If you have more you can still use this method (3 accounts per instance)
⚠ This guide is for the app available here: https://desktop.telegram.org/ not the one in the Mac/Windows App Store. For the Mac App Store app this should work: https://gist.github.com/Nachtalb/ec590dc974f6ba4674972d4937b230be/#gistcomment-3611415 ⚠
Table of Contents
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).
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.
❗ Replace {{...}} thing with what is written in there. So eg. for me and my TG account @Nachtalb I replace {{MyUsername}} with Nachtalb.
- Create a folder here
~/.local/share/TelegramDesktop/{{MyUsername}} - Create a new
.desktopfile here~/.local/share/applications/telegramdesktop-{{myusername}}.desktop. - Put in your data in here
/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.
[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=0.23Create 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 + Iand click on the icon in the top left of the original application. Hit copyCMD + C, click on yours and hit pastCMD + V.
- 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
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.