How to Send Video Messages (Round Bubbles) on Telegram

To send a round video message on Telegram, tap the microphone icon next to the message box so it turns into a camera, then press and hold it to record. Release to send, or slide up to lock recording so you can let go. The short clip appears in the chat as a circle that plays silently until someone taps it.

What a video message is

A video message is Telegram's quick video note: a short clip recorded straight from the chat, shown as a round bubble. It is the video version of a voice message. You do not open the camera app, choose a file or add a caption. You just hold a button and talk.

Video messages differ from normal videos in a few ways:

• They are recorded inside the chat, not picked from your gallery.
• They are short. Telegram introduced them as clips of up to about a minute, and the recording screen shows a timer so you can see how long you have.
• In the chat they autoplay without sound, in a circle. Tapping one plays it with sound and makes it bigger.
• They work in private chats, groups and channels, wherever you are allowed to post.

They suit quick greetings, showing something nearby, a short explanation where your face helps, or a personal touch in a channel.

Before you start

A quick check makes the first recording go smoothly.

1. Update Telegram, so you have the lock, pause and view-once options.
2. Allow Telegram to use the camera and microphone. Your phone asks the first time; if you refused then, change it in the phone's settings under Telegram.
3. Make sure the chat allows media from you. Some groups restrict it.
4. Find a reasonably quiet spot. The phone's microphone picks up everything nearby.

How to record a video message on Android and iPhone

The steps are the same on both phones.

1. Open the chat.
2. Look at the icon to the right of the message box. With an empty message box, it shows a microphone.
3. Tap it once. It changes to a camera. Tap again to switch back to voice. Telegram remembers your last choice.
4. Press and hold the camera icon. A round preview of your front camera appears and recording starts.
5. Talk or show what you want while holding.
6. Release to send. The video message goes immediately.

To cancel while holding, slide your finger left, towards the cancel arrow, and let go. Nothing is sent.

Record without holding the button

Holding a button for a minute is tiring and makes the picture shaky. You can lock recording instead.

1. Start recording by holding the camera icon.
2. Slide your finger up towards the lock symbol and let go.
3. Recording continues hands-free.
4. Tap the send button when you are done, or tap the bin or cancel option to discard.

Switch between front and back camera

While recording, a flip-camera button appears on screen. Tap it to switch to the back camera and show what is in front of you, then switch back. If you lock recording first, it is easier to reach.

Pause and continue

When recording is locked, newer versions show a pause button. Pause, then tap the record control again to continue. This lets you leave out a moment without starting over. If you do not see a pause option, update the app.

Send a video message that can be watched only once

Telegram lets you send voice and video messages that play once and then disappear from the chat.

1. Start recording and slide up to lock.
2. Tap the view-once icon before sending.
3. Send as usual.

The recipient can play it once. Remember that nothing stops someone from filming their screen with another device, so do not treat once-only as a guarantee of privacy.

Tips for a video message that looks good

The round frame changes how you should hold the camera. A circle cuts off the corners of the picture, so anything near the edges disappears.

• Keep your face in the centre. Hold the phone a little further away than for a selfie, so your whole face fits inside the circle.
• Hold the phone at eye level. Filming from below is unflattering and shows the ceiling.
• Face the light. A window in front of you works well. A window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
• Steady the phone. Lock recording and rest your elbow on a table, or prop the phone up.
• Know your first sentence. Most retakes happen in the first few seconds. Decide how you will start before you press record.
• Keep it short. A video message works best as a quick, personal note. If you find yourself explaining something at length, a normal video or a text post may serve the viewer better.

How to send video messages on desktop

Video messages started on phones, and computer support has arrived later and varies by app and version.

• Telegram Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) and Telegram for macOS can play video messages. Recent versions can also record them: look for the microphone icon in the message bar and check whether clicking it switches to a camera, as on a phone. If your version does not offer it, update.
• Telegram Web may or may not offer recording, depending on the version you use. Playback works.

If you cannot record on your computer, record on your phone instead. The message appears on every device you use, because chats are in the cloud.

