When you export your Telegram chats using the Telegram Desktop app, the tool generates a folder structure that organizes all your messages, media files, and metadata neatly. If you’ve ever wondered how Telegram organizes the exported media and what each folder contains, understanding the export folder structure is essential for efficiently managing, accessing, or processing your data offline. In this post, we’ll break down the typical folder layout of Telegram media exports and explain what you’ll find inside each folder.
1. Root Export Folder
When you start an export, Telegram creates a main folder canada telemarketing data usually named something like Telegram Export - [Your Username] - [Date]. This root folder contains all exported data, including subfolders for media and an HTML or JSON file for your message logs. The exported chat history is typically stored in an index.html or a series of JSON files inside this folder, which allows you to browse your chat content offline or process it programmatically.
2. Media Subfolders
Inside the root export folder, Telegram automatically creates several media-specific subfolders. These folders are organized by media type, making it easy to locate specific content. Common media subfolders include:
Photos/ — Contains all photos sent or received in the exported chats. Each image is saved in its original format (usually JPG or PNG) with filenames often corresponding to message IDs or timestamps.
Videos/ — This folder stores all video files, including clips, animations, and video notes. Videos are saved in formats like MP4 or MOV, maintaining their original quality.
Voice Messages/ — Voice notes are saved here, usually in OGG or OPUS formats. This separation helps users quickly access audio messages without sifting through other media types.
Audio/ — Non-voice audio files such as music, recordings, or audio documents appear here, distinct from voice messages.
Documents/ — All shared documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, and other file types are placed in this folder. Filenames generally preserve the original document names, aiding identification.
Stickers/ — If your export includes stickers, they are saved here as images (usually in WEBP or PNG format), preserving your sticker packs’ content.
Animations/ — Animated GIFs or Telegram’s native animated stickers might be saved here if included in the export.
3. Media File Naming and Metadata
Files inside these folders often have names that reflect the message ID or export timestamp, which helps link media files back to the message logs. In the accompanying JSON files or HTML logs, media references include relative paths pointing to these folders, allowing offline viewers to display media inline with the chat text.
Some media files may also come with metadata files or be linked with metadata in the JSON exports, containing details such as file size, upload date, duration (for audio/video), and sender information.
4. Organizing Large Exports
For very large exports involving multiple chats or channels, Telegram may create separate subfolders for each chat inside the main export folder, each with its own set of media folders. This structure helps keep data organized by conversation and prevents media files from different chats mixing together.
In summary, the Telegram export folder structure is designed to keep media files neatly categorized by type, with clear naming conventions and linked metadata. Knowing how Telegram organizes exported data can help you efficiently locate files, manage backups, or integrate media into your own workflows or analysis tools.
If you want, I can provide a sample folder tree visualization or help you write a script to organize or process your exported media files!
Understanding the Telegram Media Export Folder Structure
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