Logging out while Telegram cannot connect means you cannot log back in until it can, and you would need the login code. Leave logging out for the end, and only if you know your two-step verification password.
• Check whether it is just you. Ask someone else on a different network whether Telegram works for them. If it does not, it may be a Telegram outage and you can simply wait.
• Have a second network ready. Being able to switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data is the single most useful test.

A five-minute test to find the cause

1. Open a website in your browser. If nothing loads, the problem is your internet, not Telegram.
2. Switch networks: from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or the other way round. If Telegram connects instantly on the other network, the first network is blocking or slowing it.
3. Check for a proxy: open Settings, then Data and Storage, and find the proxy settings. If one is enabled, turn it off and wait thirty seconds.
4. Turn off any VPN and test again.
5. Try Telegram on another device on the same network. If both fail, it is the network. If only one fails, it is that device.

Most cases are solved or clearly identified by step 3.

Cause 1: A forgotten or broken proxy

How to recognise it. The status says "Connecting to proxy", or a shield icon appears in the chat list header. You may have set up a proxy months ago for travel, or tapped a proxy link someone shared.

Why it breaks. Telegram supports proxies inside the app so people can reach it where it is blocked. Free proxies, especially ones shared in public channels, often stop working within hours or days. When the proxy disappears, Telegram keeps trying it and never connects directly.

Fix on Android and iPhone

1. Open Settings, then Data and Storage.
2. Open the proxy settings.
3. Turn off "Use proxy". If several proxies are saved, you can delete the ones you do not need.
4. Wait up to a minute for Telegram to reconnect directly.

Fix on Telegram Desktop

1. Open Settings, then Advanced.
2. Find the connection type or proxy setting.
3. Choose to use no proxy, or the system's settings, depending on what you need.

If it does not work. If you need a proxy because Telegram is restricted where you are, the saved one may simply be dead. Use a proxy from a source you trust, and avoid random lists. A proxy operator can see connection details, and some run proxies to collect data. Our guide to setting up a Telegram proxy explains how to choose one safely.

Cause 2: Your Wi-Fi or mobile network

How to recognise it. Telegram connects on one network but not on another. Websites may load slowly too. It happens at home but not at work, or the other way round.

Fix it step by step

1. Toggle Wi-Fi off and on, or turn on aeroplane mode for ten seconds and off again. This forces a fresh connection.
2. Restart your router by switching it off for half a minute.
3. If you are on public Wi-Fi in a café, hotel or airport, open a browser and check for a sign-in page. Until you accept it, apps cannot connect.
4. On mobile data, check that the signal is not dropping between bars, especially indoors.
5. On Android, if you have a private DNS setting configured, try setting it to automatic as a test.

If it does not work. Some networks block messaging apps on purpose. Schools, offices and some public networks do this. Use mobile data instead or ask the network administrator.

Cause 3: A VPN interfering

How to recognise it. Telegram connects when the VPN is off and fails when it is on, or the reverse. Some VPN servers block or slow certain traffic.

Fix it step by step

1. Turn the VPN off and test.
2. If you need the VPN, switch to a different server or location.
3. Check whether the VPN app has a setting to exclude certain apps (often called split tunnelling). Excluding Telegram lets it connect directly.
4. Make sure you are not running both a VPN and a Telegram proxy. Two tunnels stacked on each other often fail.

If it does not work. Try another reputable VPN provider. Be cautious of free VPNs from unknown developers; some sell your data.

Cause 4: Telegram is blocked or restricted on your network or in your country

How to recognise it. Telegram never connects on any device on a particular provider, but works abroad or through a proxy or VPN. Friends using the same provider have the same problem.

What is going on. Some providers and countries restrict Telegram, fully or partially. Partial restrictions are confusing: the app may connect occasionally, messages may send but media may not load, or the status may switch between "Connecting" and "Updating" repeatedly.

What you can do

1. Confirm by testing on a different provider.
2. If Telegram is restricted where you are, Telegram's built-in proxy support is designed for this. A reliable proxy or VPN usually works.
3. Check local laws before using a proxy or VPN. This is general information, not legal advice.

