Telegram Introduces Editable Stories Feature to All Users

Telegram has officially unveiled its Stories feature to all users, marking the celebration of its 10th anniversary. While the Stories feature was initially launched exclusively for Premium users last month, it is now accessible to the entire user base on the platform. What sets Telegram's Stories apart from those on other social media platforms is the unique ability for users to edit them even after they have been posted. Unlike Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and TikTok, where editing a live Story requires its deletion and reposting, Telegram allows seamless post-editing.

A recent blog post from Telegram elaborates on this innovation, stating, "For the first time in the history of social media, you can update any element of your story at any time – changing its visibility, caption, on-screen text, stickers or anything else – without having to delete and repost it from scratch."

The general structure of Telegram's Stories experience resembles that of its counterparts on other platforms. Users can opt to make their Stories viewable to everyone, their contacts, a selected few contacts, or a list of close friends. Furthermore, users can exercise control over the visibility of Stories posted by others, by relegating them to the "Hidden" list within the Contacts section, effectively removing them from the main screen. Users can also prevent their Stories from being saved or shared by disabling screenshots.

Flexibility is a key theme, as users can choose the duration for which their Stories remain visible, ranging from six to 48 hours. These Stories, arranged in an eye-catching grid, provide a comprehensive glimpse into users' lives, offering more than just static profile photos. The privacy settings for each profile-based story can be tailored to specific individuals, giving users ultimate control over their audience. Alternatively, permanent display options are available, akin to Instagram's Story highlights. Telegram's Stories also incorporate features like captions, links, and the capability to tag other users. The platform supports dual-camera photos and videos, captured simultaneously from the front and rear cameras, reminiscent of the "BeReal" style.

Although Stories are now accessible to all users, not just Premium subscribers, Telegram continues to offer exclusive benefits to Premium users. One such feature is "Stealth Mode," enabling Premium users to erase their view history from Stories accessed within the last five minutes and conceal their subsequent viewing activity for the following 25 minutes.

Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, revealed that users had expressed interest in having Stories for years. While the company had reservations due to the feature's ubiquity across other platforms, it ultimately decided to heed the users' voices and introduce the feature.

Telegram's innovative approach to Stories, particularly the editable nature of posts, brings a fresh perspective to the realm of social media. With its user-centric approach and commitment to privacy, Telegram is poised to leave a distinctive mark on the Stories landscape.