“The proxy link is invalid” in Telegram

What you see

What it usually means

• A parameter is missing or misspelled. An MTProto link needs server, port and secret. A SOCKS5 link needs server and port, plus user and pass if the proxy has a login.
• The port is not a number, or the server field has extra characters: spaces, quotes, a slash.
• The link was cut when copied from a post, so the end of the secret or a whole parameter is gone.
• The link uses a proxy type that your version of the app does not know.

Check it step by step

1. Paste the link into the proxy link checker.

   It shows each parameter separately and says which one is missing, unreadable or the wrong length.

2. Check how the link starts: tg://proxy?, https://t.me/proxy?, tg://socks? or https://t.me/socks?.

   A link to a channel, a website or a list of proxies is not a proxy link, even if it is posted next to one.

3. Delete anything stuck to the end of the secret: dots, brackets, emoji or words.

   A hex secret contains only digits and the letters a to f. A base64 secret also uses other letters, “-” and “_”, but never spaces or punctuation.

4. Update Telegram Desktop if the message mentions your version.

   The longer message appears when the app does not recognise the proxy type. After the update, open the same link again.

5. If the link is still rejected, take another server from a list that is checked regularly.

   A link that was broken by whoever posted it cannot be repaired from your side.

Try a server that passed our last check

These servers passed a full MTProto handshake from our checker. List built 18 October 2026 at 18:31 UTC; it is rebuilt every 20 minutes. A server that works for our checker can still be blocked on your network.

Questions

Related problems