Nachtalb/telegram-desktop-multiple-accounts.rst

How to add multiple accounts to Telegram Desktop

Table of Contents

Introduction
Instructions

Introduction

ATM of writing this, there is no way inside the Telegram Client to switch accounts (event though this feature exists in the offical mobile clients and there is a long running issue here: telegramdesktop/tdesktop#4261).

Thought the Official Telegram Desktop client has the feature to set the working directory with a command line argument - -workdir. This enables the use of multiple accounts.

In this guide I will show you a way to use this feature on MacOSX and Linux. If you know how to do this on windows please let me know in the comments and I'll add it to the guide. I don't know about windows. But on OSX and Linux you can use the -workdir argument to create more instances.

❗ Everywhere I use {{...}} replace the wole thing with what is written in there. So eg. for me and my TG account @Nachtalb I replace {{MyUsername}} with Nachtalb.

Instructions

Linux

Create a folder here ~/.local/share/TelegramDesktop/{{MyUsername}}
Create a new .desktop file here ~/.local/share/applications/telegramdesktop-{{myusername}}.desktop.
Put in your data in here

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Telegram MyUsername
Comment=Official desktop application for the Telegram messaging service
TryExec=/opt/Telegram/Telegram
Exec=/opt/Telegram/Telegram -workdir /home/{{your_user}}/.local/share/TelegramDesktop/{{MyUsername}} -- %u
Icon=telegram
Terminal=false
StartupWMClass=TelegramDesktop
Type=Application
Categories=Network;InstantMessaging;Qt;
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/tg;
Keywords=tg;chat;im;messaging;messenger;sms;tdesktop;
X-GNOME-UsesNotifications=true
X-Desktop-File-Install-Version=0.23

OSX

Create a folder here: ~/.local/share/TelegramDesktop/{{MyUsername}}
Open Automator
Create a new Application
Add an apple script by drag & drop from the left-hand side
Add the following text:

do shell script "Applications/Telegram.app/Contents/MacOS/Telegram -workdir '/Users/{{your_user}}/.local/share/TelegramDesktop/{{MyUsername}}'"

Save to /Applications/Telegram {{MyUsername}}.app
Now lastly if you want the have the same icon for your new app, open the file info of both apps (the original telegram and yours) with CMD + I and click on the icon in the top left of the original application. Hit copy CMD + C, click on yours and hit past CMD + V.

Windows (Coming soon hopefully)

Please someone tell me in the comments how to do this.

gyunter · 2020-06-06T08:32:03Z

Works flawlessly on Windows 10

DJayparmar · 2020-06-19T04:33:52Z

I'm using 2 accounts from last 1 year but method is little bit simple and unique...
1
Simply download telegram desktop official .exe file and install into other location not in default location.
2
Download another telegram app from Microsoft Store which creates 2nd telegram app
3 that's it u can use 2 accounts now simultaneously 😁

Nachtalb · 2020-06-24T13:23:36Z

@DJayparmar

This seems more like a workaround instead of a good and solid solution. The --workdir parameter is specifically made for supporting multiple instances of Telegram with different users.
Your solution seems more like bloat. You have to install the whole thing multiple times (redundancy), always have to update each instance by its own and you'll have two "Telegram"s instead of a "Telegram Foo" and "Telegram Bar" and thus can't differentiate them in the start menu nor taskbar.

Also from the approaches I listed, I think that the windows one is the easiest and most robust of them all. (IMHO The one for Apple devices could be better but didn't find another good way to do it)

Nachtalb · 2020-06-28T16:49:29Z

@pavelsr another user wrote to me with a similar problem. In his case the problem was just that the Telegram binary resided in another location. I have added a little notice to the instructions above for that.

⚠️ In this example the Telegram binary resides in /opt/Telegram/Telegrm. This might be different in your case. If so then you have to adjust the path to the binary on the lines TryExec and Exec. ⚠️

Maybe it was the same problem in your case.

dev117uday · 2020-07-16T14:52:12Z

For linux, no need to go through all these hassle, Install the telegram desktop app on linux via apt-get and then simply use another package manager like snap or flathub to download another telegram app.

