A short history of Telegram on Apple Watch
Telegram shipped an Apple Watch app back in 2015. In September 2022 it was removed, and for almost four years the only way to use Telegram on the watch was mirrored iPhone notifications or an independent app. That's why so many older guides, and plenty of forum threads about Telegram having "disappeared" from the watch, say there is no official app.
That changed on 9 June 2026, when Telegram released a new, fully native Apple Watch app. According to Telegram's announcement and the press coverage, it supports text and voice messages, media and video, GIFs, stickers, location sharing, channels and chat folders. Once it's set up, it can work over Wi-Fi or cellular without the iPhone nearby.
Option A: the official Telegram watch app
Start here if your watch runs watchOS 26 and you mainly want to read and send messages. It's free and made by Telegram.
What you need
- An Apple Watch updated to watchOS 26 or later
- An iPhone with the latest version of Telegram, signed in to your account
- Your Telegram cloud password (Two-Step Verification), if you've set one
Step by step
- Update both devices. Update Telegram from the App Store on your iPhone, and check the watch software in the Watch app under General › Software Update.
- Install the watch app. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll to Available Apps and tap Install next to Telegram. You can also search for Telegram in the App Store on the watch. If automatic app install is on, it may already be on your watch.
- Open Telegram on the watch. It shows a QR code.
- Scan the code with Telegram on your iPhone. Use Telegram's own scanner, found under Settings › Devices › Link Desktop Device, rather than the Camera app.
- Enter your cloud password on the watch if Telegram asks for it.
- Wait for your chats to sync. Your recent chats appear once the session is set up.
If the watch hangs on "Preparing QR", or the iPhone says the code is invalid, see our QR code troubleshooting guide. Most of those problems come down to connectivity or an expired code.
Option B: a standalone client such as WristGram
WristGram is an independent Telegram client that we build for Apple Watch. It runs on watchOS 11 and later and connects straight to Telegram's servers, with no relay servers of ours in between and no data collection. Here's how to set it up:
- Install WristGram from the App Store on your watch, or from the App Store on your iPhone.
- Open it on the watch and pick a sign-in method.
- Phone number: type your number on the watch, then enter the login code Telegram sends you, plus your cloud password if you have one. You don't need an iPhone for this.
- QR code: scan the code on the watch from Telegram on your phone (Settings › Devices › Link Desktop Device).
- iPhone companion (optional): sign in on the iPhone's bigger keyboard and hand the session to your watch.
- Start your 7-day free trial to unlock sending, voice notes and calls. Without a subscription, WristGram is read-only.
- Leave the iPhone behind. Messages, voice notes, notifications and calls work over the watch's own Wi-Fi or cellular connection.
Besides messaging, WristGram supports two-way Telegram voice calls on the watch's native call screen, bots, inline bots and Telegram Stars payments, channels with comments, forum topics, stories, polls, a media and file viewer, search, contacts with online status, rich notifications with Reply, Mark read and Mute, and multiple accounts.
Standalone Telegram client for Apple Watch (watchOS 11+). After the trial: $2.99/month, $12.99/year or $24.99 once.
Other third-party clients
WristGram isn't the only one. Pigeon, TG Watch, TG Chat, Telegraf and WatchGram are also available, and several of them advertise voice calls too. They differ in price, whether they need an iPhone or a server in the middle, and how many Telegram features they cover. We compare them side by side in the best Telegram apps for Apple Watch.
Which one should you choose?
Here's the short version, based on Telegram's announcement and App Store listing as of November 2026. For the full breakdown, see WristGram vs the official Telegram watch app.
| Feature | Official Telegram app | WristGram |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | 7-day trial, then $2.99/mo, $12.99/yr or $24.99 lifetime (read-only free tier) |
| Minimum watchOS | watchOS 26 | watchOS 11 |
| Sign-in | QR code scanned by iPhone, plus cloud password | Phone number + code, QR code, or iPhone companion |
| Messages, voice notes, media | Yes | Yes |
| Voice calls | Not mentioned in the announcement or listing | Yes, on the native watch call screen |
| Bots and Telegram Stars | Not mentioned | Yes |
| Stories and forum topics | Not mentioned | Yes |
| Works without iPhone nearby | Yes, after setup | Yes, including setup |
The two can coexist. Telegram allows several signed-in devices at once, so you can install both and keep whichever you prefer.
Tips for using Telegram on your watch
- Cellular vs Wi-Fi. A cellular Apple Watch can use Telegram anywhere it has signal. A GPS-only watch works away from the iPhone only on Wi-Fi networks it already knows. More in Telegram on Apple Watch without your iPhone.
- Notifications. If messages don't reach your wrist, check notification mirroring in the Watch app and any active Focus mode. See our notifications guide.
- Battery. Long calls, video and big downloads over cellular use the most power. Text and voice notes are light.
- Security. Every watch sign-in shows up in Telegram under Settings › Devices, and you can end any session from there.