Using Telegram Saved Messages as cloud storage

How much you can store

Telegram's terms describe its cloud storage as unlimited, and its FAQ allows an unlimited number of files of up to 2 GB each. Saved Messages is part of that cloud, so the same rules apply. Only the person uploading needs Premium for a 4 GB file; any account can download one.

Where to find Telegram Saved Messages

Android's side menu was removed in the February 2026 redesign, which is why older instructions no longer match. On iPhone and Android you can also hold the share arrow on a channel post and drag it onto Saved Messages to save it in one move.

What it's good for

• Moving files between your own devices. Send from your phone, open on your computer, no cable or third-party service needed.
• Keeping posts that might disappear. A forwarded message is a separate copy. Telegram has said it stays in Saved Messages even if the original is deleted; you just lose the link back to it. This is one of the few ways to keep something inside Telegram after the source is gone. More in recovering deleted Telegram media.
• Notes and links to yourself. Typed notes, links and voice memos sync instantly.
• Reminders. Hold the Send button and choose Schedule Message (Set a reminder on Desktop): in Saved Messages that becomes a reminder that notifies you. Since November 2025 reminders can repeat.

Keeping it organised

Saved Messages started as one long chronological stream. The January 2024 update added three ways to find things:

• View as Chats (free): groups everything by the chat or channel it came from, and you can pin the ones you use most. Switch between this and the normal view from the ⋮ or ⋯ menu.
• Saved tab (free): every chat's shared media has a Saved tab showing what you've saved from that chat.
• Tags (Premium): mark messages with emoji, optionally named, then filter by them under the search bar.

There are still no folders you can create yourself. On a free account, the simplest way to sort things is a word or hashtag in each message, or a private channel per topic as a makeshift folder.

Search finds message text, captions and file names. Telegram doesn't document searching inside files or voice notes, so a PDF called "scan_0043.pdf" is only findable by date or by browsing the Files tab. Rename files before you save them, or add a caption.

When you can't save something

Forwarding into Saved Messages is blocked in three cases, by design:

• Channels and groups that restrict saving content. Admins can turn this on to block forwarding, saving and screenshots.
• One-to-one chats with sharing disabled. Since March 2026, Premium users can block forwarding and saving in their chats with you.
• Secret Chats, which never allow forwarding.

These are choices made by the sender or the channel, and there's no legitimate way around them. Our article on restricted content explains what the setting does and what your options are.

Why it isn't a backup

Everything in Saved Messages depends on one account. If you lose the account, you lose everything in it:

• Inactivity. Telegram deletes accounts that don't come online for a set period, 18 months by default, with all their messages and media. Check or change it under Settings → Privacy and Security ("If away for"); opening Telegram resets the clock.
• A forgotten two-step password with no recovery email. If you're still signed in somewhere, you can reset it after a 7-day wait. If you're signed in nowhere, the only option is resetting the account, which deletes it.
• Deleting by mistake. There's no recycle bin. A message you delete from Saved Messages is gone.
• A banned account or a lost phone number. Both can cut you off from the account.

Saved Messages is also a cloud chat, not an end-to-end encrypted one. Telegram stores it encrypted, but holds the keys, as described in its privacy policy. For anything sensitive or irreplaceable, keep a copy outside Telegram too.

Getting files back out

Saving one file is quick on any app. Saving hundreds is where people get stuck, because Saved Messages has no "download all" button.

• Everything: Telegram Desktop's Settings → Advanced → Export Telegram data. Saved Messages is included under Personal chats. By default the export only takes photos up to 8 MB, so tick Videos and Files and raise the size limit (up to 4000 MB). Our backup article covers the export in detail.
• Just Saved Messages: open it in Telegram Desktop and choose ⋮ → Export chat history, which also lets you pick a date range.
• Specific files: open Saved Messages in Telegram Web and save the ones you want. Our free extension adds a one-click save button there (5 files a day free; the paid plan adds batch download). It saves media, not your notes, so use the export for a complete copy.

Be wary of third-party "Telegram drive" apps that turn Saved Messages or a channel into a file manager. Most ask for your phone number and login code, which gives them full access to your account.

Is Telegram Saved Messages unlimited?

Yes for total storage: there's no quota. Each file is limited to 2 GB, or 4 GB with Premium. Everything stays as long as your account does, and accounts are deleted after 18 months of inactivity by default.

Where is Saved Messages on Telegram?

On iPhone it's in the Settings tab. On recent Android versions, tap the ⋮ menu at the top right of the Chats screen. On Telegram Desktop and Web, open the ☰ menu. It's also first in the list whenever you forward a message.

Can anyone else see my Saved Messages?

No other user can see them. They're stored encrypted on Telegram's servers as a cloud chat, but they aren't end-to-end encrypted like a Secret Chat, so don't keep anything there you wouldn't trust to a server.

Are Saved Messages deleted if the original message is deleted?

No. A forward is a separate copy, so it stays in Saved Messages when the original message or channel post is deleted. You only lose the shortcut back to the original.

Can I make folders in Saved Messages?

Not folders, but View as Chats (free) groups items by the chat they came from, and Premium users can add emoji tags and filter by them. A private channel per topic also works as a makeshift folder.

Why can't I forward a video to Saved Messages?

The channel or group probably restricts saving content, or the person has disabled sharing in your chat. Both block forwarding, saving and screenshots. Secret Chats never allow forwarding either.