Telegram Premium adds blockable audio and video messages, new emoji, and gift options

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Telegram’s corporate team has announced that premium subscribers will gain a new control: the option to block audio and video messages. This feature lets users decide who can send these kinds of messages, offering choices such as Everyone, My Contacts, or Nobody. The public note explains the intent clearly: it’s about giving individuals more control over the kinds of communications they receive within chats.

In a practical move, the company also highlighted that users can create exceptions for specific people or groups. This means that even with a general block in place, a user can permit certain contacts or groups to continue sending voice or video messages. The flexibility is designed to help people tailor their messaging experience to their personal or professional needs without sacrificing overall privacy or convenience.

Alongside the messaging controls, the Premium update brings additional perks. New emoji and stickers enrich the visual language of conversations, and another notable addition is the option to gift the Premium subscription for three, six, or twelve months. This creates new ways to share enhanced features with friends and family and makes the subscription more accessible as a gift option.

Earlier reports noted the beta version of Telegram on Android testing a function that blocks voice messages. This early testing aligns with the broader push toward more granular message controls, reinforcing the company’s aim to give users more command over how they engage with the app’s features.

Telegram Premium was first introduced in mid-2022. The subscription price has been described as 299 rubles at launch. The package is positioned to deliver practical benefits for power users, including the ability to download files up to 4 GB, maintain high download speeds, support for up to 1,000 channel subscriptions, and organization tools such as up to 20 chat folders, among other premium capabilities. This range of features is designed to optimize the Telegram experience for people who rely on the platform for heavy messaging, large-file sharing, or extensive channel management.

From a Canadian and U.S. user perspective, these enhancements speak to a broader trend in messaging apps toward more granular privacy settings and premium feature ecosystems. By enabling users to filter specific types of messages and craft per-contact exceptions, Telegram aligns with what many users expect from modern communication tools: clear boundaries without sacrificing essential connectivity. The added emoji and stickers contribute to expressive communication, and the gifting option for premiums can serve as a practical pathway for households, small teams, and communities to access elevated features without a full, ongoing subscription commitment. In markets where data speeds and privacy controls are particularly valued, such updates can improve user satisfaction and perceived value.

Overall, the shift toward configurable messaging controls and richer premium content reflects Telegram’s aim to balance convenience with user autonomy. For those evaluating whether to upgrade, the decision hinges on how much the enhanced control and extended feature set will streamline daily communication, especially in busy chat environments or workgroups. The ongoing evolution of Telegram Premium underscores a broader industry emphasis on user-centric customization, faster media handling, and flexible gifting options that can help expand the app’s reach within North American audiences.

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