Telegram is one of the most popular instant messengers, but over time it can take up gigabytes of memory on your smartphone. Photos, videos, stickers, voice messages and cache accumulate unnoticed until the device starts to slow down or display notifications about lack of space. In this article we will look at all working methods for clearing Telegram memory on Androidincluding hidden settings and automatic tools.

The problem is not only in volume - a clogged cache can slow down the messenger, increase battery consumption and even lead to failures when sending files. We will show you how safely delete unnecessary datawithout losing important chats, and we will teach you how to set up auto-cleaning so that the problem does not return. The instructions are relevant for all versions Telegram (including Telegram X) and work on any smartphone running Android 8.0 and newer.

Why does Telegram take up so much memory?

Unlike many messengers, Telegram by default it saves all media files to the device - even those that you just viewed in the chat. This is convenient for quick access, but over time leads to the following problems:

  • 📁 Media cache: photos, videos and documents are stored in the original resolution (for example, a 4K video can weigh hundreds of megabytes).
  • 🎵 Voice messages: take up space even after listening, if not auto-cleaning is configured.
  • 🖼️ Stickers and animations: each pack of stickers weighs 1–5 MB, and there can be hundreds of them.
  • 🗑️ System cache: temporary files to speed up work (for example, image thumbnails).

According to Telegram, the average user accumulates from 2 to 10 GB of unnecessary files per year of active useif you do not clean the messenger manually. At the same time, many do not even suspect that the settings have tools for automatic optimization.

📊 How often do you clean Telegram memory?
Never
Once every few months
Every month
Only when space runs out

Method 1: Manually clearing the cache through Telegram settings

The simplest method is to use the built-in cache clearing function. It deletes temporary files, but does not affect downloaded media (they will have to be cleaned separately). Here's how to do it:

  1. Open Telegram and tap on three horizontal lines (☰) in the upper left corner.
  2. Go to Settings → Data and memory.
  3. Select item Memory usage - here a list of chats sorted by space will be displayed.
  4. Tap Clear cache at the bottom of the screen and confirm the action.

This operation will delete:

  • 🗃️ Thumbnails of images and videos.
  • 📥 Incomplete downloads.
  • 🔄 Temporary files to speed up the messenger.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing the cache does not delete the media files themselves (photos, videos, documents) that you saved in chats. To delete them, use Method 3 or Method 4.

Back up important chats (Settings → Chat → Export history)

Close all active downloads in Telegram

Check the free space on the device (must be at least 500 MB)

Reboot the smartphone after cleaning-->

Method 2: Setting up automatic media deletion

To Telegram not accumulate gigabytes of unnecessary files, set up autocleaning for different types of media. This will allow you to save files only for a limited time or not save them at all.

Instructions:

  1. Open Settings → Data and memory.
  2. Tap on Auto delete media.
  3. Select file type:
    • 📷 Photo
    • 🎥 Video
    • 🎵 Voice and video messages
    • 📄 Documents
  • For each type, set rule:
    • 🔄 Never (keep always)
    • ⏳ 3 days/1 week/1 month (delete after a specified period)
    • 🚫 Immediately after viewing (do not save to device)

      • Recommended settings to save space:

      File type Recommended rule Why?
      Photo 1 month Enough for viewing, but does not clog the memory forever.
      Video Immediately after viewing Videos take up the most space (especially in high resolution).
      Voice messages 3 days Usually needed only for one-time listening.
      Documents (PDF, APK) Never It is better to store important files manually.
      💡

      If you often send large files (for example, archives or videos), add exceptions for specific chats. To do this, in the auto-delete settings, select Exceptions and specify the necessary dialogs.

      Method 3: Deleting unnecessary files manually

      If automatic cleaning does not help or you want to control exactly what is deleted, use manual control files. This method allows you to select specific media to delete without affecting the rest.

      How to delete files one by one:

      1. Open the chat in which you want to clear the files.
      2. Tap chat name at the top of the screen.
      3. Select Media (or Files in some versions).
      4. Click on three dots (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Select.
      5. Mark unnecessary files and click Delete (icon trash).

      For mass deletion:

      1. Go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage.
      2. Select a chat with a large volume data.
      3. Click Manage → Clear history.
      4. Specify what types of files need to be deleted (for example, only videos or photos).
      ⚠️ Attention: Deleting files from chat cannot be restoredif they were not saved in the cloud Telegram or on another device. Before mass cleaning, check if there are any important documents among the files.
      How to get back accidentally deleted files?

      If you deleted files from the chat, but they were sent by you or saved in Favorites, they can be restored:

      1. Open the chat and find the message with the file (if it has not been deleted).

      2. Click on the file and select Save to gallery (if it is still available in the cloud).

      3. For files from Favorites go to Settings → Favorites and save them again.

      If the files are permanently deleted, try restoring them through a backup (if you had one) created earlier).

      Method 4: Cleaning through the file manager

      Not all files Telegram are displayed in its interface. Some data (such as thumbnail cache or temporary files) is stored in hidden folders. To remove them, you will need a file manager with access to system directories (for example, Total Commander, FX File Explorer or built-in Files by Google).

      Instructions:

      1. Open the file manager and enable display hidden files (in the manager settings).
      2. Navigate to the path: 
        /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/

        or (for some devices):

        /sdcard/Telegram/
      3. Delete the contents of the following folders (if they exist):
        • 📂 Telegram Images — image cache.
        • 🎬 Telegram Video —video cache.
        • 🎵 Telegram Audio —voice messages.
        • 🗑️ Telegram Temp —temporary files.
    • Not delete the folder Telegram Documentsif it contains important files.

