How to Fix 'You Can Only Send Messages to Mutual Contacts' Error on Telegram

You just met an interesting individual at a conference and wanted to follow up with them on Telegram. If you find their username, enter a message and click submit, only to be met with an error notification: “Sorry, you can only send messages to mutual contacts at the moment.”

The “You Can Only Send Messages to Mutual Contacts” issue on Telegram is a security feature added by the company to protect users from unwanted messages and potential spam.

If you get this error, it suggests that the person you are trying to message has their privacy settings set to only accept messages from mutual contacts who are individuals you have both added to your respective contact lists.

What causes the error?

To figure out the basic cause of the “You Can Only Send Messages to Mutual Contacts” problem, you must first understand Telegram’s privacy settings. By default, Telegram users may receive messages from anybody with a phone number or username. However, users can change their privacy settings to limit incoming messages to only those from mutual connections.

Why does it occur specifically with Telegram?

Telegram promotes user privacy and security, offering many tools and options to help users protect their online presence. The “You Can Only Send Messages to Mutual Contacts” problem is caused by these privacy measures.

While competing messaging applications may have stricter rules limiting conversations between non-contacts, Telegram’s method ensures that users can control their interactions and prevent unwanted attention.

Check mutual contacts

The “You Can Only Send Messages to Mutual Contacts” error is used to verify whether you and the person you’re trying to message are indeed mutual contacts. Here’s how you can check:

Open the Telegram app and navigate to the “Contacts” tab.
Search for the person’s name or username in the search bar.
If their name appears on your contact list, check if there’s a small “mutual” label next to it.

If you don’t see the “mutual” label or the person’s name doesn’t appear in your contacts, it means you’re not mutual contacts, and you’ll need to explore alternative methods to establish a connection.

Resolving the error through settings adjustments

If you’ve confirmed that you and the person you’re trying to message are not mutual contacts, you can attempt to resolve this error by adjusting your privacy settings:

Open the Telegram app and go to “Settings.”
Tap on “Privacy and Security.”
Under the “Privacy” section, tap on “Phone Number.”
Ensure that the “Who Can See My Phone Number” option is set to “Everybody.”

By making your phone number visible to everyone, you increase the likelihood of the other person finding and adding you as a contact, thus establishing a mutual connection.