Want a copy of a Telegram conversation you can open without an internet connection? Telegram Desktop can save one chat or selected account data to a folder on your computer. Choose HTML, and you can read the saved messages in a regular web browser.
The part people often miss is checking the files before deleting anything. This guide shows you both export routes, how to confirm that messages and media were saved, and how to keep a private copy private.
What Is a Telegram Chat Export?
A Telegram export is a set of local files created by Telegram Desktop. It’s handy when you want a personal reference copy of a conversation.
- One-chat export: Save an individual conversation from its chat menu.
- Account data export: Choose chat categories and other available account data from Desktop settings.
- HTML format: Open and read messages in a web browser, even while offline.
- JSON format: Save data in a format meant for software to process. It’s less pleasant to read yourself.
- Optional media: Include selected photos, videos, audio, and files, subject to the choices you make in the export dialog.
An export only contains data Telegram can provide when you make it. It cannot recover messages that are already deleted, and Telegram does not offer a way to import these files back as a restored chat. One important limitation to know before you start: according to Telegram’s export documentation, exports of public groups and channels include only the messages sent by the user requesting the export—not the full conversation history. If you export a public group or channel and see far fewer messages than you expected, that is the documented behavior, not a failed export. Telegram describes the feature in its export announcement and import and export documentation.
Prerequisites
- A Windows, macOS, or Linux computer with enough free space for the messages and media you plan to save.
- Access to the Telegram account you want to export.
- The official Telegram Desktop app. The export controls described in this guide are available in Telegram Desktop; if you are using Telegram’s phone apps, look for the Desktop app instead.
- A private folder where you can keep the finished export.
How to Export Telegram Chats and Read Them Offline: Step-by-Step
The first two steps get Telegram Desktop ready. Then choose Step 3 for one conversation or Step 6 for selected account data. Both routes finish with the same offline check.
Step 1: Install the Official Telegram Desktop App
Open Telegram’s website and follow its link to Telegram Desktop. Select the download offered for your computer.
On Windows
Open the downloaded installer from your browser’s downloads list or the Downloads folder. Follow the installer’s on-screen prompts, then open Telegram Desktop from the Start menu.
Expected result: Telegram Desktop opens to its sign-in screen.
On macOS
Open the downloaded file from the Downloads folder and follow the instructions shown to install Telegram Desktop. Open Telegram Desktop from Applications. If you already have a Telegram app on your Mac, check its name: this walkthrough uses Telegram Desktop.
Expected result: Telegram Desktop opens to its sign-in screen.
On Linux
Choose the Linux download offered on Telegram’s official Desktop download page. Open the downloaded package or archive and follow the instructions supplied with that download to launch Telegram Desktop. Linux installation steps depend on the package and desktop environment you use, so follow the prompts for the file you selected.
Expected result: Telegram Desktop opens to its sign-in screen.
Step 2: Sign In to the Account You Want to Export
In Telegram Desktop, follow the sign-in instructions on screen for your account. Once your chats appear, check that you’re viewing the account whose messages you want to save. If you use more than one Telegram account, this quick check can save a very frustrating second export.
Expected result: Your chat list appears in Telegram Desktop.
Step 3: Open the Export Menu for One Chat
Select the conversation you want to save. Open the chat’s ⋮ menu and choose Export chat history. If you’re viewing a forum topic, the menu may show a different label such as Export topic history; menu labels can vary with your installed Desktop build.
Expected result: An export dialog opens for that chat.
Step 4: Choose What the Single-Chat Export Will Save
In the export dialog, choose HTML for easy offline reading. Select the types of media you want, such as photos, videos, or files. Check the media size limit: a file larger than that limit may be left out. If your dialog offers a date range and save location, set those before exporting.
Expected result: The dialog reflects the messages and media you intend to keep. The exact controls and labels can vary with your installed Desktop build.
Step 5: Export the Chat
Select the dialog’s Export button and wait for Telegram Desktop to finish. If it offers a button to open or show the completed folder, use it. Otherwise, open the save location you chose in the previous step.
Expected result: You have a folder containing an HTML file and, if selected media was available, accompanying files or folders. Look for the HTML file in the export folder; the exact filename can vary with your Desktop build.
Step 6: Open the Account Data Export
To save several chats or categories, open Telegram Desktop’s Settings, then Advanced, and look for Export Telegram data. Open it. The location of this control may vary with the Desktop build, but it belongs in the Desktop app, not your phone’s settings.
Expected result: A dialog appears with account data and chat categories you can select.
Step 7: Select Account Data, Format, and Media
Choose the chat categories and any other account data you want to include. For a copy you’ll read yourself, choose HTML. Choose JSON when you specifically need data for another program; if your dialog offers both formats together, you can select both.
Next, select the media types you need and review the media size limit. Set a date range and save location if those controls appear. A narrow date range or an unchecked chat category will leave matching messages out, so take a moment here.
