How To: Silently Send Messages in Telegram to Avoid Waking Up or Disturbing Friends with Chats

You know the drill. You need answers, and your friend has them. The problem? It's way too late to text them. Maybe they have Do Not Disturb enabled. Perhaps they don't, and you wake them up, ruining their entire Monday. Don't be that friend. Instead, send a message silently with Telegram.

Telegram recently pushed out a feature-filled update that included a silent messaging feature in the lineup. The new option quickly allows you to send a message with no sound alert on the other end, perfect for texting incognito. While very simple to use, it's not very obvious how to get started.

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First, ensure your Telegram app for Android or iPhone is updated to at least version 5.10, the version that initially included silent messages. Next, after crafting your message, long-press the send button. Here, you'll see a "Send Without Sound" pop-up. Simply tap the option, and Telegram will immediately send off your message but without making a peep on the other end.

Your friend will receive a notification with no sound, even if their phone doesn't have a Do Not Disturb-type setting enabled. They'll know that message was sent silently via a muted bell emoji next to your name. Of course, the same will be true if your friend sends you a silent message.

Silent messages don't just allow you to be a more considerate texter. They also open the opportunity to take back messages you regret sending, seeing as your recipient won't be audibly alerted to your message. It's not a foolproof system by any means since your friend will still see your notification if they happen to be on their phone. That said, your chances of recovery are much higher than usual, so if you don't make a mistake, erasing the message from both devices might just work.