Telegram chat folders let you split your chat list into custom tabs, such as Work, Family, Learning or Communities, so the groups and channels that matter are never buried under the ones that do not. You create them in Settings under Chat Folders (called Folders on desktop), choose which chats or types of chats belong in each, and they appear as tabs above your chat list on mobile and as a sidebar or tabs on desktop.
Folders sync across all your devices, cost nothing, and take about two minutes to set up. Here is how to build them, a few setups that work well for people in lots of groups, and the lesser-known tricks like shareable folders and per-folder pins.
Creating your first folder
- Open Settings and tap Chat Folders. On Telegram Desktop, go to Settings and then Folders.
- Tap Create New Folder. Telegram may also offer recommended folders, such as one for unread chats, which you can add with one tap.
- Give the folder a short name. Short names keep the tab bar readable.
- Under the included chats, tap Add Chats. Pick individual chats, or whole categories: contacts, non-contacts, groups, channels and bots.
- Under excluded chats, optionally remove specific chats, or exclude whole states: muted chats, read chats or archived chats.
- Save. The folder appears as a tab right away.
Rules combine. A folder that includes "Groups" and excludes "Muted" shows every group you belong to except the ones you have muted, and it updates itself as you join, mute or unmute groups.
Folder setups that work for heavy group users
There is no correct layout, but these combinations solve common problems.
| Folder | Include | Exclude | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Important | Hand-picked chats: family, close friends, key work groups | Nothing | One tab you can check in seconds |
| Unread groups | Groups | Read, Muted | Shows only groups with new messages that you actually care about |
| Communities | Groups | Specific work or family groups | Hobby and interest groups in one place |
| Reading | Channels | Nothing | News and broadcasts separated from conversations |
| Learning | Hand-picked course, language and study groups | Nothing | A focus tab for study sessions |
| Bots and tools | Bots | Nothing | Keeps bot chats from cluttering the main list |
If you are just starting, two or three folders are plenty. Too many tabs and you spend more time switching than reading.
Combine folders with muting and archiving
Folders decide where chats appear; muting decides whether they interrupt you; archiving hides chats you rarely need.
- Mute busy groups and exclude muted chats from your main folders. They are still reachable from the All Chats tab when you want to catch up. See our guide to muting a busy Telegram group for the different mute options.
- Archive groups you open once a month. Muted archived chats stay in the archive even when new messages arrive.
- Use the Read exclusion to create an "inbox" folder that empties as you catch up. It is a satisfying way to make sure nothing important slips by.
Small features that make folders better
Pins per folder
Each folder has its own pinned chats. You can pin your study group to the top of the Learning folder without it taking a pinned slot in All Chats.
Mark a whole folder as read
Long-press (or right-click) a folder tab to see options for that folder, including marking all its chats as read. Useful after a vacation.
Reorder and edit from the tab bar
Long-press a tab to reorder folders or jump straight to editing it. On desktop, right-click the folder.
Add a chat to a folder from the chat itself
Long-press or right-click a chat in your list and look for the option to add it to a folder. This is faster than going back into Settings every time you join a new group.
Shareable folders for communities
Telegram lets you share a folder as a link. When someone opens it, they see the groups and channels it contains and can choose which ones to join, all at once. These links look like t.me/addlist/....
This is handy if you run several related communities, for example a main channel, a discussion group and a few regional groups, or if you are onboarding a team into a set of project chats. A few things to know:
- You can only share groups and channels that you are allowed to invite people to, such as public ones or those where you are an admin.
- People who open the link choose what to join; nothing is forced on them.
- If you add chats to a shared folder later, people who added it can be offered the new chats.
Only open folder links from people you trust, just as with any invite link. A folder can bundle many chats, including ones you did not expect.
Limits and Premium
Free accounts can create a generous but limited number of folders, each holding a limited number of chats. Telegram Premium raises these limits and adds some cosmetic extras. For most people the free allowance is more than enough, because the best folder setups are small.
Once your folders are in place, adding new communities becomes painless: join, drop into the right folder, mute if needed. If you are looking for new ones to fill your Communities tab, you can browse Telegram groups on Grupla by topic. Admins juggling many chats on a computer should also see our Telegram Desktop tips for admins.
Frequently asked questions
Can other people see my chat folders?
No. Folders are private to your account unless you deliberately share one as a link. Group members cannot see which folder you put their group in.
Does deleting a folder delete the chats in it?
No. Deleting a folder only removes the tab. All chats remain in All Chats and in any other folders that include them.
Can one chat be in more than one folder?
Yes. A chat appears in every folder whose rules include it, so a work group can sit in both Important and Unread groups at the same time.