Android app should follow Material Design, not iOS patterns
The recent Android update (12.4.*) introduces design elements directly ported from iOS, creating a non-native experience that ignores platform conventions and reduces usability.
Core issues:
Platform-inappropriate navigation
The fixed bottom tab bar (Chats / Contacts / Settings / Profile) wastes screen space on rarely used sections. Settings and Profile are accessed only occasionally, yet occupy permanent space. This reduces chat visibility and forces extra scrolling—especially problematic on smaller screens and during one-handed use.
Material Design addresses this with navigation drawers or contextual bottom sheets, showing relevant actions only when needed instead of always displaying everything.
Reduced information density
New borders, spacing, and visual effects in chat lists add visual clutter without functional benefit. Users scan dozens of chats regularly—extra noise slows this down and reduces the number of visible conversations per screen.
Inconsistency with platform expectations
Android users expect Material Design patterns because they are consistent across the OS and well-designed apps. Deviating from these creates cognitive friction and makes Telegram feel like a lazy cross-platform port rather than a thoughtfully designed Android app.
Why this matters:
iOS enforces Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines through App Store review. Android does not mandate Material Design, but this freedom should be used to create better native experiences—not to copy-paste iOS designs that don’t fit the platform.
Suggestion:
Design the Android UI according to Material Design principles. Use platform-appropriate navigation patterns, respect Android’s visual language, and optimize for different screen sizes and interaction models expected by Android users.
The desktop and web versions also deserve platform-native designs or their own Telegram style rather than a universal iOS aesthetic.
Bring back the old design, please! The new interface is terrible.
paidlowered
I agree, it's a poor design decision on Android; the iOS version has always gotten more love but it just seems like a punch in the face to put so much effort into a feature that isn't good
thrashzone_ua
Just fyi: design still sucks
Mohammad SAFARI
I'm still on v12.1.1 with telegram (direct version) and tried new UI with Google play telegram and didn't like it, and here is why 1. New UI doesn't follow phone interface scale, my phone interface scale is on %125 but telegram still is on %100 2. The sidebar menu is gone which Is Android default style 3. New unnecessary bottom buttons like contacts and calls 4. iOS like UI isn'ty favorite, If I was looking for iOS then I go to buy iphone not Android phone
Seems like durov is semi-dictator, he enjoys when we ask him stuffs like this so he ignores
I'm premium user and I love telegram and support this great app but sometimes please hear your users too
why Telegram for Android follows iOS style guides? I understand that the app is build on top of custom QT, and devs are trying to streamline the pipeline of building artifacts for various platforms, but wouldn't it be better to follow Google's style guidelines on their OS? iOS builds -- use Apple's style guides Android builds -- use Google's style guides MacOS, as far as I know, has two builds of TDesktop: native and qt. First one uses MacOS's framework, second one uses QT Linux/Windows just uses QT
I think it would be better to use what Google/Apple suggests on their platforms, Feel free to use what you want on desktop builds, where there're no strict guidelines
1. New UI doesn't follow phone interface scale, my phone interface scale is on %125 but telegram still is on %100
2. The sidebar menu is gone which Is Android default style
3. New unnecessary bottom buttons like contacts and calls
4. iOS like UI isn'ty favorite, If I was looking for iOS then I go to buy iphone not Android phone
Seems like durov is semi-dictator, he enjoys when we ask him stuffs like this so he ignores
I'm premium user and I love telegram and support this great app but sometimes please hear your users too
iOS builds -- use Apple's style guides
Android builds -- use Google's style guides
MacOS, as far as I know, has two builds of TDesktop: native and qt. First one uses MacOS's framework, second one uses QT
Linux/Windows just uses QT
I think it would be better to use what Google/Apple suggests on their platforms,
Feel free to use what you want on desktop builds, where there're no strict guidelines