Computers also need camera permission. On a Mac, allow Telegram under camera access in the privacy settings. On Windows, check that apps are allowed to use the camera in Windows privacy settings.

Watching and controlling video messages

When you receive a video message:

• It plays silently in the chat as you scroll past.
• Tap it to play from the start with sound. It grows larger while playing.
• Tap again to pause.
• You can change playback speed, as with voice messages, using the speed control that appears while it plays. This depends on your app version.
• Telegram Premium includes transcription for voice messages, and Telegram has extended it to some video messages. If your app shows a transcribe button next to a video message, it turns the speech into text.

Autoplay and automatic download are controlled in Telegram's data and storage settings. If video messages eat into your mobile data, limit automatic downloads there. Our guide on stopping Telegram from auto-downloading media explains the options.

Video messages in groups and channels

Video messages work anywhere you can post, but the audience changes the etiquette.

• Groups. Admins can restrict sending media, which can include video and voice messages. If the camera icon is missing or greyed out in a group, check the group's rules or ask an admin. See why you can't send messages in a Telegram group.
• Channels. Channel admins can post video messages to subscribers. They are a friendly way to say hello, introduce a new series or give a short update, and they feel more personal than a normal post. Keep them short and add a text post if the content needs to be searchable later.

For channel owners, a video message is not a replacement for a written post. Readers who skim in silence will miss it. See how to write Telegram posts people read for the written side.

Privacy and who can send you video messages

A few privacy points are worth knowing.

• Your video messages show your face and surroundings. Check what is behind you, especially windows, addresses, screens and documents.
• Anyone in a chat can save or forward a normal video message unless the chat restricts saving content.
• Telegram Premium users can restrict who may send them voice and video messages. If someone has done that, Telegram tells you when you try to record. Text still works. See why Telegram messages are not sending for related cases.

Troubleshooting

The icon only shows a microphone

Tap it once. It switches between microphone and camera. If it stays a microphone, the chat may not allow video messages, or the other person may have limited them.

The camera preview is black

1. Check camera permission for Telegram in your phone's settings.
2. Close other apps that might be using the camera, such as video call apps.
3. Restart Telegram, then the phone.

Recording stops by itself

You probably let go of the button without locking. Slide up to lock next time. It can also stop when you reach the maximum length shown by the timer.

The message arrives as a normal video or file

This can happen on some computer versions or with very long recordings. Update the app. If it continues, record on your phone.

No sound when the recipient plays it

Check microphone permission for Telegram. Tell the viewer to tap the bubble, because autoplay in the chat list is silent by design.

Common mistakes

• Holding the button for long clips. The picture shakes and you may release by accident. Lock recording instead.
• Forgetting what is behind you. Background details are shared along with your face.
• Relying on view-once for secrets. It cannot stop someone filming their screen with another device.
• Sending a video message where text is needed. Addresses, links and numbers belong in text, where people can copy them.
• Posting long video notes in a channel without a text summary. Many readers browse without sound.

FAQ

How long can a Telegram video message be?

Telegram designed them as short clips of up to about a minute, and the recording screen shows a timer. For anything longer, record a normal video with your camera and send it as a video.

Can I preview a video message before sending it?

When you lock recording, newer versions let you pause and review options before you press send. Holding and releasing sends instantly, with no preview. If you want full control, record a normal video instead.

Can I delete a video message after sending?

Yes. Long-press it and choose delete, and you can delete it for everyone in a private chat. See how to edit or delete a sent message.

Can I send a gallery video as a round video message?

Not through the normal attach menu, which sends gallery videos as standard videos. Round video messages are recorded live in the chat.

Why do video messages play without sound?

They autoplay silently so the chat does not suddenly make noise. Tap the bubble to hear it.

Summary

Tap the microphone icon to switch it to a camera, then hold to record and release to send. Slide up to lock for hands-free recording, use the flip button to switch cameras, and pause when your version offers it. Lock first if you want a view-once clip. On computers, support depends on your app version, so update or record on your phone. Check your background, keep clips short, and put anything people need to copy in a text message.