Have you ever noticed how Telegram imperceptibly “eats” gigabytes of memory on your Androidsmartphone? Even after chats are deleted, photos and videos continue to take up space - but where exactly? Unlike WhatsApp or Viberwhere media files are stored in open folders, Telegram uses a more complex storage system. In this article we will look at:

— Hidden pathsby which the application distributes downloaded images;

— Why files remain on the device even after clearing the chat;

— How to find and delete unnecessary media without losing important ones data;

— Features of storage in Telegram X and modified versions (Forkgram, NekoX).

Spoiler: you will be surprised to learn that Telegram can create up to 3 separate folders with copies of the same photos —and they all weigh differently!

Official Telegram folders: where to look for downloaded photos

By default Telegram for Android saves media files in the standard directory, but its location depends on the OS version and application settings. Main path:

/storage/emulated/0/Telegram/Telegram Images/

However, there are nuances here:

  • 📁 Folder Telegram —the root directory where not only photos are stored, but also documents, stickers, and videos. It can be seen through any file manager (Files by Google, Total Commander).
  • 🖼️ Subfolder Telegram Images — here are only photossent/received in chats. Files are named by random character sets (for example, photo_2026-05-15_12-34-56_12345.jpg).
  • 🎥 Separate folder Telegram Video —for video files, but sometimes animated GIFs also go there (if they are saved as videos).

Important: if you use Telegram X (an alternative client), the path will be similar, but with a prefix X:

/storage/emulated/0/Telegram X/Telegram X Images/
💡

To quickly find the Telegram folder, open any file manager, enter "Telegram" in the search and sort the results by date of modification. The most recent files will be at the top of the list.

Hidden copies of photos: why Telegram duplicates files

Many users are faced with the fact that The same photo takes up space in several foldersThis is not the case. a bug, but a feature of the application. Here is where duplicates can be stored:

Folder File type Reason for duplication Is it possible delete?
Telegram/Telegram Images Original photos Main storage of downloaded media Yes, but the files will be restored when you reopen the chat
Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/cache Thumbnails Small copies for quick loading in the feed Yes, but the next time you start it will be created again
Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/files Temporary files Cache to speed up work (for example, when viewing photos in the gallery) Yes, but cleaning can slow down the application
Pictures/Screenshots Screenshots from Telegram If you took screenshots in chats Yes, these are regular screenshots

Why does this happen? Telegram optimizes performance: originals are stored in one folder, and thumbnails in another, so as not to load memory when scrolling the tape. However, this leads to excessive space consumption, especially if you often view the same photos.

📊 How often do you clear the Telegram cache?
Once every week
Once a month
Only when the memory runs out
Never cleared

How to find hidden Telegram files without root access

Folders Android/data/... hidden from by default user, but they can be opened without obtaining root access. Here are 3 working methods:

  1. Through a file manager with support for hidden folders:

    • 📱 Install Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.
    • 🔍 In the settings, enable the "Show hidden files" option.
    • 📂 Follow the path /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/.

  • Connect to PC:

    • 🖥️ Connect the phone to the computer via USB (file transfer mode).
    • 🔍 In Windows Explorer, turn on the display of hidden elements (View → Hidden elements).
    • 📂 Folder Android will become visible.

    • Via ADB (for advanced):

      adb shell ls /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/

      This command will display a list of all files in the Telegram directory.

      • What to do if the folder Android/data does not open?

      If the file manager does not show the contents of the folder, try:

      1. Restart the device.

      2. Use another manager (for example, MiXplorer).

      3. Connect the phone to the PC - sometimes Windows sees hidden folders better than Android applications.

      Attention! Deleting files from Android/data/... may cause problems with Telegram. It is better to use the built-in cache clearing function (more about it below).

      How to clear photos from Telegram without losing chats

      If you want to free up space, but do not want to lose correspondence, follow this algorithm:

      ☑️ Safely clear media in Telegram

      Done: 0 / 4

      Let's look at each point in more detail:

      1. Clearing cache through settings:

        Go to Settings → Data and memory → Storage → Clear Telegram cache. This will remove temporary filesbut will not affect the original photos in the folder Telegram Images.

      2. Manual cleaning:

        Open the folder Telegram Images and delete unnecessary files. To avoid confusion, sort by date (oldest are usually less important).

