Telegram introduces voice chat feature for channels

Telegram has released a new update that includes recordable voice chats, rich lists of participants, raises hand mechanics, invites links for speakers and listeners, voice chat titles, and a way for public figures to join voice chats as their channels.

Here’s a closer look at all the new features and how to enable them:

Admins of channels and public groups can now host voice chats for millions of live listeners. No matter how popular a talk gets, new people will be able to tune in. Telegram says that this is like public radio reinvented for the 21st century.

To start a Voice Chat, open the profile of any group or channel where you’re an admin, tap (⋮) or (⋯) and select Start Voice Chat.

Recorded Chats

While some conversations are meant to be temporary, others are worth preserving and passing on. Admins can now record audio from voice chats to save talks and publish them for followers who missed the live event.

Once you finish recording, the audio file becomes instantly available in your Saved Messages. To avoid surprises, chats that are being recorded are marked with a red light next to their title.

Raise Hand

In chats where participants are muted, listeners can tap to raise their hand and alert the admins that they want to speak. Just like calling into a talk show – but with addictive animations.

Speaker and Listener Links

Admins of public groups and channels can now create invite links that open the voice chat right away. Separate links can be made for speakers and listeners. This way you won’t need to unmute important guests when they join – and they can use a different link to promote the upcoming chat to their communities.