Telegram Web vs Desktop vs mobile: which one to use

Side by side

There are more than three official apps

• Telegram for Android and Telegram for iPhone and iPad. The most complete apps, and the only place to create an account.
• Telegram Desktop. One app for Windows, macOS and Linux. Telegram calls it a Qt-based client. Telegram Lite in the Mac App Store is the same app.
• Telegram for macOS. A separate native Mac app that Telegram says has every feature of the iPhone app, including Secret Chats.
• Telegram Web K and Web A at web.telegram.org/k and web.telegram.org/a. Two official web apps that look different and are developed separately; you can switch between them from the menu.
• Telegram X for Android, an official experimental app.

Unigram, the Windows app in the Microsoft Store, is listed by Telegram under unofficial apps. It's open source and widely used, but it isn't made by Telegram.

What only the phone apps (and the Mac app) can do

Secret Chats. They're end-to-end encrypted and, in Telegram's words, device-specific: a Secret Chat exists only on the device that started it and isn't part of the Telegram cloud. Telegram Desktop and the web apps don't support them; the native Mac app does. Logging out of a device deletes its Secret Chats, which is also why they don't follow you to a new phone.

Creating an account. Telegram doesn't say so formally, but in practice Desktop and Web refuse new sign-ups and ask you to register on a phone first. Accounts need a mobile number; Telegram's FAQ says landlines aren't supported.

Changing your number. It's done from the phone app (Settings → tap your number → Change Number). Telegram Desktop itself tells you to use the phone app for this.

What only Telegram Desktop can do

Export your data. Settings → Advanced → Export Telegram data saves your account as HTML or JSON plus media, and the ⋮ menu in any chat has Export chat history. Neither the phone apps nor Web can do this. What's included, and the 24-hour wait on a fresh sign-in, are covered in what a Telegram backup contains.

Desktop also has a download manager, a download folder you choose (Settings → Advanced), and a portable Windows version that runs without installing. It keeps working with the browser closed, which suits long downloads.

Things it's often wrongly credited with: it doesn't raise the file size limit (that's tied to your account, 2 GB or 4 GB with Premium), and it isn't faster at downloading by itself. Telegram's download speed limits are set per account too, see whether Premium is worth it.

What only Telegram Web can do

Run in a browser with nothing to install. Useful on a work or library computer. Both web apps can also be installed from Chrome or Edge as a web app, which gives them their own window, and both keep a local cache, so they're quicker than people expect.

Accept browser extensions. Telegram Web is a web page, so a Chrome or Edge extension can add features to it. Telegram Desktop has no plugin system, and the phone apps can't take extensions either. That's why download extensions, ours included, work with Telegram Web and not the apps.

That's the one place the choice affects saving media. Telegram Web downloads files one at a time through your browser, into your normal downloads folder. Our free extension adds a save button in Telegram Web K and A (batch download on the paid plan), for chats you can already open and where saving is allowed. If you'd rather not use a browser at all, Telegram Desktop can save files natively. See the Chrome extension guide.

Which one to use

You can use all of them at once. Signing in to Desktop or Web is quickest by QR code: on your phone open Settings → Devices → Link Desktop Device (called Add Device in some versions) and scan the code on screen. After that your phone can be switched off. Telegram has said since 2021 that you don't need to keep it nearby or connected.

On a shared computer, sign out when you're done, or end the session later from Settings → Devices on your phone. Both web apps also have a passcode lock.

Do I need my phone online to use Telegram Web or Desktop?

No. Once you've signed in, Telegram Web and Desktop connect to Telegram's servers directly, and your phone can be off. You only need a phone, or another signed-in device, to receive the login code.

Can I create a Telegram account on Desktop or Web?

In practice, no. New accounts are created in the Android or iPhone app with a mobile number. After that you can sign in to Desktop and Web with a QR code or a login code.

Does Telegram Desktop support Secret Chats?

No, and neither does Telegram Web. On a computer, only the native Telegram for macOS app supports Secret Chats. They're tied to the device that started them, so they never appear in other apps.

What is the difference between Telegram Web K and Web A?

They're two official web apps, built separately, with different designs and slightly different features. Both sign in to the same account and show the same chats, and you can switch between them from the menu.

Can I make calls on Telegram Web?

Yes, in Chrome, Edge and Safari, though with fewer options than Telegram Desktop, which supports voice, video and group calls with screen sharing. In Firefox, call buttons may not appear.

Is Unigram an official Telegram app?

No. Telegram lists Unigram, the Windows client in the Microsoft Store, under unofficial apps. Telegram's own Windows app is Telegram Desktop, downloaded from telegram.org.