Moving to a new Androidsmartphone is always an exciting process, especially when it comes to saving important correspondence in Telegram. Many users mistakenly believe that simply logging into an account on a new device will allow all chats and media files to automatically appear. However cloud synchronization the messenger works selectively: text messages are saved, but downloaded photos, videos and documents are not. Without proper preparation, you risk losing years of correspondence, work files or valuable memories.

In this article we will analyze all current methods of data transfer from Telegram from the old Androiddevice to the new one, including backup via Google Drive, manual export of chats, synchronization of media files and nuances of working with secret chats. We will pay special attention to typical errors that lead to data loss and provide a checklist for error-free transfer.

If you plan to change your phone soon, start preparing in advance - some methods require time to download large amounts of data. Also note that Telegram regularly updates the backup functionality, so check the relevance of the instructions in the official FAQ of the messenger before starting the procedure.

📊 How often do you change your smartphone?
Every 1-2 years
Every 3-4 years
Less than once every 5 years
Only in case of breakdown

1. What exactly can be transferred from Telegram to a new phone

Before you start backing up, it is important to understand what data is saved automaticallyand what you will have to be responsible for transferring yourself. Telegram uses a hybrid storage model:

✅ Synchronizes automatically via the cloud (available on a new device after logging in):

  • 💬 Text messages in all chats (personal, group, channels)
  • 🔖 Bookmarks and saved messages
  • 📌 Pinned messages
  • 👥 Contact lists (if synchronized with the phone book)
  • ⚙️ Basic account settings (name, avatar, theme)

❌ Not synchronized automatically (requires manual transfer):

  • 📸 Media files (photos, videos, voice messages) downloaded to the device
  • 📄 Documents and archives saved in "Files"
  • 🔒 Secret chats (they are tied to a specific device)
  • 🎨 Local stickers and GIFs (if not added to Favorites)
  • 📁 Chat folders (dialogue organization settings)

⚠️ Attention: If you used the function Clear cache in the settings Telegram on the old phone, all media files will be deleted from the device, but will remain in the messenger cloud. However, downloading them again to a new phone will require an Internet connection and time.

They stand apart secret chats —their content is end-to-end encrypted and stored only on participants’ devices. You can transfer them to a new phone only through a backup copy (more on this in the next section).

2. Method 1: Backup via Google Drive (official method)

The most reliable and recommended Telegram way is to use the built-in backup function via Google Drive. This method allows you to save:

  • 💬 All correspondence (including secret chats, if they were included in the backup)
  • 📸 Media files and documents
  • ⚙️ Chat settings and folders

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Open Telegram on your old phone and go to Settings → Chat → Chat backup.
  2. Click Create a backup and select Google Drive.
  3. Log in to your Google account (preferably the same one that will be used on the new phone).
  4. Select what data to include in the backup:
    • 📱 Personal chats (including secret ones, if necessary)
    • 👥 Groups and channels
    • 📁 Media files (photos, videos, documents)
  • Click Create a backup copy and wait for the process to complete (may take from several minutes to hours depending on the amount of data).

    • ⚠️ Attention: If you have Not enough space in Google Drive, a backup will not be created. Before you begin, check your free cloud space (minimum ~1-2 GB required for an active user). If necessary, clear the disk or purchase additional space.

    Recovery on a new phone:

    1. Install Telegram on a new device and sign in to your account.
    2. Go in Settings → Chat → Chat backup → Restore.
    3. Select the latest backup from Google Drive and confirm the restoration.

    Log in to your Google account on the old one phone|Check free space in Google Drive|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi|Charge your phone at least 50%|Disable battery optimization for Telegram-->

    3. Method 2: Manually export chats to a file (without media)

    If you need to save text messages only (without photos, videos and documents), you can use the function to export chats to file .json or .txt. This method is useful for:

    • 📂 Archiving important correspondence (for example, work chats)
    • 🔍 Searching through old messages via a computer
    • 📤 Transferring individual dialogues to third parties (with consent interlocutors)

    How to export a chat:

    1. Open the desired dialogue in Telegram.
    2. Click on the chat name at the top of the screen → ⋮ (three dots) → Export chat history.
    3. Select format:
      • .json —for further data processing (suitable for programmers)
      • .txt —plain text file
      • HTML —for viewing in a browser while maintaining formatting
  • Specify a date range (you can export the entire history or selectively).
  • Click Export and choose where to save the file (for example, in Downloads or Google Drive).

