Telegram once offered a location-based feature that let users discover other Telegram accounts and local groups in their vicinity. It was designed for situations where people wanted to meet others nearby, exchange contact information, or find location-based communities without already knowing someone’s phone number. However, the feature was later removed from Telegram, so older guides showing how to activate it no longer describe the current app.
What People Nearby Was Designed To Do
People Nearby was a discovery tool based on physical proximity. Users who made themselves visible could appear to other Telegram users looking for people nearby. The feature could therefore be useful at events, campuses, public gatherings, or other places where several people wanted an easy way to connect.
Telegram also used the feature for discovering local groups. This made it possible to find communities associated with a particular area rather than searching only by a group name or invitation link.
| Feature | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Nearby users | Discover Telegram users who had chosen to be visible nearby |
| Nearby groups | Find location-based Telegram communities |
| Contact exchange | Connect with people nearby without first exchanging phone numbers |
How People Nearby Worked
The original feature required users to actively enter the nearby section and make themselves visible. Other users in the area could then discover visible profiles. It was not simply a directory of every Telegram account in a city.
The feature was therefore based on two conditions: location proximity and user participation. Someone who had not made their profile visible through the feature would not simply appear because they happened to be using Telegram nearby.
Its location-based design also distinguished it from ordinary Telegram search. Traditional search could help users find accounts through usernames or other known information, while People Nearby was intended to discover users without requiring that prior connection.
Is People Nearby Still Available?
No. Telegram removed People Nearby in 2024. The removal was not merely a change to the location of the menu or a problem with GPS permissions. The feature itself was discontinued.
Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, stated that the feature had been used by less than 0.1% of Telegram users and had problems involving bots and scammers. The company’s decision therefore combined low usage with concerns about misuse.
This means that common instructions such as opening Contacts, selecting People Nearby, and tapping “Make Myself Visible” are now historical instructions. Changing location permissions, reinstalling Telegram, or installing an older version does not restore the discontinued service.
Why Telegram Removed It
The stated reason was not simply that the feature was unpopular. Telegram specifically cited bots and scammers as problems associated with People Nearby.
A location-based discovery system can make it easier for strangers to find one another without an existing social connection. That can be useful for legitimate community building, but the same accessibility can also be exploited for unwanted messages, deceptive profiles, and other forms of abuse.
It is important to distinguish Telegram’s stated explanation from broader speculation about the decision. Public discussion has connected the removal with wider concerns about misuse of the platform, but the clearest documented explanation from Telegram itself focused on the feature’s low usage and problems involving bots and scammers.
What Happened To Nearby Groups?
People Nearby was not limited to individual profiles. Telegram had also provided a way to discover groups associated with a physical area. Consequently, the removal affected the broader location-based discovery system rather than just one contact-finding screen.
Users looking for local communities now need to rely on other discovery methods, such as a group’s public username, an invitation link, or information shared by existing members. A location alone is no longer a way to browse Telegram users and groups through the discontinued People Nearby system.
What Replaced People Nearby?
When Telegram announced the removal, it also described plans for a feature called Businesses Nearby. The proposed concept was different from People Nearby: instead of displaying ordinary Telegram users in the surrounding area, it was intended to focus on legitimate, verified businesses.
The announced concept included business catalogs and integrated payments. This represented a shift from person-to-person location discovery toward local commercial discovery.
Businesses Nearby should not be confused with the former People Nearby feature. The two concepts serve different purposes, and the announcement of a replacement did not restore the ability to browse nearby private Telegram users.
Can You Find Nearby People On Telegram Now?
There is no current People Nearby feature for browsing Telegram users according to physical proximity. If the goal is to find a particular person, Telegram’s other identification methods are more relevant.
- Username: A person can be found through a public Telegram username when one is available.
- Phone contact: Someone can be added or identified through contact information when appropriate.
- Shared groups: A person may be discoverable through a Telegram group that both users belong to.
- Direct links: A Telegram profile or username link can provide a direct route to a specific account.
These methods are different from People Nearby because they do not provide a general directory of Telegram users based on their physical location.
Why Old Tutorials Can Be Misleading
Many explanations of People Nearby were written when the feature was active. They may still describe menus such as “Contacts > People Nearby” or tell readers to enable visibility. Such instructions can remain online even after a feature has been permanently discontinued.
This creates a common misunderstanding: when the option cannot be found, users may assume that Telegram has moved it, that their device lacks the required permission, or that a particular version of the application is responsible. Those explanations do not apply to the discontinued feature.
The key distinction is simple: People Nearby was a former Telegram feature, not a hidden setting that can currently be enabled.
Privacy Considerations
The original feature involved location-based discovery, so privacy was an important consideration. Making a profile visible to nearby users meant deliberately participating in a system designed to connect strangers based on proximity.
That model differs from ordinary Telegram messaging, where a person generally needs some form of identifier, shared group, contact relationship, or direct link to initiate discovery. Removing People Nearby eliminated that particular location-based discovery mechanism.
For users concerned about privacy, the broader lesson is that location-based social features can provide convenience while also increasing exposure to people who are physically close but otherwise unknown. The discontinuation of People Nearby means Telegram no longer offers that specific form of location-driven social discovery.
The Bottom Line
People Nearby was Telegram’s former system for discovering users and groups based on physical proximity. It allowed participating users to make themselves visible to others nearby and helped facilitate local connections.
The feature is no longer available. Telegram removed it in 2024, citing its low usage and problems with bots and scammers. As a result, instructions that tell users to activate People Nearby or make themselves visible are outdated. Finding people on Telegram now requires other forms of discovery, such as usernames, contacts, shared groups, or direct links.