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How to Download Telegram Videos and Find Where They Are Saved [2026]

Learn how to download Telegram videos and find where Telegram videos are saved on Android, iPhone, Windows, and macOS with clear steps.

Damian Ledesma
Damian Ledesma
July 2, 2024
4 minutes

Telegram makes downloading videos easy, but many people still don’t know how to download Telegram videos or where Telegram videos are saved, because the steps differ on each device and app version.

This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions for downloading videos on Telegram and locating the saved files on Android, iPhone, Windows, and macOS devices.

Follow the sections below for your platform, plus troubleshooting tips for common issues and advice on keeping your downloads organized.

How to Download Telegram Videos on Android

On Android devices, Telegram saves downloaded videos to a dedicated folder in your phone’s internal storage.

Here’s how to download a Telegram video and find it on Android:

  1. Download the Video: Open the Telegram app and go to the chat or channel with the video you want. Tap the video (or the download icon on it) to start downloading it to your phone. Wait for the download to complete (you'll usually see a checkmark or the video ready to play).
  2. Find the Video File: Open your phone’s File Manager and navigate to Internal Storage (or your SD card, if you use Telegram with external storage). Look for the folder named “Telegram”. Inside that, open “Telegram Video” – this is where Telegram saves video files by default. You should see your downloaded video listed there. (If you have many Telegram folders, you can also use the file manager’s search function to find "Telegram Video" or the video filename.)

Note: Downloaded Telegram videos should also appear in your Android Gallery/Photos app, since they are stored in the media folder. If you still don’t see the file, double-check that Telegram has storage permission on your device – without it, the video might not be saved to the folder.

How to Download Telegram Videos on iPhone (iOS)

On iPhones, videos and other files from Telegram are kept within the app’s storage by default (sandboxed). This means you must manually save a video to view it outside Telegram.

Follow these steps on iOS:

  1. Open and Download: Launch Telegram on your iPhone and open the chat with the video. Tap the video to download it (it will begin playing once loaded).
  2. Save to Device: While the video is open (or after it finishes downloading), tap the Share icon or the three-dot menu and choose “Save to Camera Roll” (sometimes shown as “Save Video”) to save it to your Photos app. Alternatively, you can choose “Save to Files” to save the video to the Files app – you will be prompted to pick a location (for example, On My iPhone > Downloads).
  3. Locate the Video: If you saved to Camera Roll/Photos, open your Photos app and the video will appear in your Recent videos (and the Videos album). If you saved to Files, open the Files app, navigate to the folder you chose (e.g. Downloads or another folder under On My iPhone or iCloud Drive) to find the video file.

Note: If you do not use the Save options, the video remains only within Telegram and won’t be visible in Photos or Files. Always use Save Video or Save to Files for permanent access. Also, the first time you save to Photos, iOS will ask for permission to access your Photos library – make sure to allow it so Telegram can add the video to your Camera Roll.

How to Download Telegram Videos on Desktop (Windows & Mac)

Using Telegram Desktop on a Windows PC or Mac is another convenient way to download videos.

By default, Telegram Desktop saves files to the system Downloads/Telegram Desktop folder. Here’s how to get your video and find it:

On Windows:

  1. Download the Video: Open Telegram Desktop on Windows and navigate to the chat with the video. Click the download icon (down arrow) on the video message. The video will download and a Save File button may appear; if so, click it to finalize saving. (If not, Telegram usually saves it automatically after downloading.)
  2. Open Downloads Folder: Launch File Explorer and go to This PC > Downloads.
  3. Find “Telegram Desktop” Folder: Inside your Downloads, open the Telegram Desktop folder. The downloaded video file will be here (along with any other files you've downloaded via Telegram Desktop). You can sort by date to find the latest file if needed.

Tip: By default, Telegram Desktop names video files as they were sent (or something like file_1234.mp4 if no name). You can rename the file to something memorable after you find it. If you prefer to choose where to save each file, you can right-click the video in Telegram and select "Save As" to pick a different folder.

On macOS:

  1. Download the Video: In the Telegram Desktop app on your Mac, click the video’s download icon to start downloading it. It will save automatically once the download finishes (you might see a progress circle on the video thumbnail).
  2. Open Finder: In Finder, click Downloads from the sidebar (or go to ~/Downloads in your home directory).
  3. Find the Telegram Desktop Folder: Open the Telegram Desktop folder within Downloads. Your video file will be inside this folder (just like on Windows). You can now view or move this file as needed.

Changing the Download Location: If you want Telegram Desktop to save files somewhere else, you can change this in the app settings. In Telegram Desktop, go to ☰ Menu > Settings > Advanced > Download path, and set a custom folder for downloads. Future downloads will go to the new location you choose.

Troubleshooting Telegram Video Download Issues

Even after downloading, you might sometimes have trouble finding or opening Telegram videos. Here are common issues and how to fix them:

Files Not Showing Up

If you followed the steps but don’t see the video file in the expected folder, ensure that Telegram has permission to save files to your device.

On Android, check App Permissions and make sure Storage is allowed for Telegram. Without proper permissions, the video might stay hidden in the app and not be visible in your file manager or gallery.

On iOS, remember that you must use Save Video/Save to Files or the video will not appear outside the app.

Download Stuck at 0%

If a Telegram video download freezes at 0% and never progresses, it’s often due to a weak internet connection or a temporary app glitch.

First, verify your internet is working – try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data or toggling airplane mode off and on. Next, try closing and re-opening Telegram, or restarting your device, then attempt the download again.

On Android, also double-check storage permissions as mentioned above, because without storage access the download can’t proceed. If the issue persists, consider clearing Telegram’s cache (in Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage > Clear Telegram Cache) and then retry.

Ensure your Telegram app is up-to-date; installing the latest version can fix bugs that cause download failures.

Corrupted or Incomplete Video Files

Sometimes a video downloads but won’t play, or it appears broken (this can happen if the download was interrupted).

The solution is to delete the incomplete file and download it again from Telegram. Usually, a fresh download on a stable connection fixes the corruption. Make sure you have enough free storage space on your device, because low storage can lead to incomplete downloads.

If you keep getting corrupted files, try clearing the cache and then re-download, or as a last resort, reinstall the Telegram app to eliminate any persistent issues.

No Download Option (Private Channels)

Telegram allows channel owners to restrict saving content. If you’re in a private channel (or group) where videos have no download or forward button, you could still retrieve those videos with a workaround.

The Telegram app still caches the video file on your device so you can watch it. On Android, use a file manager to navigate to: Internal Storage/Android/data/org.telegram.messenger/cache

In that cache folder, you will find media files for Telegram, including videos from private chats. You might need a specialized file manager (or connect your phone to a PC) to access the Android/data directory on newer Android versions. Copy the video file out of this folder to save it permanently.

Alternatively, you can use a third-party Telegram video downloader tool or browser extension designed to save videos from private channels. Always use these tools responsibly and respect content rules when downloading restricted media. If you choose third-party apps, make sure they come from trusted and verified sources.

In Short

Finding and managing your Telegram video downloads is straightforward when you know the steps. Now you know how to download Telegram videos on each platform and exactly where to find them afterward.

With the troubleshooting tips above, you can resolve common download problems and even save videos from private channels if needed.

Stay organized, and you’ll never lose track of your Telegram video downloads again.

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