    • Method limitations:

    • ❌ Media files are not exported (only links to them)
    • ❌ Secret chats cannot be exported in this way
    • ❌ Restore the chat back to Telegram from file cannot —only view

    💡

    If you need to save media files from the chat, use a file manager (for example, Files by Google) to manually copy the folder Telegram/Telegram Images to a new phone.

    4. Method 3: Transferring media files through the Telegram folder

    All photos, videos and documents downloaded to Telegram are saved to a local folder by default on the device. It can be copied to a new phone manually - this is the easiest way to transfer media if you do not have access to Google Drive or a backup has not been created.

    Where to look for files:

    • 📂 Main folder: /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/
    • 🖼️ Photos and video: Telegram/Telegram Images/
    • 📄 Documents: Telegram/Telegram Documents/
    • 🎵 Audio and voice: Telegram/Telegram Audio/

    How to transfer files:

    1. Connect the old phone to the computer via USB (in transfer mode files).
    2. Copy the folder Telegram to a computer or external drive.
    3. Connect the new phone and paste the folder into the root directory of the internal memory.
    4. Install Telegram on the new device and log in account - the messenger will automatically pick up media files from the folder.

    ⚠️ Attention: If there was already a folder on the new phone Telegram (for example, from a previous installation of the messenger), replace it copied from the old device. Otherwise, the files will be duplicated and empty previews will be displayed in chats.

    Alternative method (without a computer):

    1. On your old phone, open any file manager (for example, Total Commander or FX File Explorer).
    2. Find the folder Telegram and select it.
    3. Click Copy → select Cloud storage (for example, Google Drive or Yandex Disk).
    4. On the new phone, download the archive from the cloud and unpack it to the root directory.

    What to do if the files are not displayed in chats?

    If after transfer folders Telegram media files are not shown in dialogs, try:

    1. Restart the messenger.

    2. In settings Telegram select Clear cache (data will not be deleted, only are reindexed).

    3. Check that the path to the folder on the new phone matches the old one (for example, not /sdcard/Telegram/, but /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/).

    4. Make sure that the files were not damaged during copying (try opening them manually via gallery).

    5. Method 4: Synchronization via Telegram Desktop (for PC)

    If you have access to a computer, you can use Telegram Desktop as an intermediate storage for data transfer. This method is suitable for:

    • 🖥️ Users who regularly work with the messenger on a PC
    • 📁 Transferring large amounts of media (up to 1.5 GB per file)
    • 🔄 Synchronizing secret chats (via session export)

    Instructions:

    1. Install Telegram Desktop to your computer and log into your account.
    2. Wait for complete synchronization of chats and media files (the status will be displayed in the lower left corner Synchronized).
    3. Connect the new Androidphone to the PC and copy the folder:
      • Windows: C:\Users\[Your_name]\AppData\Roaming\Telegram Desktop\tdata\
      • macOS: /Users/[Your_name]/Library/Application Support/Telegram Desktop/tdata/
  • On install on your new phone Telegram, log in to your account and wait for the media to download from the cloud.

    • Advantages of the method:

    • ✅ You can selectively download only the necessary files (via the interface Telegram Desktop)
    • ✅ Secret chats are synchronized if they were created on the PC backup copy
    • ✅ There are no volume restrictions (unlike Google Drive)

    💡

    Use Telegram Desktopif you need to transfer secret chats - this is the only official way to backup them without root access.

    6. Features of transferring secret chats chats

    Secret chats in Telegram are a different story. They are not synchronized with the cloud and are tied to a specific device. When you change your phone, there are only two ways to save them. data-i="230">Method 1: Backup via Telegram Desktop (recommended):

    🔹 Method 1: Backup via Telegram Desktop (recommended)

    1. Open the secret chat on your old phone.
    2. Click on the name of the interlocutor → ⋮ → Export history chat.
    3. Select a format .json and save the file to your computer.
    4. On a new phone, create a new secret chat with the same interlocutor and manually transfer the messages (unfortunately, there is no automatic import).

    🔹 Method 2: Manual transfer via application backup (requires root or ADB)

    • 📱 Create a full application backup Telegram via Titanium Backup or ADB.
    • 🔧 Restore the backup on a new phone (need root access).
    • ⚠️ Risk: if the restoration is incorrect, secret chats may become unavailable.

