A Guide to Telegram Cache Management and Automatic Downloads
Conclusion
Effectively managing Telegram's cache and automatic download settings can significantly save device storage space. By adjusting these settings, users have flexible control over how often the cache is cleared and the types of media that are automatically downloaded, thereby optimising their user experience.
About Telegram Cache and Automatic Downloads
Telegram clients automatically download media files (such as images, videos, audio, and documents) during use, which can take up a significant amount of device storage space. Users can manually and automatically clear the cache via settings. However, please note that some data required for the app to function cannot be cleared. Clearing the cache is not the same as deleting media files; these files remain in the Telegram cloud and can be re-downloaded at any time. Furthermore, Telegram messages automatically synchronise across all platforms and clients (with the exception of encrypted chats). Therefore, clearing the cache does not affect message retention, and deleting messages is not an effective method for clearing the cache.
How to Clear Your Cache
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For iOS/macOS/Android Clients:
- Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Storage Usage → Clear Telegram Cache.
- You can set 'Keep Media' to a shorter period (e.g., 3 days, 1 week, or 1 month). Telegram will then automatically clear cached media older than this period. If 'Forever' is selected, the cache will not be cleared automatically.
- You can also set a 'Maximum Cache Size'.
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For Windows/macOS/Linux Desktop Clients:
- Click the three horizontal lines in the top left corner → Settings → Advanced → Data and Storage → Cache Management → Clear Cache.
- Here, you can set a limit for the total cache size.
Automatic Download Settings
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For iOS/macOS/Android Clients:
- Go to Settings → Data and Storage → Automatic Media Download.
- Users can choose to turn off automatic downloads or set a smaller file size limit for automatically downloaded media. Even if automatic downloads are turned off, files will still be cached on your device when you manually tap on media within a chat.
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For Windows/macOS/Linux Desktop Clients:
- Click the three horizontal lines in the top left corner → Settings → Advanced → Data and Storage → Automatic Media Download.
- Similarly, you can choose to turn off automatic downloads or adjust the file size limit here.
By appropriately configuring Telegram's cache management and automatic download settings, users can effectively improve device performance and ensure a smoother user experience.