How to Use Telegram Folders to Organise Your Chats

Telegram folders let you split your chat list into tabs, such as Work, Family, News or Channels. You create them in Settings, choose which chats or chat types belong in each one, and then switch between tabs at the top of your chat list. Folders only change how you see your chats; they do not change the chats themselves.

If you follow many channels and groups, folders are the simplest way to stop important messages getting lost. This guide shows how to set them up, how to decide what goes where, and how to share a folder with others.

What Telegram folders do

A folder is a filtered view of your chat list. When you open a folder tab, you see only the chats that match its rules. A chat can appear in more than one folder, and it still appears in your main "All chats" list unless you change that.

Folders sync across your devices because they are stored in your Telegram account. Set them up on your phone and they appear on desktop too.

Folders are different from the archive. Archiving moves a chat out of the main list. A folder simply groups chats without moving them. You can read about the archive in how to pin, mute and archive Telegram chats.

What you can include in a folder

When you build a folder, you can usually add:

• Individual chats you pick by hand.
• Whole types of chat, such as contacts, non-contacts, groups, channels or bots.
• Exclusions, such as muted chats, read chats or archived chats.

This mix of rules is what makes folders useful. For example, a folder can contain "all channels" but exclude muted ones, so it only shows channels you actively follow.

How to create a folder

The menu names may vary slightly between apps and versions. The general steps are the same.

1. Open Settings in Telegram.
2. Find the section for Folders or Chat Folders.
3. Tap Create a new folder.
4. Give the folder a short name.
5. Tap Add chats and choose individual chats or whole chat types.
6. Optionally, add chats or types to exclude.
7. Save the folder.

The new folder appears as a tab above your chat list. On desktop it may appear as a sidebar on the left.

Quick ways to add a chat to a folder

You do not always need to go through Settings. On many versions you can:

• Press and hold a chat in your list and choose an option to add it to a folder.
• Right-click a chat on desktop and pick a folder.
• Press and hold a folder tab to edit it or reorder it.

If you do not see these options, use the Settings method above. It works on all versions.

Suggested folder setups

There is no single right layout. Here are a few that work well for different people.

For everyday users

• Personal: contacts and family groups.
• Work: chosen work chats and groups.
• Channels: all channels, excluding muted ones.
• Unread: all chats, excluding read ones.

For people who follow many channels

• News: the news channels you read daily.
• Learning: courses, tutorials and topic channels.
• Deals or hobbies: anything you check now and then.

When you find new channels, add them to the right folder straight away. If you are looking for channels to fill these folders, browse categories or read how to find Telegram channels.

For channel and group admins

• My channels: every channel and group you run.
• Admin chats: discussion groups and co-admin chats.
• Inspiration: channels in your niche you watch for ideas.

Keeping your own channels in one folder makes it easier to post on schedule and reply to comments.

How to share a folder with a link

Telegram lets you share a folder as an invite link. When someone opens it, they can join all the public and invite-link chats in that folder at once. This is useful for a set of related channels and groups, such as a community with an announcements channel, a chat group and a support group.

1. Open the folder's settings.
2. Look for an option to share or create an invite link for the folder.
3. Select which chats from the folder to include.
4. Copy the link and share it.

Only chats you are allowed to invite people to can be included. Private chats with individuals are not shared. Channel owners use this for growth, which we cover in Telegram folder links for growth.

When someone shares a folder with you

Opening a shared folder link shows you the list of chats it contains. You can usually choose which ones to join. Check each one before you join, just as you would with any other link. Shared folders are sometimes used to push people into spam or scam chats.

Managing and editing folders

Over time your folders will need tidying.

1. Open Settings and go to the folders section.
2. Tap a folder to change its name, rules or chats.
3. Drag folders to reorder the tabs.
4. Delete a folder you no longer need. Deleting a folder does not delete or leave the chats in it.

You can also usually choose whether "All chats" stays as the first tab. Some people prefer to open straight into a specific folder.

Telegram Premium and folders

Telegram Premium raises some limits, including how many folders you can create and how many chats they can hold. The exact numbers change over time, so check the Premium page inside Telegram if you hit a limit. For a wider look, read Telegram Premium vs free.

Common mistakes

• Making too many folders. If you need to check eight tabs, folders stop saving time. Start with three or four.
• Forgetting new chats. Hand-picked folders do not update themselves. Use chat types, such as "all channels", where you can.
• Excluding unread chats by accident. If a folder excludes read chats, it will look empty most of the time. That is expected.
• Thinking a deleted folder removes chats. It does not. You stay in every chat.
• Joining everything in a shared folder. Look at each chat first and only join what you trust.

FAQ

Can a chat be in more than one folder?

Yes. A chat can sit in several folders at once. It will appear in each folder whose rules it matches.

Do other people see my folders?

No. Your folders are private to your account unless you choose to share one with an invite link. Even then, people only see the chats you put in the shared link.

Do folders work on Telegram Desktop?

Yes. Folders sync through your account, so they appear on desktop and other devices. Desktop often shows them as a sidebar instead of tabs.

Will muting a chat remove it from a folder?

Only if the folder is set to exclude muted chats. Otherwise the chat stays where it is.

Is there a limit to how many folders I can have?

Yes, there is a limit, and Telegram Premium raises it. The exact numbers can change, so check inside the app.

Does deleting a folder leave the channels inside it?

No. Deleting a folder only removes the tab. You remain a member of every chat.

Summary

Telegram folders turn a long chat list into a few focused tabs. Create them in Settings, use chat types where you can so they stay up to date, and keep the number of folders small. Shared folder links are handy for joining a group of related chats, but check each chat before you join. With a sensible setup, the messages that matter stay easy to find.