How to add multiple accounts to Telegram Desktop
================================================

.. contents:: Table of Contents


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 <https://github.com/telegramdesktop/tdesktop/issues/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 <https://t.me/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

.. code:: ini

    [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

  .. image:: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/9467802/56354968-6875f500-61d5-11e9-9e61-32f87ba5502c.png
      :name: Create application in Automater

- Add an apple script by drag & drop from the left-hand side
- Add the following text:

.. code:: as

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


.. image:: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/9467802/56354966-657b0480-61d5-11e9-8341-200ee72d1cb2.png
    :name: Applescript to start Telegram


- 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.