Telegram has been much more than a basic messaging app for years . It's fast, secure, free, works on almost any device, and updates so frequently that many of its best features often go unnoticed. If you only use it for chatting, you're missing out on a lot.
From now on, you'll be able to get the most out of Telegram on Windows, mobile, and web : from using it as an unlimited personal cloud to setting up your own blog, creating stickers, automating tasks with bots, or protecting your privacy with secret chats, two-step verification, and account self-destruction. Get ready, because there's much more to it than meets the eye.
1. Telegram everywhere: versions, clients and cross-platform use
One of Telegram's key strengths is that it was designed from the ground up as a truly multi-device, cloud-based service . Unlike WhatsApp Web, it doesn't depend on having your phone turned on.
Today you can use Telegram on virtually any platform with official and alternative clients :
- Official app for Android and iOS: the one from Google Play and the App Store, the "normal" one for most users.
- Official APK for AndroidIt is downloaded from the Telegram website, updates automatically, and usually receives new features first, in addition to avoiding store fees.
- Beta: for testing features under development. On Android it's done via APK; on iOS, via TestFlight.
- Telegram X: official alternative client with different interface and animations and testing of new features.
- Telegram Desktop: native client for Windows, macOS and Linux, independent of mobile.
- Telegram Lite for macOS: lightweight version designed for Apple computers, available on the macOS App Store.
- Telegram WebThere are not one, but three web clients (Classic, WebK and WebZ) that work on any modern browser.
The beauty of it is that you can have Telegram open simultaneously on your mobile, tablet, PC, and browser , send files between them, continue a chat where you left off, and even see which devices have an active session.
2. Your personal cloud and chat organization
2.1. Saved messages: your unlimited cloud and your private notebook
Telegram offers virtually unlimited cloud storage per user (only a 2GB limit per individual file ). In practical terms, this means you can use the app as your personal cloud storage for everything.
The trick is in the "Saved Messages" chat , a private conversation with yourself available on all your devices:
- Go to the Telegram side menu and tap on Saved messages.
- Start sending yourself documents, original quality photos, voice notes, links, or whatever you want there.
- That content will sync and you'll be able to open it in Windows, mobile, tablet or web without cables or extra apps.
If you ever delete the chat, the only thing you can do is recreate the conversation by searching for it in the magnifying glass ("saved messages") and typing something new. What's lost can't be recovered, so be careful.
2.2. Chat folders to keep things organized
When you accumulate dozens of groups, channels, and private conversations, your chat list becomes chaotic. That's where chat folders come in —a powerful feature that almost no one uses.
From Settings > Folders you can:
- Create folders of type Work, Family, News, Leisure, Bots…
- Choose which chats to include and which to exclude.
- Sync your organization across all your devices.
On iOS, you don't even need to go into settings: just tap and hold on "Chats" and you can add folders. It's a brilliant way to separate the noise (meme channels) from what's important (work, studies, or family).
2.3. Pin conversations and anchor important messages
To keep track of what's essential, you have two tools: pinned chats and pinned messages.
- Pin conversations (partner, work, your chat with yourself…): Press and hold the chat in the list and use the pin tool. On desktop, right-click > “Pin to top”.
- Pin messages within a chatIdeal for group rules, important links, login details, etc. Tap and hold the message and choose "Pin".
In groups, pinned messages are displayed at the top and anyone can review key notifications without having to delve into the history.
3. Text formatting, translation, and intelligent assistants
3.1. Advanced formatting: bold, italics, strikethrough, monospace, and links
Telegram allows for highly flexible text formatting, both on mobile and desktop. You can add bold, italics, strikethrough, underline, monospace, and links.
You have two ways to do it :
- Contextual menu: type, select the text and choose between Bold, Italic, Strikethrough, Underline, Code (monospace) or Spoiler.
- Markdown Style (especially comfortable on a desk):
- bold font → bold text.
- __italics__ → italicized text.
- «`monospace«` → monospaced text.
- ~~crossed out~~ → strikethrough text.
In Telegram Desktop you can also do the typical Ctrl + K to insert a link into selected text, or directly use Markdown syntax with [text](https link).
3.2. Integrated translation and emoji search engine
If you participate in international groups or follow channels in other languages, the message translation button is a lifesaver . Activate it in Settings > Language > “Show translate button” and from then on you can translate any message with a tap.
In addition, Telegram has a built-in emoji search engine . By typing words (or even using a colon “:” + a word), you'll see suggestions for related icons without having to search through your keyboard.
