Telegram briefly disappeared from Apple App Store search results worldwide, and the company said the application has been restored. According to Telegram, the app 'should soon be available again for all users' (claim:3).
The disruption began around 9:30 p.m. EST on Monday, when reports on social media noted that searching the App Store or opening a direct link to the app showed it was no longer available (claims 13, 14).
During the outage, Telegram vanished for new downloads, but users who already had the app installed said it continued to function normally. The application remained available on Google's Play Store for Android users (claims 5, 6).
As of 0200 GMT, the app was still not showing up in direct search results on Apple's App Store, even though its dedicated page had returned to active status. Neither Apple nor Telegram shared any details on why the app was removed or when it would fully return (claims 4, 15).
Both Apple and Telegram founder Pavel Durov had not issued public statements on the problem at the time (claim:7).
This is not the first time Telegram has faced removal from Apple's platform. In 2018, Apple pulled the app from its store, and Durov said at the time it was because Telegram had made 'inappropriate content' available to users (claims 8, 9).
Telegram is widely known as a secure alternative to Messenger, WhatsApp, and iMessage. Its cross-platform availability and options for end-to-end encryption have made it attractive to privacy-conscious users (claims 11, 12).
Users in several countries, including the United States, reported the app was missing from the App Store (claim:10). The cause of the disappearance remains unclear, but no official explanation has been provided.
Updates
While the cause of the disappearance remains unclear, Apple has disputed claims that the app was suspended due to child sexual abuse material violations, though some reports suggest the restoration followed the deletion of prohibited content and a permanent user ban. Additionally, Telegram now reports having more than 1 billion monthly active users.
Telegram now reportedly boasts more than 1 billion monthly active users. While some sources claim Apple suspended the app due to child sexual abuse material and restored it following the removal of prohibited content and a permanent ban, these claims remain disputed and it is still unclear if the disappearance was caused by a technical glitch.
Apple reportedly suspended Telegram due to content violating guidelines against child sexual abuse material, though it remains disputed whether the removal was a technical glitch or a direct response to content violations. Telegram stated that it immediately removed the prohibited material and permanently banned the responsible user account to facilitate the app's restoration. While the incident primarily prevented new downloads and updates for iPhone and iPad users, it follows a similar pattern to a 2018 removal, albeit with a much faster resolution time.
While Apple has not officially confirmed the cause of the removal, Telegram reported that it immediately deleted the violating content and permanently banned the responsible user account to facilitate the app's restoration. The incident, which occurred on August 3 and primarily hindered new downloads and reinstalls, follows a similar pattern to a 2018 removal but was resolved much faster. Additionally, Telegram noted that the app now has more than 1 billion monthly active users.
Disputed claims suggest Apple temporarily suspended the app after detecting content violating child sexual abuse material guidelines, requiring Telegram to delete the content and permanently ban the responsible account for restoration. While it remains unclear if the disappearance was a technical glitch, Telegram reported that the issue primarily prevented first-time downloads, reinstalls, and updates during the brief removal on August 3. Telegram has addressed the situation via its official X account by quoting Mark Twain's famous line, 'The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.'
Apple reportedly required Telegram to delete prohibited content and permanently ban the responsible user account as a condition for restoring the app to the App Store. While the reasons for the disappearance remain disputed, sources suggest Apple intervened following the detection of content violating its guidelines against child sexual abuse material. Telegram has confirmed the removal of the offending material and the banning of the relevant account.
While the cause of the disappearance remains disputed between a technical glitch and content violations, Telegram reported that it immediately removed the prohibited material and permanently banned the responsible account to comply with Apple's requirements. Sources claim Apple's intervention followed a process similar to a 2018 incident but was completed in a shorter timeframe. Currently, the app is accessible on Apple devices, and new downloads and reinstallations have resumed.
