Folder tabs across the top
Work, family and channels become separate tabs rather than one list you scroll forever. Rules are set once and apply on every device you sign in on.
Windows desktop
Telegram for Windows — download build 6.2.3
Windows is where most people meet the desktop client, and it is the build we list first. The installer is a single self-contained .exe: no store account, no package manager, no companion runtime to install first. Everything the client needs ships inside it.
6.2.3 · 48.6 MB · Windows 10, Windows 11
Specification
What the Windows build needs
Because chats live in the cloud, the Windows client is effectively disposable — you can wipe it, reinstall it on a different machine and be back where you left off in under a minute. Nothing worth backing up lives in the installation folder except local drafts.
Compare every platform- Build
- Telegram Desktop 6.2.3
- Package
- Single .exe installer
- Download size
- 48.6 MB
- Installed size
- ≈ 180 MB before media cache
- Operating system
- Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit
- Memory
- 2 GB minimum, 4 GB comfortable
- Disk space
- 500 MB plus the media cache you allow
- Architecture
- x86-64; ARM devices run it under emulation
Worth knowing
Four things this build does well
Drag files straight into a chat
Up to 2 GB per file, sent as a document to keep the original resolution instead of a compressed copy.
Several accounts at once
Up to three accounts stay signed in simultaneously with separate notification rules for each.
Works on modest hardware
The client is comfortable on a machine with 2 GB of RAM, which makes it a reasonable chat app for an older PC.
Install walkthrough
From download to first message on Windows
- 1
Open the download page and press the Windows button at the top — it resolves a mirror link, so give the spinner a second or two.
- 2
Open the .exe from your Downloads folder. Windows may warn that the publisher is not recognised simply because the file is an executable; choose to keep and run it.
- 3
Pick a destination. The default is fine on a normal account; on a locked-down machine choose a folder inside your user profile so no administrator password is needed.
- 4
Leave the desktop shortcut option enabled unless you plan to pin the client to the taskbar instead.
- 5
Launch Telegram, choose your country code and enter your phone number — or switch to Log in by QR code and scan it with the mobile app.
- 6
Once the chat list appears, open Settings → Advanced and set a cache limit so media does not fill the drive over the following months.
Nothing to migrate
Cloud chats are stored server-side, so signing in on a new device restores the whole history automatically. Only secret chats and local drafts stay behind.
If it goes wrong
Common Windows problems
| Symptom | What to do |
|---|---|
| SmartScreen blocks the installer | Choose More info, then Run anyway. The warning fires on newly published executables in general, not on a specific verdict about the file. |
| The setup asks for an administrator password | Go back one step and select a destination inside your user profile, for example Documents. Windows does not require elevation to write there. |
| Telegram sits on Connecting… | A VPN, proxy or corporate firewall is intercepting the connection. Disable it briefly, or configure the proxy explicitly in Settings → Advanced → Connection type. |
| The app will not update itself | If the installation folder is read-only the background updater silently fails. Run the current installer over the existing copy — chats and settings survive. |
Questions
Windows questions, answered
Does Telegram for Windows need the Microsoft Store?
No. The .exe installer is standalone and installs without a Microsoft account or store connection. That is why it works on machines where the store is disabled by policy.
Is there a 32-bit Telegram build for Windows?
Current desktop builds target 64-bit Windows. A 32-bit system will not run them, and the practical alternative on such a machine is the browser client.
Can I run Telegram from a USB stick?
Installing into a folder on the stick works, and the client keeps its data next to itself, so you can carry a signed-in session between machines. Treat it as a security trade-off: anyone with the stick has the session.
How much disk space does Telegram really use?
The program itself is under 200 MB. The variable part is the media cache, which grows with every photo and video you open. Setting a cache limit in Settings keeps it predictable.
More answers are collected on the FAQ page.
Other platforms