Telegram APK for Android TV: should you sideload it?
Search the Play Store on an Android TV or Google TV for Telegram and you won't find it: Telegram's official app is made for phones and tablets. That's why so many guides tell you to sideload the Telegram APK. Here's what that involves, what you get, and the easier option.
Why Telegram isn't in the Play Store on your TV
Google Play only shows TV owners apps that their developers have built and approved for TVs. Telegram has never released a TV version, so its app is hidden from the Play Store on Android TV, Google TV, Chromecast with Google TV and Nvidia Shield.
How sideloading the Telegram APK works
- Install the Downloader app from the Play Store on your TV.
- In the TV's settings, allow Downloader to install unknown apps (on Google TV, you first enable Developer options).
- Download the APK from telegram.org/android and install it.
- Open Telegram from Settings → Apps, because sideloaded phone apps usually don't appear on the TV's home screen.
What it's like to use
- Built for touch, not a remote. Many buttons can't be reached with the D-pad, so people end up installing a mouse-toggle app or plugging in a mouse.
- Portrait layout. The phone app often opens sideways or in a narrow column on a landscape TV.
- Typing on the TV. Signing in means entering your phone number and code with the on-screen keyboard.
- Manual updates. Unless you use the telegram.org version, which updates itself, you have to repeat the sideload for each new version.
- Unofficial APK sites. Copies of the APK on third-party sites can be outdated or modified. If you sideload, only use telegram.org.
Sideloading makes sense if you really need to send messages from the TV. For watching, there's a simpler way.
The easier way: a Telegram app made for Android TV
TeleV is a free Telegram app built for Android TV and Google TV. It installs from the Google Play Store on the TV like any other app, with no sideloading and no unknown sources:
- Sign in by scanning a QR code with Telegram on your phone, with no typing on the TV.
- Your channels, groups and chats in a layout made for the remote.
- Videos and live streams play full screen on the TV.
- Updates automatically through Google Play.
TeleV is viewer-only: it doesn't send messages. It's an independent app built on TDLib, Telegram's official library. See the setup guide, the supported devices, and other ways to get Telegram on a TV.
Sideloaded APK vs TeleV
| Telegram APK (sideloaded) | TeleV | |
|---|---|---|
| Install from Google Play | No | Yes |
| Works with the TV remote | Partly | Yes |
| TV (landscape) layout | No | Yes |
| Sign in | Type phone number and code | Scan a QR code |
| Watch videos and live streams | Yes | Yes |
| Send messages | Yes | No |
Frequently asked questions
Is Telegram available in the Play Store on Android TV?
No. Telegram's official app is built for phones and tablets and isn't offered in the Play Store on Android TV or Google TV devices, so searching for it on the TV doesn't find it.
Can I install the Telegram APK on Android TV?
Yes, you can sideload the Telegram APK with an app like Downloader after allowing installs from unknown sources. The phone app then runs, but it is laid out for a touchscreen, often shows in portrait, and is hard to use with a TV remote.
Is it safe to download the Telegram APK for Android TV?
Only download the APK from telegram.org. Copies on third-party APK sites can be outdated or modified. An app installed from Google Play is checked by Google and updates automatically.
What is the best Telegram app for Android TV?
If you mainly watch videos and live streams, use an app built for TVs, such as TeleV, which installs from Google Play and works fully with the remote. If you need to send messages, the sideloaded phone app or a phone is still required.
Does TeleV need sideloading?
No. TeleV installs from the Google Play Store on Android TV and Google TV like any other TV app, and updates automatically.
Get Telegram on your Android TV
TeleV is free on Google Play for Android TV and Google TV.
Get it on Google Play