4. Photos, videos, GIFs, music and ephemeral content
4.1. Send lossless photos or take advantage of compression
By default, Telegram compresses images quite a bit to reduce their file size. This is bad if you want quality, but great if you want to resize screenshots or photos to around 720 pixels wide to upload them to websites, for example.
If you don't want to lose quality, you have the classic trick :
- In the chat, tap the paperclip icon and choose Archive instead of “Gallery”.
- Select the photo: it will be sent as a file, without compression, at full resolution.
- In the desktop version you will see a direct option to send as a photo or as a file.
Note: You can also use this method to send yourself work, designs, family photos in the highest quality and keep them safe in your Telegram cloud.
4.2. Advanced image editor and avatar albums
Before sending a photo from your gallery, you can edit it quite extensively: exposure, contrast, radial or linear blur, color curves, brush, text, and masks . Masks use facial recognition to place glasses, wigs, hats, and other accessories over faces.
Your profile picture isn't limited to just one image either: Telegram saves all your profile pictures and creates an album visible to others . From the profile editor, you can:
- Add new photos to the album.
- Swipe between your old avatars.
- Delete the ones you don't want anyone to see, controlling your "viewing history".
4.3. Disappearing Videos, Mini-Videos, GIFs and Photos
Telegram doubles down on multimedia: in addition to voice notes, it includes circular video messages (video bubbles) and the ability to use the app as a GIF generator.
- To send a video message, tap the microphone icon to switch to camera, press and hold, then release to send.
- If you record a normal video and then remove the sound during editing, Telegram automatically converts it to a GIF and you can reuse it as many times as you want.
- you can also send photos and videos that self-destruct in any private chat by tapping the stopwatch icon before sending them and marking how long they remain visible after being viewed.
4.4. Telegram as a floating music and video player
If you send yourself several MP3s to Saved Messages, you'll see that Telegram transforms into a music player with controls, playlists, and shuffle or loop playback . It doesn't replace Spotify, but it's incredibly convenient for listening to podcasts, lectures, or a few songs you have on your PC.
With YouTube videos, the trick is even more interesting: by tapping on the thumbnail (not the link), the video opens in Telegram, and you can use the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature to continue chatting while watching the video. It even works on older Android devices where the system's Picture-in-Picture feature isn't available.
5. Privacy at another level: blocking, last seen, self-destruct, and secret chats
5.1. Lock code, fingerprint and active sessions
If someone picks up your unlocked phone, they can usually read your chats. With Telegram, that doesn't have to happen, because you can lock the app with a PIN or fingerprint and control where your account is open.
- Go to Settings> Privacy & Security > Lock code.
- Set a PIN and, if you want, enable fingerprint unlocking.
- Decide if you want auto-lock after X minutes and if content is visible in the multitasking view.
In the same menu, you'll find "Active Sessions" : there you can see which devices you're logged into (mobile, PC, web browser, etc.), along with the date, operating system, and even IP address. You can close sessions one by one or all but the current one. This is very useful if you left a session open on a shared computer.
5.2. Two-step verification and control of number, alias and last connection
To further protect your account, Telegram lets you activate two-step verification . This means that in addition to the SMS code, you'll need an extra password when you log in on a new device.
- Settings > Privacy and security > Two step verification.
- Choose a password, optionally add a hint and recovery email.
Telegram also lets you control who sees your phone number and your "last seen and online" status:
- In “Phone number” you choose whether everyone, only contacts, or nobody can see it, and whether people can search for you by it.
- In “Last seen and online” you decide the visibility level and can create exceptions like “nobody except these contacts” or just the opposite.
Instead of your number, you can use an alias (username) that people can search for or access via a link like t.me/youralias . This way you can chat without having to give out your real phone number.
5.3. Self-destruction of messages, secret chats and total self-destruction of the account
Telegram integrates several layers of "forgetting" for the privacy-conscious (or those who simply don't want eternal histories):
- Self-deletion in normal chatsYou can set everything sent in a conversation to be automatically deleted after 24 hours, a week, or another period. This is configured within the chat itself, under "Clear chat" > "Enable auto-deletion".
- Secret chatsEnd-to-end encrypted conversations that are not stored in the cloud, cannot be forwarded, and allow a self-destruct timer per message (from seconds to a week). They are created from New chat > New secret chatThey don't work in groups or sync between devices: they only exist on the mobile device where you open them.
