Telegram’s February 9 Android update redesigns navigation and adds ownership controls

By Nora Bernard

Telegram has dated its latest Android update to February 9, 2026. The release brings several separate changes: a redesigned interface, more flexible group ownership transfers, a crafting system for collectible gifts and new options for bot buttons. Telegram’s announcement

Navigation moves to a new bottom bar

The most visible change is a completely redesigned Android interface. A new bottom bar gives users one-gesture access to chats, settings and their profile. Those destinations now remain available from a persistent navigation area, making it easier to move between conversations and account controls without returning through separate screens.

The update also adds control over interface effects. Users can adjust them under Settings > Power Saving, with the option to favor performance and extend battery life. That gives Android users a way to reduce the visual load when responsiveness or battery endurance matters. Telegram does not specify how large the performance or battery improvement should be, so the setting is best understood as a control rather than a guaranteed gain.

Group ownership can change without an exit

Telegram is also changing the handover process for group owners. When an owner leaves a group, ownership is automatically transferred to one of the administrators after one week. The departure confirmation window offers another route: the owner can select a new owner immediately instead of waiting for the automatic transfer.

Owners of groups and channels can now transfer ownership to another member without leaving the discussion. That separates succession from departure. An owner who still wants to participate can hand over administrative control while remaining in the group or channel. The ownership changes are detailed in Telegram’s official update post.

Collectible gifts become materials for new items

The update adds a crafting system for Telegram’s collectible gifts. Telegram says users have minted millions of collectible gifts from more than 100 collections. The new system lets them combine existing gifts to create Uncommon, Rare, Epic or Legendary versions.

Up to four gifts can be placed in the crafting interface. Each additional gift increases the chances of success, while using several gifts with matching attributes also increases the probability that those attributes will appear in the finished item. The outcome therefore depends on both the number of gifts used and the attributes selected for the combination.

This is a defined change for owners of collectible gifts, but it does not alter the broader Android navigation described above. The two additions serve different parts of Telegram: one changes how users move around the app, while the other gives collectible items a new use inside the platform.

Bot buttons gain color and emoji options

Bot developers get a smaller interface update. Bot buttons can now receive an assigned color and emoji, giving creators another way to distinguish actions within their bot interfaces. Telegram’s announcement does not describe a wider redesign of the bot platform alongside these options, so the documented change is limited to the presentation of those buttons.

For Android users, the February 9 update puts chats, settings and profiles closer to hand, while the Power Saving menu adds a choice for devices where effects may compete with performance or battery life. Group owners gain more control over succession, including the ability to remain in a community after transferring ownership. Collectible gift owners receive a crafting system with rarity outcomes and probabilities influenced by the gifts they combine, and bot creators gain two additional visual controls for their buttons.

Official sources

Official source: telegram.org

Sources and evidence

Official source: telegram.org