Why Can’t I See My Contacts on Telegram [+Solutions]

Telegram is one of the best instant messaging platforms, and it keeps on improving. The platform offer tons of useful features, which makes it a lucrative choice among all messaging apps. Although Telegram is reliable and works great, there are times when it runs into issues, like any other messaging app.

Many Telegram users have reported that they can’t see contacts on the app. In case you are wondering why can’t I see my contacts on Telegram on your Android or iPhone, keep reading this guide. Plus, we’ll tell you a few ways to fix this issue.

Why is Telegram Not Showing My Contacts?

If you do not see a single contact on Telegram, it’s most likely because Telegram can’t access your access because of missing permission. After logging in on Telegram, Telegram asks for permission to access contacts on your phone. You need to give permission so that Telegram can pull contacts from your phone and show them within the app.

If you’ve already given the contacts permission to Telegram, but still it does not show any contacts because the app may have a software glitch or syncing issues. You need to fix issues with syncing.

Telegram Contacts Not Showing? Here’s How to Fix

Check out the solutions below and test them on your phone. We are sure that one of the solutions will fix the contact not showing issue on your Android or iPhone. So, without further ado, let’s jump to the first solution.

1. Check App Permissions

Telegram can’t show contacts if it has not been given permission to access contacts on your phone. Follow these steps to check what permission is already given to Telegram:

For Android users:

Step 1: Go to Settings > Applications and tap on Telegram. This will open up the app info page. Alternatively, you can reach this page by holding on to the Telegram app icon and clicking the info icon.

Step 2: Tap on Permissions.

Step 3: Tap on Contacts and select Allow.

For iPhone users:

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Scroll down to Telegram and tap on it.

Step 3: Enable the switch next to Contacts.

Restart the Telegram app and check if contacts have started to appear. If you haven’t messaged any of your contacts yet, you need to tap the pencil icon at the bottom-right corner to see all Telegram contacts on your phone.

2. Enable Contacts Syncing

If the Sync Contacts option is turned off for Telegram, the messaging app will fail to sync new contacts added on your phone. When this feature is turned on, Telegram automatically checks for new contacts. Follow the steps below to turn on Sync Contacts on Telegram on your Android or iPhone:

For Android users:

Step 1: Open the Telegram app and click on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner.

Step 2: Tap on Settings.

Step 3: Click Privacy and Security.

Step 4: Under the Contacts option, you’ll see Sync Contacts. Turn it on.

For iPhone users:

Step 1: Open the Telegram app and click Settings at the bottom-right corner.

Step 2: Tap on Privacy and Security.

Step 3: Tap on Data Settings and enable the Sync Contacts option.

After enabling Sync Contacts, restart Telegram and check if new contacts are showing up. It may take a couple of minutes to sync contacts.

3. Make Sure Sync Is Not Disabled (Android)

In the previous solutions, we looked at the steps to enable the automatic sync function for Telegram. It should work in most cases. However, if the problem persists, you may need to check if the sync is disabled on your phone.

If Sync is disabled on your phone, not just Telegram, but even WhatsApp and Gmail can misbehave. You may not get the emails and messages. On most Android phones, the sync feature is located inside the control panel options. Scroll down from the top and check if Sync is disabled. If it is, enable it now.

4. Disable Battery Saver

When you enable the battery saving mode, it kills running processes and stops the syncing function to get the best battery life. You should therefore disable the battery saver for Telegram to work smoothly.

5. Manually Add Contacts

If Telegram is not showing a specific contact, you can manually add it from within the app. For this, Android users need to open the Telegram app, tap on the three lines menu button, and click Contacts. Add new contact. iPhone users can do the same by opening the Telegram app and going to the Contacts tab.

6. Update Telegram

Though an older version of Telegram should work fine, it’s not recommended to keep using it. You should update the Telegram app (if an update is available) as it will not only add new features but fixes bugs too. Go to Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) and check if an update is available for Telegram. If yes, go ahead and update the app.

We believe that one of the solutions from this article helped you in fixing the contacts not showing issue on Telegram. If the problem persists, uninstall and reinstall the Telegram app. Lastly, you can contact Telegram support.

Also Read:
1. Fix: Telegram Not Sending Verification Code
2. How to Send Telegram Voice Messages to WhatsApp?
3. How to Automatically Save Telegram Photos to Gallery?