Telegram Desktop

About this release

Telegram Desktop is a proper native client rather than a browser window wearing a frame, and it shows in how it behaves. It starts in a second, uses very little memory for what it does, and keeps a local copy of the conversation history so scrolling back through years of messages is instant rather than a series of loading spinners. Everything is synchronised across every device signed in to the same account, so a conversation continues wherever it is picked up.

File transfer is the feature that drives a lot of desktop installs. Individual files up to two gigabytes move through a chat without compression, which makes it a practical way to send project archives, video rushes, disc images and design files between people who do not share a file server. Media is previewed inline, documents keep their original names, and everything sent stays retrievable from the shared media view later.

The organisational tools scale better than most messaging applications. Chat folders separate work from everything else, pinned conversations stay at the top, channels broadcast to unlimited subscribers, groups run to very large member counts with proper moderation controls, and search covers the entire history including text inside forwarded messages, with filters by chat, sender and media type.

The client itself is thoughtfully built. Multiple accounts run in one window with a switcher, message drafts survive restarts, a night theme and full custom themes are available, keyboard shortcuts cover the common actions, and the notification behaviour is configurable per chat rather than globally. Voice and video calls work from the desktop with screen sharing.

What it does

Large file transfer

Send files up to two gigabytes through a chat without compression or a third party service.

Local history and instant search

Years of conversation stored locally and searchable by text, sender, chat and media type.

Chat folders

Separate work, groups and everything else into tabs rather than one endless list.

Channels and large groups

Broadcast channels and very large groups with proper moderation controls.

Multiple accounts

Several accounts in one window with a switcher and separate notification settings.

Calls and screen sharing

Voice and video from the desktop, including sharing a window or a whole display.

Changed in this version

• Lower memory use on accounts with very large local histories.
• Faster search across chats with hundreds of thousands of messages.
• Improved handling of very large file uploads on unstable connections.
• Chat folder interface reworked with drag reordering.
• Fixed notification behaviour on multi monitor setups.

System requirements

Install order

1. Unpack the archive.
2. Run the installer, or place the portable build in a folder and run it directly.
3. Sign in with the existing account and let the initial history synchronise.
4. Set the media cache size and download folder in advanced settings.

Worth knowing before you start

File details