The short answer
- 1The message means your account has a spam limit for now.
- 2You can still chat with people who wrote to you and with mutual contacts.
- 3@SpamBot tells you whether the limit is temporary and when it ends.
In this article
What the message means
You try to write to someone new and Telegram answers: "Sorry, you can only send messages to mutual contacts at the moment." The wording is the same on Android, iPhone and Telegram Desktop. A related message appears if you try to add someone to a group: "Sorry, you can only add mutual contacts to groups at the moment."
Both mean your account has a spam limit. For a while, you can only start chats with mutual contacts. Everything else keeps working.
| Still works | Blocked for now |
|---|---|
| Chats with people who already wrote to you | Starting a chat with someone new who has not saved you |
| Mutual contacts: both of you saved each other's number | Adding people to groups unless they are mutual contacts |
| Groups and channels you are in |
"Mutual" is the key word: you having their number saved is not enough. They must also have yours.
Not the same as a recipient's privacy setting
Some messages look similar but have nothing to do with your account. They come from the other person's settings:
| The message says | What it means |
|---|---|
| "… only accepts messages from contacts and Premium users." | That person limited who can message them. Anyone not in their contacts needs Telegram Premium |
| "Subscribe to Premium to message …" | Same: their setting, not a limit on you |
| A charge per message shown before you send | That person charges Stars for messages from people outside their contacts |
If the message names the other person, it is about their choice. If it says you can only message mutual contacts, it is about your account.
Check the limit and when it ends
Telegram's official @SpamBot tells you whether your account is limited and, if the limit is temporary, when it ends. Open a chat with it and tap Start. Check the username carefully: imitation "spam bots" exist and ask for codes or money.
Most limits lift by themselves after a while. The detailed explanation, including what triggers a limit and how to write an appeal worth reading, is in Telegram account limited.
While you wait
- Ask the person to message you first. Once they write to you, you can reply normally.
- Become mutual contacts. If you know each other, both save the other's number.
- Share a link instead of adding people to groups. An invite link lets them join themselves, which does not depend on contacts.
- Do not try to get around the limit with a second account to message the same strangers. That is the behaviour the limit exists to stop, and it can make things worse.
Next step: 'You can't add this member to the group'.
FAQ
What does 'you can only send messages to mutual contacts' mean on Telegram?
Your account has a spam limit. You can only start chats with people who have saved your number and whom you have saved.
How long does Telegram's mutual contacts limit last?
It varies. Ask @SpamBot; it says whether the limit is temporary and when it ends.
Can I still reply to people on Telegram while limited?
Yes. Chats with people who already wrote to you keep working.
Sources
At a glance
- 1What it is
A spam limit on starting new chats.
- 2Not this
'Only accepts messages from contacts and Premium users' is their setting.
- 3Meanwhile
Let them write first, or use an invite link for groups.
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