- Account self-destructionIf you don't log into Telegram for a while, the platform may automatically delete your account, messages, and groups. By default, it's set to one month, but you can change it in "Delete my account if I'm away" to 3 months, 6 months, or one year.
However, if your account is deleted , you lose everything, including your username . It's a radical safety net, but it's wise to understand how it works before using it.
6. Notifications, scheduling, and reminders
6.1. Schedule messages and send them without noise
Telegram lets you do things with the send button that other apps don't even consider. If you press and hold the send arrow, you'll see options like "Schedule message" or "Send silently . "
- Schedule messagePerfect for sending birthday greetings, reminders during work hours, or making sure you don't forget anything. You write, hold down send, choose the date and time, and you're done.
- Send without soundThe message arrives with a notification, but without sound or vibrationEven if the other person doesn't have their phone on silent. Ideal for not waking anyone up in the middle of the night.
- You can also use it in private chats "Send when connected" so that the message is sent out just as the recipient comes online.
6.2. Forwarded messages without an author and synchronized drafts
When forwarding messages, Telegram lets you choose whether or not to show the original sender and the photo/video description. When you select forward and choose the destination chat, tap on the preview and check "Hide sender" if you want to anonymize the origin.
Message drafts are another great feature: if you start typing something on your phone and don't send it, that text will appear as a draft in the same chat on your PC or tablet. You can finish writing it there and send it from another device without losing anything in the process.
6.3. Archived personal reminders and messages from unknown senders
Within Saved Messages, scheduled messages are automatically converted into personal reminders . When you schedule them from that chat, you'll then see a folder icon with a red dot, giving you access to your to-do list/reminders.
If you frequently receive messages from people who aren't in your contacts, you can activate the "Archive and mute new chats from unknown numbers" option in Privacy and Security . You'll still receive their messages, but they'll silently go into your archived folder and won't bother you.
7. Groups, channels, surveys and games
7.1. Channels, supergroups and public links
Telegram isn't just for personal chats. Channels are broadcast spaces where only administrators post and everyone else can only read. They're perfect for news, communities, deals, or personal projects.
- From the menu > New channel You can create it, give it a name, photo, and description.
- You decide if the channel is public (with a link like t.me/name) or private (by invitation only).
Regular groups can be converted into supergroups , where the history is visible to new members and up to 100.000 participants are supported. The creator can appoint administrators with limited privileges , use customizable invitation links, pin messages, create polls, and moderate with considerable control.
7.2. Surveys, reactions and knowing who has read what
In groups and channels, you can create native polls by tapping the paperclip icon > “Poll” and adding a question and options. There are even anonymous polls, multiple-choice polls, and quiz-style polls with correct answers.
In addition, Telegram shows who has read which message in small groups: by tapping on your message you will see a section of "Read by X people" with the list of members who have seen it.
And if that weren't enough, messages can be reacted to with emojis by pressing and holding on them to express agreement, anger, applause... without needing to write anything.
7.3. Games, minigames and special emojis
Thanks to its bot platform, Telegram is also a mini game console . The bots @gamebot and @gamee offer dozens of HTML5 minigames that you can play alone or with friends, directly within chats.
There are also special interactive emojis , such as the die, the dart, the soccer ball or the basketball: when you send them, when you touch them you "throw" the die or shoot at the goal and a random result is visible to everyone.
8. Bots, automation and external services
8.1. Useful bots for everyday life
Bots are special accounts that respond to commands and extend Telegram to absurd levels. There are bots for reminders, lists, downloads, games, GIF searches, translation, calculations, science, news…
- @gif to search for animated GIFs on the fly.
- @wiki to consult Wikipedia without leaving the app.
- @YTaudiobot or similar to get the audio from a YouTube video.
- @pollrbot to create simple surveys.
- @calcubot for quick calculations.
- @ifttt to connect Telegram with thousands of external services.
You can talk to them privately or invite them to groups to act as assistants . Many support inline commands; that is, you type `@botnamequery` in any chat and they return results ready to send.
8.2. Automate with IFTTT and other integrations
IFTTT supports Telegram as a channel, which opens the door to automations like "if X happens in service Y, then do Z in Telegram." For example:
- Sending you a message in a private chat when Someone uploads a new video to a YouTube channel.
- Receive a notification on Telegram when a news article is published with a certain keyword in an RSS feed.
- Save links you bookmark in other apps directly to Saved Messages.
