Conflicts between the Telegram app and the latest Android or iOS updates.
occurs when a user attempts to join a group via an invite link where "Send messages" and "Send media" permissions are disabled. Clicking the link causes an immediate client crash. Account Switching Crash: Telegram Desktop for Windows
Since Telegram allows long-form text, the PSA or Interactive Story formats usually get the most engagement because people love to reply with their own "crush bug" horror stories in the comments.
: Ensure you are on the latest version. Check the official Telegram Desktop releases or the Bugs and Suggestions page for known issues. crush bug telegram
, this zero-day exploit allowed attackers to send malicious files disguised as videos on Telegram for Android. While it primarily aimed to install malware, it could lead to crashes if the system failed to handle the payload. A successor, EvilLoader , emerged in March 2025 , disguising files as videos to execute malicious code. Animated Sticker Zero-Click (2026) March 2026
If the app freezes instead of crashing, it may maximize your device's CPU usage. This leads to rapid battery depletion and noticeable overheating.
Imagine opening a message from a friend, only for your Telegram app to freeze instantly, close itself, and refuse to reopen. You haven't downloaded a virus, and your phone isn't broken. Instead, you have fallen victim to a "crush bug"—a specialized exploit designed to crash the application purely through text, media, or specific code sequences. Conflicts between the Telegram app and the latest
While "crush bug" is often used broadly by users to describe any glitch that causes an app to crash ("crush"), the most significant 2026 threat involves a . Unlike traditional phishing where you must click a link, this vulnerability triggers automatically when your device receives a specially crafted animated sticker . Vulnerability ID : ZDI-CAN-30207. Severity Score : 9.8 / 10 (Critical).
: To prevent "crash media" from triggering, disable Automatic Media Download in your settings.
A specific UI-related crash was documented where right-clicking in specific areas caused an immediate shutdown. Account Switching Crash: Telegram Desktop for Windows Since
: Like other messaging apps, Telegram has historically been susceptible to specific character strings (such as certain Telugu or Sindhi characters) that overload the rendering engine, causing immediate crashes when the message is viewed or pasted. Common Functional "Crush" Issues
version when attempting to draw lines outside the boundaries of a copied image within the chat interface. Telegram Messenger Common Troubleshooting Steps
There is currently a significant dispute between independent researchers and Telegram's official team:
Crashing—or the "crush bug"—typically means the application closes abruptly, freezes and becomes unresponsive, or gets stuck in a restart loop. This can be triggered by a wide array of factors:
, users have reported instances where the Telegram app crashes instantly upon startup, particularly on older iOS versions like