Telegram not working: what to do, including with a VPN
Telegram won't connect, hangs on "Connecting…" or won't load messages. How to tell a global outage from a local problem, and what to do if Telegram doesn't work even with a VPN.
- Global outage or just you? Ask in another messenger or check an outage monitor. If it's global, wait.
- Internet and clock. Open any website; make sure date and time are automatic.
- Mobile data and whitelists. Works on Wi-Fi but not on mobile — the carrier may be restricting traffic; a VPN with a CDN-based connection helps.
- Telegram fails with the VPN on. Check the IP page; turn off Telegram's built-in proxy (see proxy for Telegram); don't run two VPNs; switch server.
- Specific features. Media — Telegram won't load photos and videos; calls — Telegram and WhatsApp calls not working.
- Reinstalling is last. Chats live in the cloud, but it's usually the network, not the app.
For stability, use a VPN that disguises traffic as HTTPS, carries calls and works on mobile networks — Surok apps are on the download page.
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