Add multiple accounts in Telegram Desktop [Linux | MacOSX | Windows]

instructions.rst

How to add multiple accounts to Telegram Desktop

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Instructions
  • Linux
  • OSX
  • Windows

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, Linux and Windows. We will be working with the -workdir argument provided by the client 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

• 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