Hello,
It appears that the Telegram iOS app is currently unusable for VoiceOver users. We are experiencing significant accessibility issues that severely hinder our ability to interact with the application.
Here are the critical problems we've identified:
File Sharing Inaccessible: The file sharing section is completely inaccessible, preventing VoiceOver users from sending or receiving files.
Inconsistent Chat Navigation: When entering a chat, channel, or any conversation, swiping left and right only reads a limited number of messages. The screen does not automatically scroll to reveal more messages, requiring manual scrolling to access older content. For example, if only two messages are visible initially, the app fails to automatically load and display subsequent messages as the user navigates.
It's truly perplexing that these accessibility problems have persisted without resolution since 2021, despite being reported. We urge you to prioritize these issues and dedicate resources to improving Telegram's accessibility for all users.
Steps to reproduce
Issue 1: Inaccessible File Sharing
Open Telegram on an iOS device with VoiceOver enabled.
Navigate to any chat (individual, group, or channel).
Activate the "Attach" button (paperclip icon) using VoiceOver.
Observe: VoiceOver users are unable to navigate or select options within the file sharing menu (e.g., "Photo or Video," "File," "Location," etc.). The options are not announced or are unresponsive to VoiceOver gestures.
Open Telegram on an iOS device with VoiceOver enabled.
Enter any chat that contains more messages than are visible on the initial screen without scrolling.
Perform a VoiceOver swipe-right or swipe-left gesture to navigate through messages.
Observe: Only the first few visible messages on the screen are read aloud. The screen does not automatically scroll down as you continue to swipe, meaning you cannot access older messages without manually scrolling the screen with a VoiceOver gesture (e.g., three-finger swipe up/down) or physically touching the screen.
Example: If a chat has 20 messages, but only 5 are initially visible, only those 5 messages will be accessible via VoiceOver swipes. To read messages 6-20, a manual scroll action is required.
Hi guys, The Telegram app on iPhone is not fully accessible for visually impaired users using VoiceOver. Some elements are not properly labeled, making navigation difficult. Please consider improving accessibility support in future updates.
Log in here to report bugs or suggest features. Please enter your phone number in the international format and we will send a confirmation message to your account via Telegram.