Telegram Ban Lifted in India: App Returns to Play Store and App Store, But One Feature Is Still Not Available

Google and Apple restored Telegram on the Play Store and App Store on Tuesday morning, June 23, as the government's week-long ban on the messaging platform came to an end. If you deleted the app during the ban or it stopped updating, you can head to the store and reinstall or update it now.

That said, things aren't fully back to normal just yet.

Message Editing Is Still Off

The platform's message-editing feature for previously sent texts will remain restricted in India until June 30. This doesn't affect sending new messages at all. You can chat normally — it's only going back and editing older messages that's blocked for now.

Full functionality is expected to return from July 1.

What to Do If the App Isn't Loading Yet

Even after the ban lifts, access may return gradually across different networks as internet service providers roll back the restrictions on their end. If the app still isn't showing up or loading, try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or restart your phone.

Your account and data are safe. The restriction was a regional block at the network level, not anything that touched your account or files on Telegram's servers.

Why Was Telegram Banned in the First Place

MeitY blocked Telegram on June 16 under Section 69A of the IT Act, acting on recommendations from the National Testing Agency. The ban was tied to the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination held on June 21, after several channels on the platform were found selling fake and fabricated exam papers to students. The message-editing feature specifically stayed restricted longer because it was being used to alter old posts while keeping the original timestamp, making it look like question papers had been leaked before the exam.