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25/10/2026
Feature removed in 2024
Can you still find people nearby on Telegram?
No. Telegram removed People Nearby, including Groups Nearby, on 6 September 2024. Pavel Durov said it was used by less than 0.1% of users but had problems with bots and scammers. To connect with someone next to you today, scan their QR code or search their username; to find local communities, use Global search with your city and a topic.
- People Nearbygone since Sep 2024
- Businesses Nearbyannounced, not in the apps
- QR code and usernamework on every app
What happened to People Nearby, and when?
Five years of signal, then a hard cut. Tap a bar to read what happened at that point.
People Nearby arrives
Telegram added Contacts › Add People Nearby on 23 June 2019. People who opened the screen at the same time could swap contact details without typing phone numbers, and could see public groups set up close by.
Source: Telegram blog, “Location-Based Chats, Adding Contacts Nearby”, June 2019.
Why did Telegram remove it?
The official reason was bots and scammers. A known privacy weakness made the case stronger.
People Nearby showed how far away each visible user was. In January 2021 researcher Ahmed Hassan faked his phone’s location at three spots, noted the three distances and drew three circles. Where they cross is the person. Tap the spots to draw the circles.
Telegram’s reply at the time: users in that section “intentionally share their location”, and the feature was off by default.
Automated accounts could sit on the list in a busy area and message everyone who made themselves visible.
“Friend nearby” openers were an easy start for dating, crypto and job scams aimed at strangers.
“We’ve removed the People Nearby feature, which was used by less than 0.1% of Telegram users, but had issues with bots and scammers.”
Pavel Durov, Telegram founder, 6 September 2024
How do you add someone standing next to you now?
Four ways replace the old “Add People Nearby” button. Pick one to see the taps and what the other person learns about you.
Show your QR code, they point their camera
- Open Settings and tap the QR code icon at the top.
- The other person scans it with Telegram’s scanner or the phone camera.
- Your profile opens on their phone. They tap Message or Add to contacts.
Your name, photo and username. Your phone number stays hidden unless your privacy settings allow it.
Never use Settings › Devices › Scan QR on a code a stranger shows you: that screen logs them into your account.
More detail on each method in our guides to adding people on Telegram and scanning a Telegram QR code.
How do you find local Telegram groups and channels now?
Without Groups Nearby, a place is just a word in a search. Build a query to see how to search well.
Start with your city or district name, in English and in the local language.
Type the query in the search bar above your chat list. Public groups and channels whose name or username match appear under “Global search”.
Open one good local channel. Telegram suggests related channels on its profile, which often turns up neighbouring communities.
Venues, universities, coworking spaces and events often print an invite link or QR code. That is the closest thing left to Groups Nearby.
Is there a Businesses Nearby section instead?
It was announced as the replacement. Here is what you can actually use in October 2026.
Removed on 6 September 2024. The Android app’s interface text no longer contains it at all.
Announced the same day for “legitimate, verified businesses”. We found no screen or text for it in the current Android, iOS or Desktop apps.
Live since 31 March 2024 as part of Telegram Business (Premium). A business account can show its address and a map pin on its profile.
To set it on your own account: Settings › Telegram Business › Location, then enter an address or Set Location on Map. People see it when they open your profile; Telegram does not list you to strangers nearby.
How do you meet locals on Telegram safely?
The removal took away a scam channel, not scammers. Tick what you already do.
Guides that help: sharing live location safely and reporting Telegram scammers.
Your group lost its nearby listing. How do you replace that traffic?
- Print the group’s QR code where your members already are: the venue, the notice board, the event entrance.
- Give the group a clear name with the city in it, so Global search finds it.
- Pin the rules and name the admins, so newcomers trust it.
A new group with five members rarely convinces anyone to join. Our Targeted Telegram Members are taken from a public group you name, so they share its interest: 1,000 from $40. Members do not reply like real neighbours, so pair them with the steps above.
Questions about People Nearby
Is People Nearby still available on Telegram?
No. Telegram removed People Nearby, together with Groups Nearby, on 6 September 2024. Updating or reinstalling the app does not bring it back.
Why can’t I find Add People Nearby in Contacts?
Because the feature no longer exists. Old screenshots and guides still show it under Contacts, which is why many people keep looking. Use a QR code or a username instead.
Why did Telegram remove People Nearby?
Pavel Durov said it was used by less than 0.1% of users and had issues with bots and scammers. Researchers had also shown in 2021 that the distances it displayed could be used to work out a user’s exact location.
Has Businesses Nearby replaced it?
Not yet in the apps. Telegram announced Businesses Nearby on 6 September 2024 for verified businesses, but as of October 2026 we found no such section in the Android, iOS or Desktop apps. Business accounts can show their location on their own profile.
Can strangers still see my location on Telegram?
Only if you send it. A shared or live location is visible to the chat you send it to, and a business account’s address is visible on its profile. Nothing lists your position to people around you anymore.
How do I add someone sitting next to me?
Open Settings, tap the QR code icon and let them scan it. Their phone opens your profile, and your number stays hidden unless your privacy settings allow it.
How can I find local Telegram groups now?
Search for your city plus a topic, such as housing, jobs or expats, in Telegram’s search bar and check the Global search results. Similar Channels on a good local channel and invite links posted at venues or events also help.
Are “nearby” bots or third-party apps a safe replacement?
Be careful. They are not made by Telegram, they ask for your location and you cannot check who reads it. A QR code or username exchange does the same job without sharing where you are.
Which guides help you connect without People Nearby?
How we checked this guide. On 25 October 2026 we searched the interface text of Telegram for Android, Telegram for iOS and Telegram Desktop for People Nearby and Businesses Nearby, read Pavel Durov’s announcement, Telegram’s June 2019 launch post and Telegram Business post, and The Register’s report on the 2021 location research. Written by the AddTelegramMember team, a Telegram growth service since 2019.