If it does not work. Restrictions change. A method that worked last week may stop. Keep two working options rather than relying on one.

Cause 5: Your phone restricting Telegram in the background

How to recognise it. Telegram works while open, but every time you return to it, it says "Connecting" or "Updating" for a while. Notifications arrive late or in bursts. Our guide on notifications not working covers that side in detail.

Fix on Android

1. Open your phone's Settings, then Apps, then Telegram.
2. Under Battery, choose unrestricted or "don't optimise".
3. Under Mobile data, allow background data.
4. If Data Saver is on in the system settings, add Telegram to the unrestricted list.
5. Some phone makers have extra lists for auto-start or protected apps. Add Telegram there.

Fix on iPhone

1. In the iPhone Settings app, open Telegram and turn on Background App Refresh.
2. Make sure Telegram has permission to use mobile data.
3. Turn off Low Power Mode if it is on.
4. Check Low Data Mode under Mobile Data options and for your Wi-Fi network.

If it does not work. Some delay after opening the app is normal on iPhone, because iOS limits background activity. A few seconds of "Updating" is expected. Long waits every time are not.

Cause 6: Wrong date and time on your device

How to recognise it. Other apps also show certificate warnings or sign-in problems. The clock on your phone or computer is visibly wrong, or the time zone is incorrect.

Why it matters. Secure connections rely on devices agreeing on the time. A clock that is far off can make connections fail in ways that look like network problems.

Fix it

1. Open your device's date and time settings.
2. Turn on automatic date and time and automatic time zone.
3. Restart Telegram.

If it does not work. If automatic time is already on and correct, this is not your cause. Move on.

Cause 7: An outdated or corrupted app

How to recognise it. Other people on the same network connect fine. Your app has not been updated in a long time, or it started failing right after a phone update.

Fix it step by step

1. Update Telegram from your app store, or from Telegram's website for Desktop.
2. Restart the device.
3. Clear Telegram's cache from the storage usage screen in Data and Storage. Cached media is safe to clear, because your cloud chats and files stay on Telegram's servers and download again when needed. Clearing it also removes damaged temporary files that can make the app misbehave.
4. As a last resort, reinstall the app. Before you do, make sure you can log back in: you will need access to your phone number or another logged-in device for the code, and your two-step verification password if you set one. Secret chats live only on the device and will be lost.

If it does not work. Try Telegram Desktop or Telegram Web on another device. If those connect, the problem is specific to the first device's app.

Cause 8: A Telegram outage

How to recognise it. Telegram fails on every network and every device, and people in other places report the same thing at the same time. Sometimes only some features fail, such as media loading or messages sending in one region.

What to do

1. Wait. Outages are usually short.
2. Avoid reinstalling or logging out during an outage. It will not help, and you may struggle to log back in until service returns.
3. Check Telegram's own official channels once it is back for any announcement.

Cause 9: "Updating" that never finishes

Sometimes Telegram connects but stays on "Updating" for a long time. This is a separate problem from connecting.

Why it happens. Telegram must download every change since you were last online. If you have been offline for days and belong to many busy groups and channels, there is a lot to fetch. A slow or unstable connection makes it worse, because the sync restarts each time the connection drops.

Fix it step by step

1. Keep the app open on a stable network and let it finish. Do not keep switching apps.
2. Archive or leave groups you no longer read. Fewer busy chats means less to sync next time. Archiving keeps them out of the main list without leaving.
3. Check free storage. A device with almost no space can struggle to save the update.
4. Turn off automatic media downloads in Data and Storage while syncing, so bandwidth goes to the sync rather than to photos and videos.

If it does not work. Restart the device and open Telegram on Wi-Fi. If it still cycles between "Connecting" and "Updating", the connection is dropping, so go back to causes 1 to 4.

Cause 10: Filters, parental controls and blockers

How to recognise it. Telegram fails on one network or one device while everything else is fine, and you or someone in your household has set up filtering. This includes parental control apps, router-level family filters, DNS-based ad or tracker blockers, and security apps that "protect" messaging.

