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.
Please, get rid of that Liquid glass design on Android. The old Material Design was outdated, but at least it felt native. Even if it's was not Material Design 3, it's still better than this. The biggest issue isn't the transparency, though; it's all the pointless stuff added to the main menu and the excessive padding everywhere.
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tagor
Even with Blur and Liquid Glass turned off as much as possible, the new design of the Telegram Android app is a nightmare. If I wanted Apple UI, I’d buy Apple. Why make users suffer and break Material Design guidelines? I tried to get used to the new design, but it’s impossible to use comfortably. Right now I’m trying Telegram X and a few different mods. If the design doesn’t change, I’ll probably have to slowly move my chats and activity to other messengers, because this new design is a total flop.
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𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐡𝐝𝐢 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐭
Telegram should follow Material 3 Expressive instead of iOS liquid glass.
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Sayidbek B
Plz, I hate it when companies change their simplistic classig designs after iOS like Windows doing with Windows 11, now it's telegram its old UI design was so simple, classic, now it looks awful, at least give us option to turn on classic UI if the new design is going to be a thing!
Элитный Зомби Виталик Сорокового Уровня
add an option to change the design. Personally, I cannot use the new design, and therefore I will sit on the side version until you return the old design to me. and if you don't return it, you'll have to forget about your app and start using third-party ones.
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Eugen
to me, its not that the desing is ios-like, its just that its fucking awful. bottom bar is both useless AND distracting and everything is just microscopic for some reason. ZERO reason to prioritize goddamn SETTINGS BUTTON over chat space
Mōko
Why did you do this
ㅤ
The new design completely breaks the application use patterns. For example, I have been unable to find how to access the “Favorites” section for forty minutes now, and before that I spent about ten minutes switching between accounts. It is necessary to be able to switch the application to the old design.
👀 Denis
Backporting badly designed UX from iOS to cut maintenance costs, nuff said. All the things that users don't usually use (profile, settings, contacts) are taking the most important space. Telegram is my favorite messaging app no more. God damn, even it's copy, Russian MAX looks better now! Unbelievable
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If I wanted Apple UI, I’d buy Apple. Why make users suffer and break Material Design guidelines?
I tried to get used to the new design, but it’s impossible to use comfortably.
Right now I’m trying Telegram X and a few different mods. If the design doesn’t change, I’ll probably have to slowly move my chats and activity to other messengers, because this new design is a total flop.
It is necessary to be able to switch the application to the old design.