Telegram returns to Apple Watch with a native app after four years away

Telegram's native Apple Watch app is back in the App Store after a four-year absence, giving users a first-party way to read and reply to messages directly from their wrist. The original watchOS app launched in 2015 but was pulled around 2022, reportedly due to low adoption and App Store approval friction. Pavel Durov announced the return on June 9, 2026 via a post on X.

What the app does

The new app is a proper standalone client, not a companion widget. It supports text messages, voice notes, GIFs, video playback, stickers, and location sharing — all without pulling out your phone. Setup requires a one-time QR code pairing with your iPhone, but after that the app runs independently over Wi-Fi or cellular, per GSMArena.

The feature set puts it roughly on par with WhatsApp's existing watchOS client, which had been the default choice for wrist-based messaging while Telegram sat out. Cult of Mac notes Durov's announcement highlighted the standalone capability as the headline improvement over the old app.

The gap it fills

During the four-year absence, users who wanted Telegram on their wrist had to turn to paid third-party apps like TGWatch and WatchGram. Those alternatives worked, but came with legitimate questions about data handling and no guarantee of long-term maintenance. The official app removes that friction entirely.

The catch

The app requires watchOS 26.0 or later. That's the current major release, so anyone still on an older version will need to update before the app is usable. On a Series 4 or earlier — which can't run watchOS 26 — the app won't install at all. For everyone else, it's a free update inside the existing Telegram app on the App Store.

If you use Telegram daily and own an Apple Watch, this is worth grabbing immediately. It's the kind of quality-of-life addition that makes leaving your phone on the desk feel less risky.