How do I know who in my contacts has Telegram?
Contacts who already use Telegram appear at the top of your Contacts list, above everyone else, and they usually have a profile photo. Telegram compares your contacts against its user base and surfaces the matches for you.
Where to look on each platform
| Platform | Path |
|---|---|
| Android | Menu, then Contacts |
| iPhone | Contacts tab at the bottom of the screen |
| Desktop and Web | Menu, then Contacts |
If the list looks empty
- Check the permission. Telegram can only match contacts it is allowed to read. If you declined access when you first installed it, grant it in your phone's system settings for Telegram, then reopen the app.
- Give the sync a moment. After granting access, matching runs in the background and the list fills in shortly afterwards.
- Confirm the number format. A contact saved without a country code may not match. Numbers stored in full international form match reliably.
You do not have to share your contacts
Contact syncing is a convenience, not a requirement. If you would rather not upload your contacts at all, decline the permission and find people by username instead. Every part of Telegram works normally without contact access; you simply lose the automatic list of people you already know.
Controlling whether others find you
The matching works in both directions, so people who have your number saved can see that you are on Telegram. If you would rather they could not, open Settings, Privacy and Security, Phone Number and set who is allowed to find you by number. Setting it to nobody means new people can only reach you through your username or an invite link.