Best for Telegram
Residential proxies
from $0.27/GB
Residential IPs are rarely blocked where Telegram is restricted; sticky sessions up to 24 hours keep one IP for your account
Messengers & social apps
Telegram Proxy Setup Guide and Which Type to Use
Telegram works on
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- Web
Key facts
Proxy location
Any country where Telegram is not restricted and close to you; Netherlands, Germany, US, Singapore and Finland are the usual picks. Telegram does not publish server locations
Saved proxies
You can save several proxies in the app and switch between them; only the selected one is active
Does a proxy read your messages?
No. Telegram encrypts all traffic between the app and its servers (MTProto), so the proxy only relays encrypted data. Only Secret Chats are additionally end-to-end encrypted
SOCKS5 vs MTProto vs HTTP
Blocking resistance decides the choice: pick MTProto only where SOCKS5 is throttled.
| Name | Works In | Auth | Blocking Resistance | Best For | Where To Get |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOCKS5 | All official apps | Username and password, or none | Medium: the SOCKS5 handshake is unencrypted, so filters can identify and throttle it | Everyday use, multi-account work, any provider | Geonode residential or ISP proxies; Geonode free list |
| MTProto (MTProxy) | All official apps | Secret: 32 hex characters. A 'dd' prefix enables random padding; an 'ee' prefix (fake TLS) is longer because a domain is appended | High: built by Telegram for blocked regions; a fake-TLS ('ee') secret makes the connection look like an ordinary HTTPS session | Countries where Telegram is blocked | Public MTProto channels, or your own server (github.com/TelegramMessenger/MTProxy); not sold by Geonode |
| HTTP / HTTPS | Telegram Desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux); not in the native Telegram for macOS app or the mobile apps | Username and password, or none | Low | Corporate networks that allow only an HTTP proxy | Geonode residential, ISP or datacenter proxies; Geonode free list |
Which proxy type to use with Telegram
Telegram does not check whether the IP is residential or datacenter; blocking filters do.
Good
ISP proxies
from $1.25/IP
One fixed IP that never changes, so each Telegram account can keep its own address
Works where Telegram is not blocked
Datacenter proxies
from $0.14/GB
Datacenter ranges are the first to be blocked where Telegram is restricted
Testing only
Free public proxies
Free
Shared and short-lived; enough to confirm the setup, not to stay online
How to set up a proxy in Telegram
You need the proxy address (hostname or IP), the port, and either the username and password or the MTProto secret.
Open Telegram, tap the three-line menu, then Settings.
Tap Data and Storage.
Scroll to Proxy and tap Proxy Settings.
Turn on Use Proxy, then tap Add Proxy.
Choose SOCKS5 or MTProto.
Enter the server address and port. For SOCKS5 add username and password; for MTProto paste the secret.
Tap the checkmark to save.
Optionally turn on Use proxy for calls.
Check detailed instructions on our blog:
Read the blog postHow to check that the proxy works
Look at the proxy row in Telegram settings: it shows the ping in milliseconds when the connection is live, or 'not available' when it is not. On Android a shield icon also appears in the chat list header.
Open a channel with photos or video; if media loads, traffic is flowing through the proxy.
Calls: start a test call with Use proxy for calls on; if it connects, calls are routed through the proxy.
How to turn the proxy off
Android: in the same Proxy screen switch off Use Proxy; long-press a saved proxy to delete it. iPhone and iPad: switch off Use Proxy; swipe left on a saved proxy to delete it.
Desktop: under Connection type choose Disable proxy, or Use system proxy settings to follow the proxy set in Windows, macOS or Linux.
Common Telegram proxy problems and fixes
Proxy shows 'not available' or 'connecting' forever
- Wrong port, dead free proxy, or the protocol does not match what you selected
- Check the port and that you picked SOCKS5 for a SOCKS5 proxy, not MTProto. Test it with the Geonode proxy checker. If it is a free proxy, take another one from the list.
CauseFixConnected, but messages send slowly
- Overloaded shared proxy or a server far from you
- Choose a proxy in a nearby country where Telegram is not restricted. If it is a free proxy, move to a paid one.
CauseFixVoice and video calls fail while chats work
- 'Use proxy for calls' is off, or the proxy does not pass UDP
- Turn on Use proxy for calls. If calls still fail, the proxy does not pass UDP: on Geonode residential enable UDP over SOCKS5 (see the docs links); most free proxies cannot, so turn the toggle off and let calls go direct.
CauseFixMTProto proxy stops working after a few days
- Public MTProto servers get blocked or shut down quickly
- Take a fresh MTProto link, or switch to a paid SOCKS5 proxy, which is not on public lists.
CauseFixAuthentication error (407 with an HTTP proxy)
- Wrong username or password, or the proxy requires authentication while you left the fields empty
- Re-enter the username and password exactly as issued. With Geonode, use the proxy credentials from the dashboard, not your account login.
CauseFix
More for Telegram users
Telegram proxy FAQ
Telegram's proxy is a per-app setting: the app sends its own traffic through a SOCKS5 or MTProto server you add in settings, while the rest of the device connects directly. It is not a VPN and does not affect other apps, so browser IP checkers will still show your real IP.
SOCKS5 proxies come from any proxy provider or from the Geonode free proxy list. MTProto proxies are shared in public Telegram channels, or you can run your own with Telegram's open-source MTProxy.
No. web.telegram.org has no proxy field and follows the browser or system proxy.
Not inside one app: the official clients apply one proxy to every account signed in. For a separate IP per account use separate devices or clients, each with its own proxy.
Only if Use proxy for calls is switched on in the proxy settings. Calls use UDP, so the proxy must support UDP; otherwise leave the toggle off and calls go direct.
A free proxy cannot read your chats because Telegram encrypts traffic before it reaches the proxy. It can still log your IP address and connection times, and some free MTProto links are run for exactly that.
The fields are the same everywhere: server, port, and a username and password or an MTProto secret. Only the menu path differs, and HTTP proxies work only in Telegram Desktop.
