Why did Apple remove Telegram from the App Store?

On August 5, 2026, Apple temporarily removed Telegram because an internal review found that the app violated rules prohibiting content related to child sexual abuse (CSAM).

Is Telegram available again on iPhone?

Yes, shortly after removing the offending content and blocking the responsible user, Telegram was restored to the App Store and is again available for download and updates.

Who is Pavel Durov and what charges does he face?

Pavel Durov is the CEO of Telegram. French authorities arrested him in 2024 on charges of enabling illegal activities and complicity in distributing child sexual abuse content, and Russia's FSB accuses him of aiding terrorism.

Has this happened before?

Yes, Apple removed Telegram from the App Store in 2018 for the same reason-content related to child sexual abuse.

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Telegram Disappears from iPhones Overnight: Apple Explains Why

G.D. · Prije 1h | 2 min

The app was temporarily removed from the App Store due to content related to child sexual abuse, and after a swift intervention by Telegram, it was restored to the store.

Summary

On August 5, 2026, Apple temporarily removed Telegram from the App Store due to CSAM content.
Telegram quickly removed the offending content and blocked the user, after which the app was restored.
CEO Pavel Durov faces charges in France and Russia over illegal content on the platform.
A similar removal occurred in 2018.

iPhone users worldwide, over a billion of them, were briefly unable to download or update the popular messaging app Telegram on Monday. On August 5, 2026, Apple temporarily removed the app from its App Store after an internal review found violations of its rules prohibiting content related to child sexual abuse (CSAM).

Apple confirmed the removal, and Telegram reacted quickly-they removed the offending content and blocked the user who posted it. After that, the app was restored to the App Store and is again available for download.

Telegram's Ironic Response

Telegram responded to Apple's decision on the social network X with an ironic message. As reported by Bug.hr, Telegram stated they "hope that the same criteria will be applied equally to all apps in the App Store in the future."

They also highlighted that they block tens of thousands of groups and channels daily and remove millions of posts that violate their rules, suggesting they are actively working to curb inappropriate content.

History of Issues with Apple and Legal Troubles

This is not the first time Apple has removed Telegram from its app store. The same thing happened in 2018, again due to material related to child sexual abuse.

Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, also faces more serious legal issues. In 2024, French authorities detained him and charged him with aiding in illegal activities and participating in the distribution of child sexual abuse content. As a result, Telegram made several changes, such as removing some features that were used for abuse and altering how private chats function.

More recently, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has also accused Durov of aiding terrorism, further complicating the legal position of Telegram's founder.