How to Track Realtime Location of ANY Telegram User

Introduction

Hey! Have you heard about Telegram’s hidden gem? It’s not just for chatting anymore! There’s this awesome feature called “geolocation tracking” that lets you pinpoint

where your friends are on a map. Pretty neat, right? Let’s dive into how you can use this feature for some fun, while also learning how to keep your own whereabouts private.

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But How it Works ?

Telegram has a neat feature that shows you who’s nearby, like a game of hide and seek on your phone.

You can imagine your friends in different parts of the world. But there’s a rule: you can only do it every 5 minutes. And it only works if your friend is using Telegram and hasn’t turned off their location.

Imagine you’re playing a game and it starts to get really tough. Well, that’s what happened with Telegram recently.

They had this feature called “People Nearby,” which was super strong, almost like a superhero’s power.

But after over a year, they realized it was too much and toned it down. Now, when you use it, you can only see if someone is 500 meters, 1 kilometer, 2 kilometers away, and so on. It’s like zooming out to a bigger map instead of staying on a tiny one.

It took Telegram a while to notice their error, but now you won’t be able to see precisely where your friends are.

I’m not entirely convinced about Telegram’s commitment to privacy. Alternatively, it could be that the significant surge of criticism from Russian and Ukrainian media has prompted them to reconsider.

Method 1: Using Telegram Nearby Map

The Telegram Nearby Map feature utilizes OpenStreetMap and the official Telegram library to determine the location of nearby users.

Please note: Telegram updated its API some time ago to make nearby user distances less precise, preventing exact location calculations.

Therefore, Telegram Nearby Map displays users nearby, but it doesn’t reveal their exact location. This change was inspired by a discussion on Hacker News.

Also Read: Keylogger in Python

How does it work?

Every 25 seconds, TDLib from Telegram retrieves all nearby users, along with the distance of each user to “my” location.

With three distances obtained from three different points, it becomes possible to calculate the position of the nearby user.

Note: This method only identifies Telegram users who have activated the nearby feature. By default, this feature is deactivated.

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Installation

To get started, you’ll need node.js installed on your system and a Telegram account.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Create an API key for your Telegram account at the following link: API Key Creation Page
2. Download the repository from GitHub.
3. Create a file named config.js (you can use config.example.js as a template) and input your Telegram API credentials into it.
4. Install all dependencies by running npm install in your terminal.
5. Start the app by running npm start in your terminal.
6. Pay close attention to the output in your terminal; you’ll need to confirm your Telegram login.
7. Once confirmed, go to http://localhost:3000 in your web browser and enjoy using the app.

That’s it! You’re all set to explore the Telegram Nearby Map feature.

Method 2: Geogramint

Geogramint is an OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tool that utilizes Telegram’s API to discover nearby users and groups. Inspired by Tejado’s Telegram Nearby Map, which is no longer actively maintained, Geogramint aims to offer a more user-friendly alternative.

It’s important to note that Geogramint only detects Telegram users and groups that have enabled the nearby feature, which is initially deactivated by default.

The tool is fully supported on Windows and partially supported on Mac OS and various Linux distributions.

Installation on Windows

To get started with Geogramint, you’ll need Python 3.8 or 3.9 installed on your system and a Telegram account.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Create an API key for your Telegram account at the following link: API Key Creation Page
2. Download the installer from the Geogramint GitHub releases page: Geogramint Releases

That’s it! You’re ready to start using Geogramint to discover nearby Telegram users and groups.

Installation on Mac OS / Linux

To utilize Geogramint, you’ll need Python 3.8 or 3.9 installed on your system along with a Telegram account. Follow these steps in your terminal:

Clone the Geogramint repository by running the command:

git clone https://github.com/Alb-310/Geogramint.git

Navigate into the Geogramint directory:

cd Geogramint/

Install the required dependencies by executing:

pip install -r requirements.txt

To run Geogramint in GUI mode, use the command:

python geogramint.py

Or, if you prefer CLI mode, you can use:

python geogramint.py --help

That’s it! You’re now ready to use Geogramint to explore nearby Telegram users and groups.

How to use Geogramint? 🤫 Secret Tip: How to Avoid this?

To begin, create an API key for your Telegram account here. Additionally, ensure that you have set a profile picture on your account. In your Privacy and Security settings, enable the profile picture for everyone.

Launch Geogramint. After launching the application, proceed to the settings section. Input your information, including your api_id and api_hash, following the process outlined in Method 1 of this blog. Choose your report preference, then save the settings.

Select the location you wish to search either by moving around the map or by using the search feature with coordinates in latitude and longitude format.

Telegram will send you a verification code. Please enter this code in the pop-up window. If you have a two-step verification password, also include it in the provided field.

Then, click on “Start Search”.

All results will be displayed as follows:

🟢 Green for 500 meters.

🟡 Yellow for 1000 meters.

🟠 Orange for 2000 meters.

🔴 Red for distances greater than 3000 meters.

Note: Results can also be found in the Geogramint/cache_telegram/ directory in both JSON and CSV formats, along with profile pictures.

Resetting will clear the results and erase the cache_telegram directory.

🤫 Secret Tip: How to Avoid this?

You can take control of your Telegram settings and opt out of sharing your location. It’s like becoming invisible on the map by disabling the geolocation feature in your Telegram messenger.

Also Read: LaZange Password Cracking

Here’s another handy trick: utilize “proxy settings” in your Telegram. It’s akin to having a magic shield that helps you keep your location private.

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