Nachtalb · 2020-07-17T11:43:24Z

@dev117uday as said here already. --workdir is an official solution provided by the app. Whereas installing multiple versions of Telegram is IMHO just bloat. Eg. when you install it with apt, flat and snap you have to update each by its own instead of just once, you need 3 times the disk space, all 3 apps have the same name in the start menu instead of own ones like Telegram Foo and Telegram Bar and more.

But now since the last versions we have multi-account support up to 3 accounts anyway 🤷. But if you need more than 3 accounts I'd still go the --workdir way.

leoblum · 2020-11-10T04:24:14Z

Any one try to modify TG client from sources to allow more than 3 account in same client?

I looking for macos telegram source code and find two lines which are responsible for it. But I never wrote on swift language. So I dont know how to check that.

Nachtalb · 2020-11-11T10:13:02Z

@totalleo the Telegram Desktop app I am talking about above is not written in Swift but in C++: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop

The line defining the max accounts per instance is defined here: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop/blob/5cc7c2b6c6ecdce1ab4067549c4e7acd299dd5d5/Telegram/SourceFiles/main/main_domain.h#L33

You can find the build instructions for this client at the bottom of its readme: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop#build-instructions

The Telegram app written in Swift would be this one https://github.com/overtake/TelegramSwift. I don't know if it supports more than 3 accounts as I have never used it.

andrewkmin · 2021-01-03T19:53:20Z

While this might go without saying, for anyone simply looking to create two separate windows of the Telegram Mac client, you can simply duplicate the app (via Applications --> rightclick/secondary click Telegram --> duplicate --> open duplicate and log into desired account

Nachtalb · 2021-01-27T18:47:41Z

@andrewkmin wouldn't this then create the profiles at the same place and thus override each other?

leoblum · 2021-01-28T18:07:13Z

@totalleo the Telegram Desktop app I am talking about above is not written in Swift but in C++: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop

The line defining the max accounts per instance is defined here: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop/blob/5cc7c2b6c6ecdce1ab4067549c4e7acd299dd5d5/Telegram/SourceFiles/main/main_domain.h#L33

You can find the build instructions for this client at the bottom of its readme: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop#build-instructions

The Telegram app written in Swift would be this one https://github.com/overtake/TelegramSwift. I don't know if it supports more than 3 accounts as I have never used it.

Thank for you comment.

I asked developers of Swift version how to use more than three accounts in one application instance. And it is possible!

To add more than three accounts, you need to click five times on the user pic, it will open a secret developer's menu through which you can add as many accounts as you want.

The same works for the iOS version. Enjoy =)

andrewkmin · 2021-01-29T06:04:13Z

@andrewkmin wouldn't this then create the profiles at the same place and thus override each other?

Nope, I've used two simultaneously. The caveat is that if one closes, you have to re-login to them

Nachtalb · 2021-02-03T08:16:06Z

@andrewkmin wouldn't this then create the profiles at the same place and thus override each other?

Nope, I've used two simultaneously. The caveat is that if one closes, you have to re-login to them

This sounds like they do override each other, but it works as long as they are running because the app runs in RAM. I have the feeling that could lead to problems...

Nachtalb · 2021-02-03T08:17:17Z

@totalleo

Thanks for the clarification, I referred to your comment at the start of the guide

hardcore · 2021-03-09T19:45:20Z

To add more than three accounts, you need to click five times on the user pic, it will open a secret developer's menu through which you can add as many accounts as you want.

THAT IS SO COOL THANKS A LOT!!!!!

ngocnam544 · 2021-04-15T16:08:44Z

Work well on windows. Thank you very much.

ihsansadn · 2021-06-25T16:18:22Z

Thank you so much. Work well on LM Ulyssa.

girifir · 2021-07-12T09:37:07Z

@totalleo the Telegram Desktop app I am talking about above is not written in Swift but in C++: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop
The line defining the max accounts per instance is defined here: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop/blob/5cc7c2b6c6ecdce1ab4067549c4e7acd299dd5d5/Telegram/SourceFiles/main/main_domain.h#L33
You can find the build instructions for this client at the bottom of its readme: https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop#build-instructions
The Telegram app written in Swift would be this one https://github.com/overtake/TelegramSwift. I don't know if it supports more than 3 accounts as I have never used it.

Thank for you comment.

I asked developers of Swift version how to use more than three accounts in one application instance. And it is possible!

