📢 As of version 2.1.14 Telegram Desktop supports multiple accounts inbuilt. (Beta Stage)
Though this is limited to 3 accounts. If you have more you can still use this method (3 accounts per instance)
The Official Telegram Desktop client however 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, Linux and Windows.
We will be working with the -workdir argument to create multiple instances for each Telegram account.
âť— Replace {{...}} thing with what is written in there.
eg. Telegram account @morello ( https://t.me/morello ) I replace {{MyUsername}} with morello.
Instructions
đź’» 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
⚠️ In this example the Telegram binary resides in /opt/Telegram/Telegram. 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. ⚠️
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Telegram {{MyUsername}}
Comment=Official desktop version of 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
- Create a folder here:
C:\Users\{{your_user}}\AppData\Roaming\Telegram Desktop\{{MyUsername}}
- Rightclick on your desktop and create a new shortcut
- Put this in the location field
"C:\Users\{{your_user}}\AppData\Roaming\Telegram Desktop\Telegram.exe" -workdir "C:\Users\{{your_user}}\AppData\Roaming\Telegram Desktop\{{MyUsername}}"
- Click next and type in a name for the shortcut, usually something like
Telegram {{MyUsername}}
- Lastly to find the application via the start menu you have to copy the link in here