      • After cleaning, restart your smartphone - this will help Telegram correctly recalculate the space occupied.

      💡

      Cleaning through the file manager deletes files forevereven if they are still in the cloud Telegram. Use this method only to free up space if you are sure that the files will not be needed.

      Method 5: Optimizing storage through Google Files

      The application Google Files (or Files by Google) can analyze device memory and find large or unnecessary files, including those that have accumulated Telegram. This is convenient if you don't want to dig around manually.

      How to clear memory using Google Files:

      1. Install the application from Google Play (if it is not pre-installed).
      2. Open Files and go to tab Cleaning.
      3. Tap on Large files or Unnecessary files.
      4. Find files in the list from Telegram (they are usually marked as org.telegram.messenger).
      5. Select unnecessary files and click Clear.

    Google Files also shows how much space is taken up:

    • 📸 Photos and videos from Telegram.
    • 📄 Documents (PDF, APK, ZIP).
    • 🗑️ Cache and temporary files.
      • ⚠️ Attention: Google Files may suggest deleting files that Telegram still uses (for example, downloaded media Before cleaning, close the messenger to avoid). failures.

      Method 6: Reset Telegram settings (last resort)

      If none of the methods helped, and Telegram it still takes up too much space, you can reset your settings. This will delete all local data. (except for chats in the cloud), but will return the messenger to the state “as after installation”.

      How to reset settings:

      1. Open Settings → Additional (or Other in some versions).
      2. Select Reset and delete account.
      3. Tap on Reset settings (do not confuse with Delete account!).
      4. Confirm the action - the messenger will restart.

      After reset:

      • ✅ All local media will be deleted (but will remain in the cloud).
      • ✅ Cache and temporary files will be cleared.
      • ✅ Chat settings (notifications, topics) will be reset to standard.
      • ❌ Messages in the cloud (secret chats, history) will not will suffer.

      This method should be used only if other methods did not work, since it requires re-configuring the messenger.

      Method 7: Using third-party cleaning utilities

      If you don’t want to manually clear the memory, you can use specialized applications. They automatically find and delete unnecessary files, including those left behind Telegram.

      Top 3 cleaning utilities:

      Application Functions Pros Cons
      CCleaner Cache clearing, removing duplicates, memory analysis. Simple interface, supports Telegram. Advertising in the free version.
      SD Maid Deep cleaning, search for "garbage" files. Finds hidden files Telegram. Complicated for beginners.
      Files by Google Memory analysis, deleting large files. Free, without unnecessary water. Does not clear the system cache.

      How to use CCleaner to clean Telegram:

      1. Install and open CCleaner.
      2. Go to the tab Cleaning.
      3. In the application list find Telegram and check the boxes:
        • 🗑️ Cache
        • 📁 Temporary files
        • 📥 Downloads (if necessary)
    • Click Analysisand then Clean.
    ⚠️ Attention: Third-party utilities may delete files that Telegram is still using before cleaning. close the messenger and make a backup copy of important chats.

    Additional tips for saving memory

    To Telegram not fill up your memory too quickly, follow these recommendations:

    • 📱 Disable media auto-download:

      Go to Settings → Data and memory → Media auto-download and select Never for mobile data and Wi-Fi. This will prevent files from downloading automatically.

    • 🔍 Use file search:

      Instead of storing all the media, search for the necessary files through Search in Telegram —they will be downloaded from the cloud if necessary.

    • 📁 Save important files to the cloud:

      For documents and photos, use Google Drive, Dropbox or Telegram Saved Messages (saved messages).

    • 🔄 Check regularly "Memory usage":

      Once a month, go to Settings → Data and memory → Memory usage and delete unnecessary files.

    💡

    If you often exchange large files (for example, videos or archives), create a separate chat for such transfers and set it to auto-clean after 1 day. This way the files will not fill up the memory for a long time.

    Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

    🔹 Why does the memory fill up again after clearing the cache?

    Telegram automatically loads media when viewing chats if not configured auto-cleaning. To avoid this, disable auto-download in Settings → Data and memory → Auto-download media or configure automatic deletion (see Method 2).

    🔹 Is it possible to clear the memory Telegram without losing chats?

    Yes, all methods from this article (except for a full reset) save the message history. The chat is saved in the cloud Telegram, and only local files are deleted (media, cache). cleaning the folder secret chats, which are stored only on the device. Their contents will be deleted when you reset or empty the folder Telegram manually.

    🔹 How to clear Telegram memory on a memory card (SD)?

    If Telegram saves files on the SD card, the path to the folder will be like this: 

    /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Telegram/

    (where XXXX-XXXX is the identifier of your card). Delete files in the same way as in the internal memory (see Method 4). Please note: on some devices Telegram does not support saving to SD by default - this function must be enabled. settings.

    🔹 Why does Telegram show that it takes 0 MB, but the memory is full?

    This may happen due to:

    1. Hidden files: some data (for example, message databases) are not displayed in the interface Telegram, but take up space. Check the folder /Telegram/ via the file manager.
    2. Cache errors: restart the messenger or reinstall it.
    3. Android system files: sometimes the OS reserves space for Telegram, but does not release it after deleting the files. In this case, rebooting the device will help.
    🔹 How to transfer Telegram files to your computer before cleaning?

    To save media before cleaning:

    1. Connect your smartphone to the PC via USB (in file transfer mode).
    2. Copy the folder /Telegram/Telegram Images/, /Telegram/Telegram Video/ and others to the computer.
    3. Use Export history in the chat settings to save messages in the format JSON or HTML.

    To backup secret chats, use the function Export chat (available only in the chat itself).