Why it happens. These tools often block messaging apps or unfamiliar addresses by default. Telegram's servers may sit on a block list, or the tool may inspect traffic in a way Telegram's connection does not survive.

Fix it step by step

1. List every filter on the path: apps on the phone, settings in the router, DNS services configured on the network.
2. Pause them one at a time and test Telegram after each.
3. When you find the one responsible, add Telegram as an allowed app or allow its traffic, rather than switching the whole filter off.
4. On a computer, check the firewall and antivirus logs for Telegram being blocked, especially after an update that changed the app's file.

If it does not work. If the filter is managed by someone else, such as a school or employer, ask them. Do not try to get round controls on a device you do not own.

What happens to messages you send while connecting

People worry that messages typed during "Connecting" are lost. They usually are not.

• A message you send while offline shows a clock icon. It waits on your device and goes out as soon as Telegram reconnects.
• If sending fails for good, Telegram marks the message with an error sign. Tap it to resend or delete it.
• Edits and deletions you make while offline are also queued and applied after reconnecting, though there can be a short delay.

What to avoid: do not reinstall the app or clear its data while messages show a clock icon. Unsent messages exist only on your device until they are delivered, so wiping the app deletes them. For what the ticks mean once a message is sent, see one tick and two ticks on Telegram.

Stuck on "Connecting" at the login screen

If Telegram cannot connect while you are trying to log in, you will usually see the phone number screen spin, or the code never arrives.

1. Fix the connection first, using the causes above. A login cannot complete without it.
2. Check proxy settings, which are reachable from the login screen in many versions through a small icon or menu.
3. Wait before requesting codes again. Asking for many codes in a row can trigger a temporary limit, which looks like yet another failure. Our guide to too many attempts explains those limits.
4. If the code still does not arrive once connected, read Telegram not sending the login code.

Never give the login code to anyone who offers to fix the connection for you. Telegram support does not ask for it.

When only part of Telegram works

Sometimes Telegram is not fully stuck. Text messages send, but photos never load, or one chat shows an endless spinner while others are fine. That points to a partial problem rather than a missing connection.

• Media will not load, text works. Media can come from a different data centre than your chats. A partial block, a weak proxy, or an issue with one data centre can affect media only. Test on another network to tell which.
• One chat or channel never loads. The chat may be restricted in your region or on your platform; see "This channel can't be displayed". Or it may be very large and still loading on a slow connection.
• Status flips between "Connecting" and "Updating". The connection is being made and lost repeatedly. This is almost always a network or tunnel issue, not the app.

Platform-specific notes

Telegram Desktop

Telegram Desktop has its own connection settings, separate from your phone. A proxy set on the phone does not apply to Desktop and the other way round. In Advanced settings, check the connection type. Some versions offer an option to try connecting over IPv6; if your network has IPv6 problems, switching it off can help, and if your network only works well over IPv6, switching it on can help. Firewalls and antivirus software on computers sometimes block Telegram after an update, so check that Telegram is allowed through.

Telegram Web

Telegram Web runs in a browser. Browser extensions such as ad blockers, privacy tools and script blockers can stop it connecting. Try a private window with extensions disabled. Corporate networks often block web messaging, so test on another network.

Android

Android gives the most control and the most places for a setting to interfere: battery optimisation, Data Saver, private DNS, and maker-specific app managers. If a fix works and then stops after a while, the phone's battery manager is usually closing Telegram again.

iPhone

On iPhone the main controls are Background App Refresh, Low Power Mode and Low Data Mode. If Telegram connects quickly while open but always "Updates" for a while when you return, that is largely iOS limiting background work.

What to do next if nothing works

If you have worked through every cause and Telegram still will not connect:

1. Write down what you tested: which networks, which devices, proxy and VPN on or off, app version, and which status message you see.
2. Try Telegram on a completely different device and network, such as a friend's phone on their home Wi-Fi, using Telegram Web. If you can log in there, your account is fine and the problem is local to your setup.
3. Use Telegram's in-app support option in the settings once you can connect anywhere, and include your notes. A specific report gets a better answer.
4. Keep trying the network that worked best in your tests while you wait.

