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How to watch Telegram videos on a Samsung or LG TV

Let's be frank: there is no Telegram app, official or third-party, for Samsung TVs (Tizen) or LG TVs (webOS), and Tevegram cannot be installed on them either. These systems do not run Android apps. The good news: a $40 stick plugged into an HDMI port settles the matter for good.

What you need

Step by step

  1. Plug an Android TV or Google TV stick into HDMI. A Chromecast with Google TV (about $30 for HD, $50 for 4K), a Google TV Streamer or a Xiaomi Mi TV Stick turns any TV into a smart TV with its own app store. Plug it in, connect it to Wi-Fi, and select its HDMI input on the TV.

  2. Install Tevegram on the stick. From the stick's Play Store, search for "Tevegram: Telegram for TV" and install it. The stick's remote drives everything.

  3. Connect your Telegram account. A QR code appears on the sign-in screen. On your phone, open Telegram, then Settings, Devices, Link Desktop Device, and scan it. No password to type with the remote.

Good to know on this device

The no-purchase alternative: cast or AirPlay from your phone

On a recent Samsung or LG TV you can mirror your phone's screen (Smart View, Screen Share, AirPlay on compatible models) and start the video in Telegram. It works, but the phone stays busy for the whole movie, quality depends on Wi-Fi, and there is no library and no resume. Fine for the occasional video, tiring every day.

Which stick to choose?

Best value: the Chromecast with Google TV 4K or the Google TV Streamer. On a tight budget: the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick (1080p). To never think about it again, even with multi-gigabyte 4K files: the Nvidia Shield. Note that Fire TV Sticks are not an option: Tevegram is not available on Fire OS for now.

Frequently asked questions

Will a Telegram app ever come to Tizen or webOS?

Nothing has been announced by Telegram, and the Samsung and LG stores are very closed to messaging apps. Do not count on it in the short term: the HDMI stick remains the realistic solution.

Will the stick slow down my TV or change its interface?

No. The stick is just one more HDMI source, like a console or a set-top box. Your TV stays as it is; you switch to the stick when you want Telegram, and back to the TV's interface whenever you like.

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