Import Photos from Telegram

Import Photos from Telegram

Add photos sent to you in Telegram
In this article

Tonfotos can automatically download any photos sent to you via Telegram. After you log into your Telegram account, Tonfotos creates an auxiliary folder, adds it as a new location, and regularly downloads photos and videos from chats, groups, and channels in Telegram. The photos that you send in Telegram aren't downloaded, as you can import them directly from your phone in better quality.

This auxiliary location is intended as a temporary storage. After reviewing these photos, you may want to use the Move to main Archive feature to transfer the imported photos to your principal library and arrange them into folders based on date.

NOTE: Only one Telegram account can be connected.

Setting up Telegram import

  1. On Windows: Select File > Library Locations or press AltShiftL.
    On macOS: Select Tonfotos > Library Locations from the menu bar or press OptionShiftL.

  2. Click Login to Telegram... and enter the phone number for your Telegram account.

    NOTE: If you are using two-factor authentication, you won't be able to log in with Tonfotos. We recommend that you disable the two-factor authentication just to log in for the first time, and then enable it again.

  3. Telegram will send you a confirmation code. Enter it and click Confirm.

Tonfotos creates a new folder for photos from Telegram servers and adds it as a new library location. It then begins downloading. Only the following photos are downloaded:

  • Received in the last 30 days
  • From chats and groups with few users
  • Sent by other Telegram users, not by you

The photos from large public groups and channels won't be downloaded.

NOTE: If you send compressed photos in Telegram, it clears out the metadata. In this case, Tonfotos sets the creation date of the photo to when the message was sent.

After initial setup

Tonfotos will regularly connect to Telegram and download only new photos and videos. The photos and videos from each Telegram chat will be put into a corresponding folder.

Excluding a chat

If you want to exclude one of the chats:

  1. Go to the Folders tab.
  2. In the left pane, right-click the name of the chat.
  3. Click "Unfollow this chat".
  4. Tonfotos will ask you to confirm.

Disabling Telegram import

If you no longer want to download photos from Telegram, remove it from library locations. To do so:

  1. Go to the Manage photo library locations dialog, select the location, then click icon minus in circle> in the bottom left.
  2. Tonfotos asks you to confirm. Click Delete.