Choose a Linux package for your distribution
Telegram lists a desktop client for Linux. Its desktop page currently presents Linux x64 and Flatpak/Snap choices; package availability and instructions can change. Check the current publisher information and choose a package that matches your distribution and CPU architecture. Do not assume a package for one distribution will work on every Linux system.
If a Linux download button appears on this page, review its destination address, app name, publisher, package format and version before installing. If no button appears, a destination has not been configured. If a signature or checksum is provided, verify it using the publisher’s documented method.
Package formats at a glance
Distribution package: may integrate with the package manager for a particular distribution. Follow that distribution’s current package and signature instructions.
Flatpak or Snap: uses a cross-distribution package system, but still depends on the source configured for that package and the permissions requested.
Portable or archive package: may require manual setup and may not receive system-managed updates. Read the publisher’s instructions before placing files in system directories.
The available formats shown on Telegram’s desktop page are the authoritative starting point for current options. Avoid commands copied from an unrelated tutorial unless you understand the repository and package they add.
Before you install
Identify your Linux distribution, release and CPU architecture.
Match those details to the package’s stated requirements.
Check the source and publisher before installing. Be cautious of commands that add an unfamiliar repository or run a remote script with administrator privileges.
Review application permissions and package-manager prompts before approving them.
Keep a note of how the app was installed so you can update or remove it through the same package method.
Sign-in, notifications and chat sync
Use the in-app prompts to sign in, and do not share account login codes. If you recently used Telegram on another device, check the verified Telegram service chat there because Telegram may deliver a login code to an existing session.
If desktop notifications do not appear, review Telegram’s notification settings, your desktop environment’s notification permissions and any active Do Not Disturb mode. The exact controls differ among Linux desktop environments.
Cloud chats can sync across signed-in devices. Secret Chats are device-specific and are not part of Telegram Cloud, so they should not be expected to appear on a newly installed Linux client.
Troubleshooting
The package manager cannot find Telegram
Check whether your selected source or package format is available for the distribution and release you use. Recheck the spelling and repository configuration. Do not add an unknown repository simply to make a search result appear.
The app opens but looks outdated
Check how the app was installed and which update mechanism that package uses. Compare the installed version with the publisher’s current release information; avoid mixing update methods without understanding how they interact.
I installed the wrong package
Use the package manager or publisher’s documented removal process for that format. Before reinstalling, confirm your account details and source; do not delete Telegram account data as a first troubleshooting step.
Related guides
Primary references: Telegram Desktop; Telegram Applications; Telegram FAQ.