Choose a Windows-compatible app
Telegram’s desktop page currently lists Windows versions, including a 64-bit option and a portable option. The exact choices can change, so check the current requirements and labels on the publisher’s page or the destination you decide to use. A Windows installer is not interchangeable with an Android APK, a macOS package or a Linux build.
The download button on this site will be configured separately by the site operator. It does not itself prove that a file is official or up to date. Before opening a downloaded file, verify the website address, app name, publisher, version and file details provided by the source. If a digital signature or checksum is available, follow the publisher’s instructions to verify it. Do not disable Windows security protections just because a download page tells you to.
Installer or portable version?
An installer adds the app to Windows using an installation flow. A portable build is designed to run without a conventional installation, but the details depend on the package provided. Portable does not mean risk-free: keep the file in a location you control, check its source, and avoid running it from an unknown archive or removable drive.
Choose the route that fits how you use the computer. On a computer you manage, an installed app may be easier to find and update. On a restricted or temporary computer, a browser session may be more suitable; read the Telegram Web guide and sign out when you finish.
First sign-in and sessions
Open the app only after you have verified the installer source. Follow the sign-in prompts shown in Telegram. If Telegram asks you to approve a new session from another device, make sure the request was initiated by you. Never share a login code with a person, website, support agent or bot.
After signing in, review Telegram’s active devices/sessions settings. Remove sessions you do not recognize, especially after using a work, school or shared computer. Protect the Windows account itself with a screen lock; Telegram cannot protect messages from someone who can access an unlocked computer.
Cloud chats can sync across signed-in devices. Secret Chats are device-specific and are not part of Telegram Cloud, so do not expect a Secret Chat started on your phone to appear in the Windows app.
Troubleshoot Windows setup
Windows says the app is from an unknown publisher
Stop and verify the file’s source and signature before deciding what to do. A warning is not a reason to disable protections automatically. If the publisher identity cannot be established, delete the file and choose a source you can verify.
The installer will not open
Check whether the download completed, whether the package matches your Windows architecture, and whether your device meets the current system requirements. Re-download only from a destination whose address and publisher you have checked.
The app opens but I cannot sign in
Check the sign-in screen, confirm the phone number format, and review the Telegram service chat on an existing signed-in device in case the code was delivered there. Follow Telegram’s own recovery flow and keep codes private.
Related guides
Primary references: Telegram Desktop; Telegram Applications; Telegram FAQ.