Free up app storage

Free up Telegram storage

Telegram keeps photos, videos, files, voice notes, and music from your chats in a local cache so they open fast. Groups and channels are usually the biggest reason it grows. Clearing the cache removes the copies on this phone. The messages stay in the Telegram cloud, and you can tap media again to re-download it.

See how much space Telegram is using

iPhone

  1. Open Telegram.
  2. Tap Settings in the bottom tab bar.
  3. Tap Data and Storage > Storage Usage.

Android

  1. Open Telegram.
  2. Tap the menu (three lines) > Settings.
  3. Tap Data and Storage > Storage Usage.

Telegram may take a minute to calculate. The pie chart is the cache on this phone, not your whole Telegram account. Tabs such as Chats, Media, Files, and Music show the largest items.

Clear the cache

  1. Open Storage Usage (steps above).
  2. Tap Clear Cache.
  3. If Telegram lists types, uncheck anything you want to keep locally (for example Photos, Videos, Files, Music, or Voice).
  4. Confirm Clear Cache.

This frees space on the phone. Cloud chats stay. Open a photo or file later to download it again. Secret Chats are different: that media lives only on this device, so treat those chats carefully before a big clear or a reinstall.

Clear storage for one chat, group, or channel

  1. Open Storage Usage.
  2. Open the Chats tab if you see it.
  3. Tap the chat, group, or channel that is using the most space.
  4. Select what to remove, or tap Clear Selected if that button is shown.

Start with the biggest groups and channels. You can also add exceptions later so Telegram keeps media from a few chats while auto-removing the rest.

Delete the largest media and files

  1. Open Storage Usage.
  2. Open Media, Files, or Music.
  3. Select the largest items you do not need on this phone.
  4. Tap Clear Selected (wording can also be Clear plus the size).

This is the fastest way to drop several gigabytes when a few videos or documents dominate the chart.

Auto-remove unused media

  1. Open Storage Usage.
  2. Find Keep Media or Auto-remove cached media.
  3. Set Private Chats, Group Chats, and Channels separately (for example 1 week, 1 month, or 3 months).
  4. Add exceptions for chats whose media you want to keep on the phone.

Photos, videos, and files you have not opened during that period are removed from the device. They stay in the Telegram cloud and download again when you need them.

Set a maximum cache size

  1. Open Storage Usage.
  2. Tap Maximum Cache Size.
  3. Pick a limit, or leave No Limit if you prefer to clear by hand.

If the cache goes over the limit, Telegram removes the oldest unused media from this phone.

Turn off automatic media download

  1. Open Telegram Settings > Data and Storage.
  2. Open Automatic media download (some versions say Auto-Download Media).
  3. Open When using mobile data, When connected to Wi-Fi, and When roaming.
  4. Turn off Photos, Videos, and Files, or lower the size limits.

Voice messages stay small and still download automatically. After this, larger media downloads when you tap it. That is the strongest way to stop busy groups and channels from filling the phone again.

Stop Telegram from saving copies to Photos or Gallery

iPhone

  1. Open Telegram > Settings > Data and Storage.
  2. Tap Save Incoming Photos.
  3. Turn off Private Chats, Groups, and Channels unless you want copies in Photos.

Android

  1. Open Telegram > Settings > Data and Storage.
  2. Open Save to Gallery.
  3. Turn off photos and videos for private chats, groups, and channels. Add exceptions if one chat should still save.

This only stops new incoming copies. Clearing Telegram cache does not remove files already saved to Photos or Gallery. Empty Recently Deleted / Trash there if you already saved a lot.

Saved Messages and Secret Chats

Saved Messages is just another chat. Clearing its cache frees space on the phone. The saved items stay in the cloud.

Secret Chats are not stored in the Telegram cloud. If you clear that media, log out, or reinstall, you can lose those messages and files. Save anything important from a Secret Chat before you reset the app.

Clear Telegram cache on Android

  1. Open your phone Settings > Apps > Telegram.
  2. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.
  3. Tap Clear cache.

Do not tap Clear storage / Clear data unless you mean to reset Telegram on this phone. That signs you out, wipes local files, and deletes Secret Chats on the device.

iPhone does not offer a separate Telegram cache button. Use Storage Usage inside Telegram instead.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

If you already cleaned media and Telegram still looks huge, a fresh install can clear leftover cache and temp files that are hard to reach by hand.

  1. Cloud chats stay on Telegram. Save or export anything from Secret Chats first, because those live only on this phone.
  2. Delete the app from your phone.
  3. Restart your phone.
  4. Install Telegram again from the App Store or Google Play.
  5. Sign in and restore from backup if the app offers it.

This often frees a lot of space. You may need to download some media again after restore.

What to do next

After Telegram is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.

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