Telegram has released version 12.9, introducing a rich text editor and a new community system. The update also includes enhanced group management tools and a significantly expanded GIF library.
The new Markdown editor allows users to format messages with headings, tables, lists, quotes, and code blocks. Users can embed photos and videos directly within the text, with a maximum message length of 32,768 characters. This feature is currently restricted to Telegram Premium subscribers.
Community Features and Bot Updates
The update enables the creation of communities, allowing administrators to merge channels, groups, and bots into a single space. Admins can configure chat visibility and control whether members can add new chats. Additionally, bots can now send disappearing messages visible only to specific users, keeping group chats clear of personal notifications and AI responses.
The GIF search database now includes over 350 million animations across 36 languages. The developers state that local AI indexing improves search speed while maintaining user privacy.