Telegram stuck on “Updating…” with a proxy
“Updating…” comes after “Connecting…”: the app has reached Telegram and is downloading what changed while it was offline. If it never finishes, the connection is too slow or keeps breaking, and with a proxy that usually points to the server.
What you see
| Where | On screen |
|---|---|
| Telegram for Android | “Updating...” |
| Telegram for iPhone | “Updating...” |
| Proxy list | Connected and a ping, but new messages do not arrive |
What it usually means
- The proxy is reachable but overloaded. Public servers are shared by many people at once.
- Your network lets the connection start and then slows it down. Some blocking systems throttle instead of cutting.
- After a long time offline there is simply a lot to download. On a good connection this clears within a minute or two.
- The server is far from you, so every request takes long.
Check it step by step
- Wait one minute on a stable network.
If “Updating…” goes away, the app was catching up. If it stays, carry on.
- Open one chat with recent messages and send a message to Saved Messages.
If the message goes out but photos do not load, the server is slow rather than dead: see slow proxy.
- Switch to another server from the list below.
If the second server finishes updating quickly, the first was overloaded.
- Turn the proxy off and see whether Telegram connects directly.
If it does, you do not need the proxy on this network right now.
- Close Telegram completely and open it again after switching.
This drops half-open connections left over from the previous server.
Try a server that passed our last check
These servers passed a full MTProto handshake from our checker. List built 18 October 2026 at 15:51 UTC; it is rebuilt every 20 minutes. A server that works for our checker can still be blocked on your network.
- 34 of the 50 highest-ranked servers in our live list answered every check we have recorded for them. Servers that answer consistently are a better bet than ones that appeared an hour ago.
Questions
Why does the proxy show a ping if nothing loads?
The ping is a tiny test. It shows that the server answers, not that it can carry chats and media at a useful speed.
Is “Updating…” a proxy problem or a Telegram outage?
If it happens on every server and also without a proxy, Telegram or your network is having trouble. If one server is stuck and another works, it is the server.
Does clearing the cache help?
Clearing the cache frees storage but does not speed up the connection. Changing the server is what helps here.