Telegram’s first 2023 update lets users turn animated emoji into profile pictures

Any sticker or animated emoji on Telegram can now be turned into a profile picture for accounts, groups, or channels.

Telegram has gained several new animated emoji as well, expanding an already extensive catalogue further (Image source: Telegram)

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Popular messaging app Telegram received its first major update in 2023 on iOS and Android platforms, bringing along multiple noteworthy features. These are headlined by a brand new Profile Picture Maker that lets users turn animated emoji into a profile picture for their accounts. But that’s not all – check out all the features the update is bundled with below.

Profile Picture Maker

Any sticker or animated emoji can now be turned into a profile picture for accounts, groups, or channels. The feature isn’t limited to Telegram Premium as even free users can use it. Users can also set or suggest profile pictures for their contacts with “just two taps,” although this feature was introduced in the previous update around New Year.

Translating Entire Chats

Unlike the Profile Picture Maker feature, this one’s reserved for Premium users only. Premium users can translate entire chats, groups, and channels in real time by tapping the Translate bar at the top. The options menu lets users hide the bar and control which languages are translated. Non-Premium users, meanwhile, are allowed to charge individual messages.

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Emoji Categories

Finding the right sticker and emoji for a particular situation grows easy with Emoji Categories. Stickers and emoji are now grouped by categories in the panel when choosing reactions or statutes. Users can also hold on any emoji to get a better look before sending.

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Network Usage

Detailed pie charts now let users see how much data has been used by Telegram for Wi-Fi and mobile data and adjust their auto-download settings accordingly.

Auto-Save Incoming Media

Users can now control when media is saved automatically to the device based on its size, type, and the chat it was received from. However, Telegram encourages users to store files on the Telegram cloud – media and docs can be deleted from the user’s phone and redownloaded anytime.

Granular Media Permissions

Group chat admins can choose whether members are allowed to send 9 media types, including photos, voice, or video messages. They can also disable text messages to create media-only groups.

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New Custom Emoji and Interactive Emoji

Telegram has introduced 10 new packs of custom emoji from Telegram artists, expanding the app’s already extensive catalogue. Some more emojis have turned interactive, letting you send them and “unleash a full-screen effect.”