Telegram Stuck on 'Connecting…': Turn Off the Proxy First

What "Connecting…" means

"Connecting..." at the top of Telegram means the device has internet but cannot reach Telegram's servers. "Waiting for network..." means it has no internet at all. "Connecting to proxy..." means Telegram is trying to go through a proxy server you added at some point. The most common cause of an endless "Connecting" is exactly that: an old proxy that no longer works.

1. Turn the proxy off

On Android and iPhone, switch Use Proxy off. On Telegram Desktop, open Connection type and choose Disable proxy. The Desktop default, Use system proxy settings, follows the computer's own proxy, so check the computer's network settings if that is selected and it still will not connect.

You may have a proxy without remembering adding one: tapping a proxy link in a chat or channel adds it. If you see servers you do not recognise in the list, delete them.

2. Then check these

1. Turn off any VPN on the phone or computer, and test again.
2. Switch networks: Wi-Fi to mobile data, or the reverse. If one works, the other network is the problem; see works on one network only.
3. Set date and time to automatic. A clock that is far off can make secure connections fail.
4. Update and restart Telegram. Very old versions can lose the ability to connect.
5. Allow background activity if it only happens after the app has been in the background; see disconnects in the background.

If it happens only on a work or school network, that network may block messaging services; see school and office networks. If it happens everywhere for everyone, see is Telegram down?

Next step: messages stuck on the clock icon.