All of this is managed through the @ifttt bot , which serves as a bridge between the automation platform and your Telegram account.
9. Extreme customization: themes, icons, widgets, and hidden options
9.1. Themes, dark mode and creating your own style
Telegram is one of the few messaging apps that takes visual customization seriously. From Settings (Chats on Android, Appearance on iOS) you can change practically everything: light/dark theme, accent colors, gradient bubbles, animated backgrounds, text size …
You have several options :
- Activate a permanent dark theme or the “Automatic Night Mode” based on time of day or screen brightness.
- Choose from predefined themes or download third party themes (files .attheme) from specialized channels.
- Create your own theme from “Create a new topic”changing the color of each component while you see a floating, real-time preview.
On iOS you can even change the app icon from Appearance > App Icon, with several visual variations.
9.2. Widgets, custom notifications, and contacts that don't bother you
On Android and iOS, Telegram offers customizable widgets to have shortcuts to your favorite contacts or chats, or a summary of recent messages, on your home screen.
Additionally, each contact or group can have its own notification settings :
- Go to the contact's profile > Notifications > Customize.
- Activate custom notifications and choose tone, vibration, priority and, on Android, even LED color.
And if you're tired of seeing the typical "So-and-so has joined Telegram", you can go to Notifications and sounds > Events and disable "A contact joined Telegram" , as well as prevent automatic chats from being created with those people.
9.3. Hidden debug menu and advanced settings
Telegram hides a developer options menu that isn't necessary for the average user, but it can be useful if you're testing betas or encountering unusual problems.
To activate it on Android :
- Go to Settings and scroll down to the bottom.
- Press and hold on the version number until a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ appears.
- Press and hold again and the debug menu will open.
10. Migrating from WhatsApp, storage management, and extra little tricks
10.1. Importing WhatsApp conversations to Telegram
One of the most amazing features is the ability to transfer your WhatsApp chats to Telegram, including history and files.
The process (chat by chat) is as follows:
- In WhatsApp, open the chat you want to migrate.
- Menu > More > Export chat and choose “Include files”.
- Select Telegram as the destination app and the Telegram chat or group where you want to import it.
Telegram will detect the format and reconstruct the conversation, ordering messages by date and seamlessly mixing old and new messages.
10.2. Data control, cache and file self-cleaning
Since everything is stored in the cloud, Telegram needs to use a local cache to avoid downloading everything every time. This can end up taking up a lot of space on your phone, but the advantage is that clearing the cache doesn't delete your files from the cloud.
In Settings > Data and storage > Storage usage you can:
- See how much space Telegram takes up on your device.
- Clear cache by file type (photos, videos, documents…) or all at once.
- Adjust “Preserve media” so that files you haven't viewed in 3 days, 1 week, or 1 month are saved. automatically delete from the devicebut remain available for re-download.
- Configure what downloads automatically depending on whether you're using mobile data, Wi-Fi, or roaming.
10.3. Stickers, self-creation and package cleaning
Stickers are one of Telegram's biggest vices. Installing new ones is as simple as tapping a sticker you're sent and adding the whole pack. The problem is that you end up with dozens of packs and it's hard to find what you want.
From Settings > Chats > Stickers and masks you can:
- Reorder the packs.
- Delete the ones you no longer use.
If you want to create your own stickers, you have two options :
- The classic one, with the bot @stickersYou prepare a PNG with a transparent background of 512×512 px and less than 512 KB, use commands like /newpack and /addsticker, assign emojis, publish and get a link to share the pack.
- The new one, from within the app itself: in the sticker panel, tap +, choose a photo and let it Telegram automatically crops the background, adding it to a pack without going through external editors.
10.4. People nearby, QR codes and use as a social tool
In the side menu, the "People Nearby" option lets you see and be seen by other Telegram users who are physically nearby (if you enable visibility). It also lists local groups you can join.
To easily share your account, group, or channel, you can generate QR codes from the corresponding profile. It's as simple as tapping the QR icon and choosing a style. Anyone who scans it with the Telegram camera will be able to access it without you having to dictate usernames, links, or numbers.
Telegram has gone from being "the weird alternative to WhatsApp" to becoming a kind of digital Swiss Army knife that can do almost everything : secure messaging, personal cloud storage, media player, blogging platform, automation system, and hub for massive communities. Mastering its privacy, organization, multimedia, bots, and customization features allows you to completely adapt it to your way of working and communicating, both on Windows and mobile, and take advantage of one of the most complete and versatile applications available today.