Focus Mode (Hotkey to auto-hide chat list with hover reveal) & Dialog Background Opacity Slider
Description:
Two UI/UX improvements to make Telegram Desktop more customizable, aesthetically pleasing, and distraction-free:
"Focus / Zen Mode" for the Dialog List (Chat List)
Currently,
the left dialog list automatically hides if you shrink the window width
(e.g., below 600px), mimicking the mobile app. It would be amazing to
have a manual toggle for this behavior on larger screens.
Toggle Hotkey: Add a hotkey (like Ctrl+S,
similar to Zen Browser's sidebar toggle) to instantly hide the left
dialog list, allowing the current chat to take up the main focus.
Hover-to-Reveal (Compact Mode):
While in this "Focus Mode", hovering the mouse near the left edge of
the window should smoothly slide out a compact version of the dialog
list. This allows users to quickly switch chats or check unread messages
without fully exiting Focus Mode, directly inspired by modern browser
workflows (like Zen Browser).
Dialog Background Opacity Controls (%)
Currently, customizing the look and feel of chat backgrounds/dialog panels is somewhat limited unless you build a custom theme.
Please
add a built-in slider in the appearance settings that allows users to
adjust the dialog background opacity using a precise percentage (e.g.,
0% to 100%).
This would allow users to easily achieve a beautiful, glass-like or
transparent aesthetic for their chats and sidebars without needing
complex theme files.
Why this is useful:
Privacy & Focus: Hiding the chat list on a large monitor prevents shoulder-surfing in public spaces and removes the distraction of incoming message badges from other chats.
Productivity: The hover-to-reveal compact sidebar gives lightning-fast access to other chats without permanently eating up screen real estate.
Aesthetics: The opacity slider gives power users the exact visual control they want over their messenger.