      3. Disable auto-download:

        Select "Never" for mobile data and Wi-Fi. This will prevent new photos from automatically downloading. Settings → Data and memory → Autoload media select "Never" for mobile data and Wi-Fi. This will prevent new photos from being automatically downloaded.

    💡

    Even after clearing the cache, Telegram can restore photo thumbnails the next time you open a chat. To avoid this, delete unnecessary media directly in the application (long press on the photo → “Delete”).

    ⚠️ Attention! If you use Telegram Premium, please note that some media files (for example, high-resolution photos) may be stored separately. They cannot be deleted through standard cache clearing - you will have to search manually.

    Why do photos remain after deleting a chat

    This is one of the most common user complaints. The reason lies in Telegram storage architecture:

    • 🗑️ Deleting a chat ≠ deleting files. Telegram erases only links media in the database, but the files themselves remain on the device.
    • 🔄 Caching. Thumbnails and previews are saved in cache, even if the original is deleted.
    • 📥 Auto upload. If the photo was uploaded automatically (via Wi-Fi or mobile network), it remains in the folder Telegram Images forever.

      • How to completely delete a photo?

      1. Delete chat or media in Telegram itself (long press → “Delete”)
      2. Clear the cache through the settings (see previous section).
      3. Manually check the folders Telegram Images i Android/data/.../cache.

      ⚠️ Attention! If you use secret chats, media files from them are stored in encrypted form and are automatically deleted when the chat is cleared. However, their copies may still remain in the cache!

      Features of storing photos in modified versions of Telegram

      Users Forkgram, NekoX or others Telegram forks often encounter non-standard media storage. Here are the key differences:

      Telegram version Storage folder Features
      Official client Telegram/Telegram Images Standard structure, cache in Android/data/...
      Telegram X Telegram X/Telegram X Images More aggressive caching, more duplicates
      Forkgram Forkgram/Forkgram Images Additional folder Forkgram Temp for temporary files
      NekoX NekoX/NekoX Images Stores thumbnails in WebP format to save space

      If you are using a fork, be sure to check:

      • 🔧 Autoload settings - in modified versions they can be more flexible (for example, separate rules for groups and channels).
      • 🗃️ Additional folders - some forks create temporary directories for processing media (for example NekoX/Temp).
      • 🔄 Cleaning mechanisms - Forkgram there is a “Deep Cleaning” option that removes even hidden duplicates.

      ⚠️ Attention! Modified versions may conflict with the official client. If you install both applications, media files will be duplicated in different folders!

      FAQ: Frequently asked questions about storing photos in Telegram

      Is it possible to transfer the Telegram folder to an SD card?

      Yes, but not through the settings applications. You will need to:

      1. Use a file manager with a function Link2SD (for example, AppMgr III).
      2. Create a symbolic link from the internal memory to the SD card.
      3. Please note that this may slow down Telegram if the SD card slow.

      ⚠️ Officially Telegram does not support transfer to SD, so after updating the application the links may break.

      Why are photos from Telegram not displayed in the gallery?

      This happens because of the file .nomediathat Telegram creates in its folders. For photos to appear in the gallery:

      1. Delete the file .nomedia from the folder Telegram Images.
      2. Restart the device.
      3. Update the data in the gallery (most applications have an “Update library” option).

      ⚠️ After this, all photos from Telegram will begin to be displayed in the general gallery, which can create a mess.

      How to recover deleted photos from Telegram?

      If you deleted a photo from the chat, but it remains in the folder Telegram Images:

      • Check the folder manually - perhaps the file is still there.
      • Use data recovery apps (DiskDigger, Recuva) if the files were recently deleted.
      • If the photo was sent to the Telegram cloud, try sending it to yourself again.

      ⚠️ The chances of recovery depend on how much time has passed since the deletion and how actively you used the device.

      Is it possible to disable saving photos to the device?

      Yes, for this:

      1. Open Settings → Data and memory → Autoload media.
      2. Select “Never” for all types of networks (mobile, Wi-Fi, roaming).
      3. Disable the option “Save to gallery” (if it is in your version).

      After this, photos will only be available for viewing in chat, but will not be saved to the device.

      Why does Telegram take up so much space if I hardly use it?

      Even if you rarely open the application, it can download media in the background:

      • 📥 Autoload works by default for Wi-Fi.
      • 🤖 Bots and channels can send media that is automatically saved.
      • 🗃️ Cache accumulates over time, even if you do not view the photo.

      Solution: disable auto-download (see previous question) and regularly clear the cache.