You can’t make an IM or social media app these days without adding a Stories feature to it. Practically every popular app has Stories, where users post photo and video updates that disappear after 24 hours. Telegram was the surprising holdout for this, but now, the app has added a stories feature. The twist is that only Telegram Premium users can post a story, though everyone can view posted stories.

Twitter user @Bayrischmaster spotted the Stories feature on Telegram, but they were puzzled about how to post a story. The official Telegram account on Twitter responded that the posting feature is currently available only to Premium users, confirming that the feature is indeed rolling out.

I have the stories feature available on my Telegram account. There is no option to post a story as I am not a Premium subscriber.

Last month, Telegram founder Pavel Durov highlighted how the Stories feature would work on Telegram. Some of the key highlights include:

• Privacy: Stories can be set to be viewed by:
  • Everyone
  • Only your contacts (with exceptions)
  • Few selected contacts
  • List of Close Friends
• Captions: Stories will have captions for more context and to add links and tag other people.
• Dual camera support: You can post photos and videos taken by your phone’s front and rear cameras simultaneously.
• Ephemerality: You can set how quickly your story will disappear: six hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, or even be permanently displayed.
• Reposting: Stories can use repost content from channels, making it easier to go viral on the platform.

Telegram’s approach to Stories has its own spin to it. I appreciate that Stories aren’t in your face when you enter the app, and they can be viewed in a more discretionary manner. Fans of the IM app who want to stick to sending messages can continue to do so without having Stories hinder their experience.