How to export Telegram chats, groups, channels, and images (HTML and JSON) (2024)

If you use Telegram to send messages, you likely use the mobile app. Whether downloading photos your friend sent you or backing up your chats, you'll want to export your data. You can't export your data using the mobile app. Telegram has data export built into its platform, even if you don't have Telegram Premium, but only if you use the desktop application. It's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. You could even use one of our favorite Chromebooks.

If you aren't using the desktop app, you probably won't use it again after retrieving your data. If you use Windows, you can choose between the installed version and the portable version. After that, it's an easy task, and we run you through the steps.

Getting the desktop Telegram app

You can download Telegram Desktop from the Telegram website. You're greeted by a simple welcome screen. Click the button that says Start Messaging. You'll then log in to your account using the QR code or your phone number. The QR code is the quickest way if you follow the instructions on the screen. Go to Settings > Devices > Link Desktop Device on your phone or tablet and point your camera at the QR code on your computer screen.

To save time, you can log in with your phone number and have a code sent to your mobile device, but this method isn't as reliable. There's another option under the area where you enter the code, but clicking Send code via SMS doesn't work consistently. Stick to the QR code, and you'll be logged in immediately.

Exporting all of your Telegram data

After you've logged in, you'll see a screen with all of your Groups, Channels, and Chats.

1. Click the three horizontal bars in the upper-left corner to access the sidebar menu.

2. Click Settings.

3. Click Advanced in the settings menu.

4. Scroll down, and at the bottom of the advanced settings, click Export Telegram Data.

5. You'll see a menu with all your export options. Check the boxes for the data you want to export.

The Export Your Data menu has several options, and most are self-explanatory. When you get to Media export settings, pay attention to the slide bar for the size limit because it defaults to 8MB. The maximum size you can choose is 4GB, which can take care of a lot of photos, videos, and other media data. If you have over 4GB of data, export some of your chats individually.

At the bottom of the data export menu, choose the download location on your computer. There are radio buttons for file format, where you can choose between Human-readable HTML and Machine-readable JSON options. If you don't know what you'll use your newly exported JSON data for, you don't need that. Most users will choose the HTML option, which makes it easier to access your downloaded information later.

After selecting your options, click Export. A screen tells you if it was successful, how many files were exported, and the size of the download. Next, click Show my data to open the location on your computer where you saved your export.

Exporting your Telegram chats individually

If you only need the data from one or a few chats, export them individually. You might also want to download chats individually if your data exceeds the 4GB export limit. However, you can't export an entire group or channel individually.

To export a single chat, select it in the sidebar and click the three dots in the upper-right corner. Choose Export chat history from the drop-down menu to open a screen with your Chat export settings. You can download photos, videos, voice messages, video messages, stickers, GIFs, and files along with your messages.

You'll see the slide bar for your download size limit, and you have an option to select your format. It just looks different. Instead of radio buttons, click the word HTML and choose JSON format, or download both at the same time. Set the location where you want to save your exported data and select a time range if you want only a section of your chat history.

Accessing and navigating your exported Telegram data

At first, the folders might be a little confusing. If you export Human-readable HTML format, the only folders you might want to open are the ones with your media. Instead, double-click to open the export_results.html file. It opens your default web browser, and you'll get an easy-to-navigate screen with all your information. You don't need an internet connection to look at your data. Everything is downloaded locally into your export folder, and the web browser provides an easy user interface.

Export your Telegram data with ease

The process of exporting your data from Telegram is straightforward. The only catch is that you can only export your data with the Telegram desktop application. Now that you've backed up your Telegram data and stored it in a safe place, follow our tips to keep your Telegram chats safe and private.