Expected result: The selected options match the chats, dates, and media you want to keep.
Step 8: Export the Selected Account Data
Select Export and let Telegram Desktop complete the job. Then open the finished folder from Telegram Desktop or from the save location you chose.
Expected result: The folder contains an HTML entry file if you selected HTML. Look for the HTML file in the export folder; the exact filename can vary with your Desktop build. Keep the entire folder together, as the HTML may link to other files inside it.
Step 9: Check the Saved Messages and Media
Open the export folder and double-click its main .html file. Your default browser should display the saved messages. Browse to a few dates or conversations you care about. Open a sample photo, video, or file that you expected to be included.
Expected result: The messages you need are readable, and selected media opens from the export folder. If you exported a public group or channel, be aware that Telegram’s documentation states those exports contain only the messages you yourself sent—not the full conversation history. This is expected behavior, not a failed export. Compare the saved copy with the chat before depending on it, and if the message count looks low for a public group or channel, that limitation is the likely reason.
Step 10: Confirm It Works Offline
After the export is complete, disconnect your computer from the internet. Close the browser tab, then reopen the .html file from the saved folder. Try a message page and a media item you checked in Step 9. Reconnect when you’re done.
Expected result: The saved HTML and included local media remain available without Telegram or an internet connection. If an item doesn’t open, check whether its file was included and whether the HTML file is still alongside its accompanying folders.
Step 11: Protect the Export Before Deleting Anything
Move or copy the whole export folder to a private location on encrypted storage. If you keep a second copy on an external SSD or USB-C flash drive, protect that device too. Open the copy from its new location and check it again before you remove messages, leave a chat, or delete the original export folder.
Expected result: You have a readable local reference copy stored where other people using the computer cannot casually browse it. Remember that these files do not restore a conversation inside Telegram.
Configuration: Which Export Settings Should You Choose?
You can adjust these settings in the export dialog for either route. Choose based on what you plan to read later.
| Setting | Where to look | What to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Export scope | Chat menu or Settings > Advanced | Use Export chat history for one conversation. Use Export Telegram data for selected account data or chat categories. |
| Format | Export dialog | Choose HTML for browser reading. Choose JSON for data processing. |
| Media types | Export dialog | Select the photos, videos, audio, and files you actually want saved. |
| Media size limit | Export dialog | Raise the limit if an important large file would otherwise be skipped. Check that you have enough disk space. |
| Date range | Export dialog, when available | Include the period you need; a shorter range makes a smaller export. |
| Save location | Export dialog, when available | Pick a private folder you can find again. |
HTML is the practical choice for most people. Think of it like a local webpage for your messages. JSON is more like a box of labeled parts for software: useful for the right job, but hardly a cozy way to reread a conversation.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Problem: You can’t find “Export Telegram data.”
- Check that you opened Telegram Desktop, rather than the phone app.
- In Desktop, look under Settings > Advanced.
- If the control still isn’t there, check the menus in your installed Desktop build. Telegram’s interface can change.
Problem: You can’t find “Export chat history.”
- Open the conversation first.
- Open its ⋮ menu and look for Export chat history.
- For a forum topic, look for an export option in the same menu; the label may differ depending on your Desktop build.
Problem: Telegram won’t let you export right after signing in.
- Read the notice shown in Telegram Desktop.
- Follow its instructions and try again as directed. Telegram Desktop may ask you to wait before exporting from a newly signed-in session; follow the on-screen guidance for the specific steps required.
Problem: Photos, videos, or files are missing.
- Return to the export dialog and check that their media types are selected.
- Review the media size limit and raise it if needed.
- Export again, then inspect the new folder. If the HTML opens but a linked file doesn’t, make sure you moved the entire export folder together.
Problem: There are fewer messages than you expected.
- Check the date range and selected chat categories.
- Compare the saved HTML with the conversation in Telegram Desktop.
- If you exported a public group or channel, note that Telegram’s export documentation states those exports include only the messages sent by the user requesting the export—not the full conversation history. A low message count in that context is the documented behavior, not an error.
- Export again with a wider scope if needed for private chats where the date range or category selection may have been too narrow.
Keep the folder private: Exported messages are ordinary local files. Anyone who can access the folder may be able to read them, so use encrypted storage and limit who can open your computer or backup drive.
Wrapping Up
A Telegram Desktop HTML export gives you a handy offline reference, especially once you’ve checked the messages and media yourself. I’d treat it like a personal document: useful to keep, worth protecting, and never a substitute for a chat you expect to restore later.
| Step | Action | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Install Telegram Desktop and sign in | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 3–5 | Export one chat | Telegram Desktop |
| 6–8 | Export selected account data | Telegram Desktop |
| 9–11 | Check offline files and store them privately | All exports |