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4 more ways to get Telegram Desktop
Other download sites
Run by third parties, not by Telegram FZ-LLC. Prefer the official page above when it works.
About Telegram Desktop
Telegram Desktop is the official client for Windows, macOS and Linux. It covers the whole service: cloud chats synced across every device, groups up to two hundred thousand people, channels, large file transfers, bots and stickers. Source code and build instructions are published under the GPL 3.0 with an OpenSSL exception.
One fact gets misreported constantly. Ordinary Telegram chats are encrypted between you and Telegram's servers, not end to end, and Telegram holds the keys. Secret chats, the end-to-end encrypted mode, are tied to a single device and are not available in the desktop client at all. If end-to-end encryption by default is what you need, this is the wrong app.
Strengths
- Official client with published source and build instructions
- Cloud chats sync instantly across every device you sign in on
- Very large groups, channels, bots and generous file size limits
- Windows 64-bit, 32-bit and ARM64, macOS and a static Linux build
Limitations
- Ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted and Telegram holds the keys
- Secret chats are not available in the desktop client
- A phone number is required to register
- The server side is entirely closed source
Details
- Pricing
- FreemiumFree to use. Telegram Premium is an optional subscription for larger uploads, faster downloads and cosmetic extras.
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Developer
- Telegram FZ-LLC
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Account
- Required
- Works offline
- Yes
- Best suited for
- Using Telegram properly on a desktop, with clear eyes about what it encrypts
- Categories
- Messaging
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Selected from the TechWalrus downloads catalog (Messaging); facts checked against the developer's own pages, 2 sources on file.
Alternatives to Telegram Desktop
Compare allSoftware that can replace Telegram Desktop for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
Signal
An end-to-end encrypted messenger for calls and chats on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux, run by a nonprofit.
Signal encrypts every message and call end to end and is run by a nonprofit, but lacks Telegram's channels, bots and very large groups.
Element
The reference Matrix client: end-to-end encrypted chat on a network you can host yourself.
Element brings end-to-end encryption and self-hosting on federated Matrix with bridges to other networks, though it is heavier and requires choosing a homeserver.
Threema
Swiss encrypted messenger that works without a phone number or email.
Threema is end-to-end encrypted and needs no phone number, but is paid per platform and has a smaller user base than Telegram.
Wire
End-to-end encrypted messaging, calls and file sharing for organisations.
Wire encrypts messages and calls end to end and can be self-hosted, with a focus on organisations and a limited free personal tier.
Session
An encrypted messenger with no phone number and no account, routed through an onion network.
Session is end-to-end encrypted with onion routing and needs no phone number, but offers no contact discovery and slower delivery.
SimpleX Chat
A messenger with no user identifiers at all, not even a random one, so there is no account to correlate.
SimpleX Chat encrypts all conversations and uses no user identifiers, but contacts are added by link or QR code rather than phone number.
Stoat
An open-source group chat app with servers, channels, voice chat and role-based moderation for communities.
Stoat offers servers, channels and voice chat for communities with open source code and no ads, but has a smaller user base.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
Delta Chat
A messenger that sends over email, so anyone with an address can be reached without installing it.
Caprine
Unofficial desktop app for Facebook Messenger.
Ferdium
Combines your messaging and web services into one window with workspaces, as a community fork of Franz with the restrictions removed.
Molly
A security-hardened fork of Signal for Android with an encrypted local database and Tor support.
