Just when I figured out what the MAX messenger was properly called — here’s the news: it’s been renamed. Again questions, again ambiguities. Now in Google Play and App Store, the app is displayed as МАКС on Android and iOS. What happened? Formally, this is a rebranding of the MAX messenger. But what actually changed? Is there something bigger behind the name change, or are we being led around by the nose again? Let’s break it down, honestly answering all the questions about the messenger.

MAX is now МАКС for us, don’t mix them up

MAX or МАКС — What Is the Messenger Properly Called

Since April 21, 2026, the messenger appears as “МАКС: communication, calls, services” in Russian app stores. This applies to both Google Play and the App Store. The same Cyrillic spelling has appeared on the service’s official website as well.

A revolutionary change to the messenger (not really)

Before this, it was MAX in Latin letters everywhere, no alternatives. MAX or МАКС? Now the second name is officially used, at least on the store listings. There was no public announcement: one day the name in the stores quietly changed, and that was it.

Why MAX Became МАКС on Android

VK gave no official explanation. But it’s not hard to guess. On March 1, 2026, the law on the protection of the Russian language came into effect, requiring the use of Cyrillic in the names of Russian services and products wherever possible. MAX was renamed to МАКС, apparently in compliance with this requirement.

For a state-backed messenger that is mandatory for pre-installation on all smartphones sold in Russia, having a Latin name looked illogical at best. MAX was turned into МАКС, and now at least the formality has been observed. Everything else is details.

What Changed in МАКС on Android After the Rebranding

Inside the app, the messenger is still called MAX

I open the МАКС app, and the login screen says MAX. In Latin letters. Same as before. This eloquently describes the scale of what happened. Here’s the full list of changes brought by the MAX rebranding:

  • in Google Play and App Store, the name changed from MAX to “МАКС: communication, calls, services”;
  • the official website of the service also switched to Cyrillic.

That’s where the list ends. The messenger’s official bot with service notifications is still called MAX. Inside the МАКС messenger, there’s no new welcome screen, no updated logo, not even a “we’ve updated” banner. No new features. Old bugs haven’t gone anywhere. The interface is the same. An update to the МАКС messenger in the traditional sense didn’t happen. They just changed four letters in one place.

What Will Happen with МАКС in 2026

Changing the sign isn’t product development. A new МАКС messenger in name and a new app in functionality are very different things. The first happened. The second hasn’t yet. Yes, VKontakte has the resources, and technically МАКС can get better. But so far, in the months since launch, the product hasn’t reached a level where it could be recommended without reservations.

The МАКС update in the form of changing the alphabet of its spelling is an eloquent illustration of the team’s priorities. The МАКС messenger is worse than Telegram, and this is becoming an undeniable truism that’s impossible to dispute. To put it simply: it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other. Renaming it to Cyrillic didn’t close that gap by a single millimeter.