    ⚠️ Attention: Secret chats cannot be restoredif you:
    • 🚫 Deleted the messenger from the old phone to creation backup
    • 🚫 Reset the old device to factory settings
    • 🚫 Didn’t save the encryption keys (they are stored only locally)

    If this has already happened, return the correspondence impossible.

    7. Typical errors and how to avoid them

    Even when following the instructions, users often encounter problems when transferring data. Here are the most common errors and their solutions:

    🔘 Error 1: Backup is not created in Google Drive

    • 📌 Cause: Not enough cloud space or poor internet connection.
    • 🛠 Solution: Clear Google Drive or connect to Wi-FiCheck that there is enough free memory on the phone (a backup is first created locally, then downloaded). to the cloud).

    🔘 Error 2: Media files are not displayed after transfer

    • 📌 Reason: Folder Telegram copied to the wrong directory or the files are damaged.
    • 🛠 Solution: Check the path: it should be /storage/emulated/0/Telegram/. Try opening the files manually through the gallery.

    🔘 Error 3: The backup is not restored on the new phone

    • 📌 Reason: Different accounts Google on the old and new devices or the backup is damaged.
    • 🛠 Solution: Make sure you are logged in to the same one Google account. If the backup is not displayed, try creating it again.

    🔘 Error 4: Secret chats disappeared after the transfer

    • 📌 Reason: They were not included in the backup or the keys were not saved encryption.
    • 🛠 Solution: If a backup was not created, restore chats no. In the future, use Telegram Desktop for export.

    💡

    Before changing your phone, check that the function Battery optimization for Telegram. It can interrupt the creation of a backup. Path: Settings → Applications → Telegram → Battery → Unlimited

    8. Comparison of data transfer methods

    To choose the optimal method, we compare all options according to key parameters:

    Method Saves correspondence Saves media Saves secrets chats Difficulty Internet required
    Google Drive ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes (if enabled) Average ✅ Yes
    Manual export of chats ✅ Yes (text only) ❌ No ❌ No Low ❌ No
    Transfer Telegram folder ❌ No ✅ Yes ❌ No Low ❌ No
    Telegram Desktop ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ⚠️ Partially (export only) High ✅ Yes
    Manual backup (root/ADB) ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes Very high ❌ No

    💡

    For most users, it is optimal Google Drive —it saves correspondence, media, and secret chats (with the correct settings). If only files are important, it is enough to transfer the folder Telegram manually.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring Telegram

    🔹 Is it possible to transfer Telegram from Android to iPhone?

    Yes, but with restrictions:

    • 📱 Correspondence and settings are synchronized automatically after logging into your account.
    • 📸 Media files must be transferred manually (via Google Drive or a computer).
    • 🔒 Secret chats are not transferred to iOS —they need to be exported in advance.

    Use Google Drive to backup to Android, and then restore it to iPhone via the same account Google.

    🔹 How long does it take to create a backup in Google Drive?

    Time depends on:

    • 📊 Data volume (1 GB of correspondence + media ≈ 10-30 minutes)
    • 📶 Internet speed ( Wi-Fi faster than on a mobile network)
    • 📱 Phone performance (on weak devices the process may freeze)

    Tip: Start a backup at night by connecting your phone to charger and Wi-Fi.

    🔹 What happens if you don’t transfer secret chats?

    Secret chats will be permanently deleted from the device after reinstalling Telegram or resetting the phone. They cannot be restored via the cloud or support - they only exist locally. If correspondence is important to you:

    1. Take screenshots of important messages.
    2. Export history via Telegram Desktop.
    3. Create a new secret chat on a new phone and manually transfer the data.
    🔹 Is it possible to transfer only selected chats?

    Yes, but not in all methods:

    • 📁 Google Drive: No, backup is created for all chats.
    • 📄 Manual export: Yes, you can select individual dialogs.
    • 🖥️ Telegram Desktop: Yes, you can download media from specific chats.

    For selective transfer, use a combination of methods: export the necessary chats manually, and copy the media through the folder Telegram.

    🔹 Why do some files not open after transfer?

    Possible reasons:

    • 🔧 The files are damaged during copying (check their integrity).
    • 📂 The folder Telegram was not copied to the root directory.
    • 📱 The new phone does not have applications for opening the format (for example, .webp for images).
    • 🔒 The files are encrypted (relevant for secret chats).

    Solution: Try opening the files through a file manager or restart the messenger.