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.
So to be clear, I am not a liquid glass hater. I don't really love it either, but after all the refinements, it is fine enough on iOS and macOS. So for the iOS and Mac apps, go wild. But adding this Apple-centric design to other platforms is just a baffling decision. Android apps should be moving towards Material 3 Expressive. https://m3.material.io/blog/building-with-m3-expressive
C
Carlos
Agree. Please revert this to standard UI practices.
The new Ui is absolutely awful, lot of lost screen space and higher risk of misclick. At least, if you don't revert the changes, allow us to hide the bottom toolbar which is absolutely useless. Ideally also give the option to get the old icons back (don't like the multicolor squares). You should inspire from Telegram X which is largely more "Android compliant" in its UI. While you're at it, add and option to hide the stories in the top bar, most of us don't care about them !
Сергѣй
100% agree. This update brings no more convenience or no more "useful" features compared to the previous, aka normal android design. Please give us an option to turn back our normal design
Sherlock Holmes
Last decent version is v12.1.1, and I do not plan to upgrade from it unless the design is brought to it's origin. Telegram's official Android client became a bunch of awful iOS style trash. Design is very important in user applications, such a move makes you lose users, e.g. I plan to move my activities to a rival platform (Signal) and I do also invite everybody else to do the same, as alternative telegram clients aren't as trustworthy as the official one
B
BrEl
Why change what was good as it was ??? Change for the sake of change. No one asked for this sh.t
К
Кирилл Черный
Please make this revertable. The change is awful and designer, who approved this for prod usage should be fired
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