To add more than three accounts, you need to click five times on the user pic, it will open a secret developer's menu through which you can add as many accounts as you want.

The same works for the iOS version. Enjoy =)

is this still applicable on the latest version of windows?

Nachtalb · 2021-07-12T10:29:22Z

The content from the main article at the top still works. And from what i have heard the swift apps and so on also still have the same functionality as described in the comments.
All in all, as far as i know, nothing has changed @ararar13

AJackTi · 2021-10-30T02:18:32Z

To add more than three accounts, you need to click five times on the user pic, it will open a secret developer's menu through which you can add as many accounts as you want.

THAT IS SO COOL THANKS A LOT!!!!!

Sorry I have a question. Could you please answer me? What is the user pic? Could you please share with me the screenshot?

AJackTi · 2021-10-30T02:18:43Z

The content from the main article at the top still works. And from what i have heard the swift apps and so on also still have the same functionality as described in the comments. All in all, as far as i know, nothing has changed @ararar13

Sorry I have a question. Could you please answer me? What is the user pic? Could you please share with me the screenshot?

Nachtalb · 2021-10-30T15:04:51Z

To add more than three accounts, you need to click five times on the user pic, it will open a secret developer's menu through which you can add as many accounts as you want.

THAT IS SO COOL THANKS A LOT!!!!!

Sorry I have a question. Could you please answer me? What is the user pic? Could you please share with me the screenshot?

I don't have access to a MacBook anymore so I can't test it myself but with "user pic" he probably meant your user profile picture (probably in the settings view). @AJackTi

CC/ @leoblum

AJackTi · 2021-10-30T15:18:36Z

To add more than three accounts, you need to click five times on the user pic, it will open a secret developer's menu through which you can add as many accounts as you want.

THAT IS SO COOL THANKS A LOT!!!!!

Sorry I have a question. Could you please answer me? What is the user pic? Could you please share with me the screenshot?

I don't have access to a MacBook anymore so I can't test it myself but with "user pic" he probably meant your user profile picture (probably in the settings view). @AJackTi

CC/ @leoblum

Thank you so much for your help, but I can't open dev mode when clicking on the "user pic" as your instructions. Could you please upload the process when you click the image "user pic" in this your telegram by Window version?

ghost · 2021-12-02T03:40:15Z

@Nachtalb @AJackTi
user pic on the bottom right!
click five time!

Source: https://github.com/overtake/TelegramSwift/blob/fa0bfbe4daa5caa837b48653b73fcd02e85c29c3/Telegram-Mac/AccountViewController.swift

        if let currentEvent = NSApp.currentEvent, currentEvent.clickCount == 5 {
            context.sharedContext.bindings.rootNavigation().push(DeveloperViewController(context: context))
        }

Nachtalb · 2021-12-05T16:43:54Z

Thanks for the update @DebugNewWorld 👍

AJackTi · 2021-12-10T15:10:46Z

Thank you so much @DebugNewWorld
But I want to know how many accounts can I add in this development mode?

AJackTi · 2021-12-10T15:19:00Z

I had a crash before when adding too many accounts (more than 20 accounts), I still don't understand why I got such a crash? And how to fix this situation? @Nachtalb @DebugNewWorld

Nachtalb · 2021-12-22T00:52:55Z

@AJackTi

I don't use the swift app myself nor do I have access to a MacBook anymore. The main topic of the instructions on this page is the official desktop app: https://desktop.telegram.org/ / https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop

For more in-depth questions for the Swift app about the max number of accounts, crashes etc. please refer to its repository here: https://github.com/overtake/TelegramSwift

mrsafi02 · 2022-11-17T12:02:25Z

I cant seem to find the specific file path on mac for creating the file, what could I be doing wrong?

Nachtalb · 2022-11-21T10:26:51Z

I cant seem to find the specific file path on mac for creating the file, what could I be doing wrong?

There are two different Telegram Apps for the Mac. One from the App Store and one from the website linked at the top of the instructions. If you don't have the folders as described in these instructions I guess you have the App Store one installed. I don't know if it's even possible with that one.

Nachtalb/telegram-desktop-multiple-accounts.rst

How to add multiple accounts to Telegram Desktop

Introduction

Instructions

Linux

OSX

Windows (Coming soon hopefully)

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