Keep a backup way in

Connection problems are much less stressful if you prepare before they happen. A few minutes now saves a lot of worry later.

• Stay logged in on a second device. A computer with Telegram Desktop gives you a way to receive login codes if your phone app breaks.
• Set a two-step verification password and a recovery email. If you ever need to reinstall, the password protects the account and the email helps you reset it.
• Know which proxy you use and why. If you rely on one, keep a second trusted option saved, and remove dead ones.
• Update regularly. Old versions occasionally lose the ability to connect when Telegram changes its servers or protocol.

Worked examples

Example: the holiday proxy

Example only. Leo set up a free proxy while on holiday in a country where Telegram was restricted. Back home a month later, Telegram is stuck on "Connecting to proxy".

1. He sees the word "proxy" in the status, which points straight to cause 1.
2. He opens Data and Storage and turns off "Use proxy".
3. Telegram connects directly within seconds.

He then deletes the old proxy so it cannot be re-enabled by accident.

Example: the office network

Example only. Aisha's Telegram works at home but is stuck on "Connecting" at work, on her phone and laptop alike.

1. She turns off Wi-Fi on her phone and uses mobile data. Telegram connects.
2. This shows that the office network blocks Telegram.
3. She keeps using mobile data at work rather than trying to bypass the company's rules.

Example: the endless update

Example only. Ben returns from two weeks without internet. Telegram says "Updating" for many minutes.

1. He connects to stable Wi-Fi and leaves the app open.
2. He turns off automatic video downloads while it syncs.
3. After the sync, he archives a dozen busy groups he no longer reads, so future syncs are faster.

Quick checklist

• Which status do you see: waiting for network, connecting, connecting to proxy, or updating?
• Do websites load?
• Does Telegram connect on a different network?
• Is a Telegram proxy enabled?
• Is a VPN running?
• Is Telegram allowed to run and use data in the background?
• Is the date and time set automatically?
• Is the app up to date?
• Is anyone else reporting the same problem?

Common mistakes

• Logging out to "reset" the app. If Telegram cannot connect, you also cannot log back in. Logging out is the last step, never the first.
• Reinstalling without your two-step password. If you forgot it, you may lock yourself out. Check first; see two-step verification.
• Collecting proxies from random channels. Many stop working quickly, and some are run by people who want your data.
• Stacking a VPN and a proxy. Two tunnels often fail together. Use one.
• Changing everything at once. Make one change, wait a minute, test. Otherwise you will not know what fixed it.
• Sharing your login code for "help". Nobody who fixes a connection problem needs your code. Anyone who asks is trying to take your account; read never share your Telegram login code.

FAQ

What is the difference between "Connecting" and "Updating"?

"Connecting" means Telegram cannot reach its servers. "Updating" means it has reached them and is downloading changes. Updating usually clears on its own.

Can a bad proxy really stop Telegram working entirely?

Yes. With a proxy enabled, Telegram routes everything through it. If the proxy is dead, Telegram cannot connect until you turn it off or replace it.

Why does Telegram work on mobile data but not on Wi-Fi?

The Wi-Fi network is blocking, filtering or slowing Telegram, or it needs a sign-in page. Try restarting the router, then check whether the network blocks messaging apps.

Will reinstalling Telegram delete my messages?

Cloud chats are stored on Telegram's servers and return when you log in. Secret chats are stored only on the device and are lost.

Is Telegram down right now?

If it fails on every network and device and others report the same, it is probably an outage. Wait rather than reinstalling or logging out.

Does Telegram Premium fix connection problems?

No. Premium adds features, but connecting depends on your network, settings and device.

Summary

"Waiting for network" is your internet, "Connecting" is the route to Telegram, "Connecting to proxy" is a proxy problem, and "Updating" is a sync that should finish on its own. Test with a different network, turn off any proxy and VPN, allow Telegram to run in the background, set your clock to automatic and update the app. Keep logging out and reinstalling for last, and only when you are sure you can log back in.