How Telegram Stores Media Data Compared to Text Messages
Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 8:28 am
Telegram’s approach to data storage is a critical part of its service design, impacting user privacy, accessibility, and overall experience. One common question among users is whether media data—such as photos and videos—is stored differently from text messages within the platform. The answer involves understanding Telegram’s storage architecture and encryption policies, which vary between different types of chats and data.
Storage of Text Messages vs. Media Data on Telegram
Telegram distinguishes between cloud chats and secret telegram data chats when it comes to message and media storage. In cloud chats, both text messages and media files (photos, videos, documents, voice notes) are stored on Telegram’s servers to enable synchronization across devices. This means that a user’s entire chat history, including shared media, is accessible anytime from any device logged into the account.
In contrast, secret chats use end-to-end encryption and do not store messages or media on Telegram’s servers after delivery. Instead, all data in secret chats, whether text or media, is stored only locally on the devices involved and never uploaded to the cloud.
Media Data Storage in Cloud Chats
For cloud chats, Telegram stores media files differently from plain text messages mainly due to their size and format. Media files are often large and require more storage and bandwidth than text messages. Telegram stores these files on its distributed cloud infrastructure optimized for fast delivery and efficient storage.
When a user sends a photo or video in a cloud chat, Telegram uploads the file to its servers, encrypts it using the MTProto protocol, and generates a unique link. This link is then shared in the chat to allow recipients to download the media. The media remains stored on Telegram’s servers in encrypted form, accessible for download anytime the user or their chat partner requests it.
This design offers several advantages:
Multi-device access: Users can access media files on any device without needing to keep the original file locally.
Bandwidth efficiency: Telegram can optimize delivery by serving cached copies from nearby servers.
Data management: Users can easily delete media from their chat, and Telegram manages storage accordingly.
Text Message Storage
Text messages, being lightweight, are stored as encrypted text data in Telegram’s cloud. They are indexed and searchable, allowing users to quickly find past conversations or keywords across devices. Telegram applies robust encryption in transit and at rest but decrypts messages on its servers to enable these cloud features.
Differences in Encryption and Accessibility
While both media and text messages in cloud chats are encrypted with MTProto, the key difference is that media files are stored as separate encrypted objects on Telegram’s servers, whereas text messages are stored as part of the chat data stream. This separation allows Telegram to efficiently manage large media files without impacting chat performance.
For secret chats, no cloud storage occurs for either text or media. Messages and media are encrypted end-to-end and reside only on the devices of the communicating parties, ensuring maximum privacy.
Summary
In summary, Telegram stores media data and text messages differently in its cloud chats primarily due to the nature and size of the data. Media files are stored as separately encrypted objects on Telegram’s servers, enabling efficient access and multi-device syncing. Text messages are stored as encrypted text data, searchable and synced across devices. Both benefit from Telegram’s proprietary MTProto encryption protocol. However, in secret chats, neither media nor text is stored on Telegram’s servers, offering users true end-to-end encryption and enhanced privacy. This hybrid storage approach balances user convenience, data security, and platform performance.
Storage of Text Messages vs. Media Data on Telegram
Telegram distinguishes between cloud chats and secret telegram data chats when it comes to message and media storage. In cloud chats, both text messages and media files (photos, videos, documents, voice notes) are stored on Telegram’s servers to enable synchronization across devices. This means that a user’s entire chat history, including shared media, is accessible anytime from any device logged into the account.
In contrast, secret chats use end-to-end encryption and do not store messages or media on Telegram’s servers after delivery. Instead, all data in secret chats, whether text or media, is stored only locally on the devices involved and never uploaded to the cloud.
Media Data Storage in Cloud Chats
For cloud chats, Telegram stores media files differently from plain text messages mainly due to their size and format. Media files are often large and require more storage and bandwidth than text messages. Telegram stores these files on its distributed cloud infrastructure optimized for fast delivery and efficient storage.
When a user sends a photo or video in a cloud chat, Telegram uploads the file to its servers, encrypts it using the MTProto protocol, and generates a unique link. This link is then shared in the chat to allow recipients to download the media. The media remains stored on Telegram’s servers in encrypted form, accessible for download anytime the user or their chat partner requests it.
This design offers several advantages:
Multi-device access: Users can access media files on any device without needing to keep the original file locally.
Bandwidth efficiency: Telegram can optimize delivery by serving cached copies from nearby servers.
Data management: Users can easily delete media from their chat, and Telegram manages storage accordingly.
Text Message Storage
Text messages, being lightweight, are stored as encrypted text data in Telegram’s cloud. They are indexed and searchable, allowing users to quickly find past conversations or keywords across devices. Telegram applies robust encryption in transit and at rest but decrypts messages on its servers to enable these cloud features.
Differences in Encryption and Accessibility
While both media and text messages in cloud chats are encrypted with MTProto, the key difference is that media files are stored as separate encrypted objects on Telegram’s servers, whereas text messages are stored as part of the chat data stream. This separation allows Telegram to efficiently manage large media files without impacting chat performance.
For secret chats, no cloud storage occurs for either text or media. Messages and media are encrypted end-to-end and reside only on the devices of the communicating parties, ensuring maximum privacy.
Summary
In summary, Telegram stores media data and text messages differently in its cloud chats primarily due to the nature and size of the data. Media files are stored as separately encrypted objects on Telegram’s servers, enabling efficient access and multi-device syncing. Text messages are stored as encrypted text data, searchable and synced across devices. Both benefit from Telegram’s proprietary MTProto encryption protocol. However, in secret chats, neither media nor text is stored on Telegram’s servers, offering users true end-to-end encryption and enhanced privacy. This hybrid storage approach balances user convenience, data security, and platform performance.