Telegram Chat Folders: Create and Share Folder Links

The more channels and groups you join, the longer your Telegram chat list gets, and the important messages end up buried. Chat folders fix that: you put chats into tabs such as Work, Channels or Family and switch between them with one tap. Folders have a second use that matters to channel owners too: you can share a folder as a link, so other people can add every channel and group inside it at once.

This guide has two parts. First, creating and tuning folders to organise your own chats. Then, making a shared folder link and using it for your channel, its group and collaborations with related channels.

What a Telegram folder is (and how it differs from Archive)

A folder is a filter on your chat list. Once you create one, a tab with its name appears above the chat list (or beside it on desktop), and the All Chats tab stays where it was. Nothing is moved or deleted; the folder only decides which chats show up in that tab. That is why one chat can sit in several folders at the same time.

Archive works differently: an archived chat leaves the main list and goes to a separate section. A folder hides nothing, it just groups. Many people use both: channels they only check now and then go to Archive, and the chats they need every day live in tidy folders.

How to create a folder, step by step

The path differs slightly between phone and desktop, but the steps are the same. On a phone you can also long-press a folder tab to edit it.

1. Open Telegram Settings and go to Chat Folders. On desktop the section is called Folders.
2. Tap Create New Folder and give it a short, clear name. Short names fit better in the tab bar.
3. Under Included Chats, add chats. You can pick individual chats or whole types, such as all channels, all groups, contacts or bots.
4. If needed, use Excluded Chats to leave things out, for example muted, read or archived chats.
5. Save. The new tab appears above your chat list. You can reorder tabs in the same settings screen by dragging the folders.

Folder ideas that keep chats tidy

• Work and personal: work groups and colleagues in one folder, family and friends in another.
• Channels you read: every channel in one tab, so personal chats don't get lost under posts.
• Admin work: the channels and groups you manage plus the bots you use to run them. If you share the work with other admins, see our guide to Telegram channel admin rights.
• Unread: a folder that excludes read chats and works like a to-do inbox.

There is a cap on the number of folders and on the chats per folder, and Telegram Premium subscribers get higher caps. Recent versions also let Premium users add colour tags to folders and move the All Chats tab. The full list is in our Telegram Premium features guide.

Folder links: several channels and groups in one link

Telegram lets you share a folder through a link that looks like t.me/addlist/…. Whoever opens it sees the channels and groups inside, chooses which ones to join and adds the folder with one tap. To make a link:

1. In folder settings, open the folder (or create a new one just for sharing).
2. Tap the option to create an invite link (Invite Link / Share Folder).
3. Tick the channels and groups the link should include. Only groups and channels can go into a link, not private chats or bots.
4. Copy the link and post it in your channel, bio or a message.

If the link option is unavailable or a chat can't be selected, the reason is usually one of two things. Either the folder was built from chat types (such as all channels) or with exclusions, and you need to pick chats one by one instead; or the chat is private and you don't have permission to invite people to it. Anyone can put a public channel in a shared folder, but for a private one you need to be an admin who can invite. The difference is explained in our guide to public and private Telegram channels.

A shared folder stays live after you share it. When you add a new channel or group to it, people who added the folder are offered the new chat. When someone removes the folder, Telegram asks whether they also want to leave the chats in it.

A shared folder for your own channel

If you run more than one chat, a folder link is an easy way for your audience to find them all. Common setups:

• A channel and its discussion group: one link gives people the posts and the conversation. If you are still deciding between the two, our Telegram group vs channel guide helps.
• A main channel with side channels, for example lessons, a file archive and announcements.
• A business with several parts: a product channel, a support group and a deals channel in one folder named after the brand.

Put the folder link in your pinned post and channel description, and explain in a separate post what is inside and why it is worth adding. If your channel is brand new, sort out the basics first with our guide to creating a Telegram channel.

A shared folder with related channels

The growth use of folders is collaboration: several channels on the same topic build one folder, and each posts the link to its own audience. A member of any one channel sees the others with a single tap. It is similar to a cross-promotion swap, except that instead of a post that scrolls away, the folder stays in the reader's Telegram. Before you start:

1. Stay on topic and at a similar level: a folder of unrelated channels brings members who don't stay. The criteria for picking a channel to advertise in apply here too; see our guide to advertising in Telegram channels.
2. Fewer, better channels: a folder with a handful of good channels gets added more often than one with dozens nobody wants to scroll through.
3. Agree up front who builds and manages the folder, who may add or remove channels and when the announcement goes out.
4. Measure it: if your channel is private, give the folder its own named invite link so you can see how many people came that way. The method is in our guide to tracking Telegram channel ads.

Safety and respect for your readers

A folder link, like any link, only works if people trust it. Never put a channel in a shared folder without agreeing it with its admin, and before adding a new channel to a folder your readers already have, make sure it fits the topic. No partner or service should ever ask for your Telegram login code or password; to keep your account safe, see our Telegram account security guide.

Summary

Telegram folders do two jobs: they keep your chat list organised, and a folder link introduces several channels and groups to your audience at once. Make simple folders such as Channels and Work for yourself, publish a shared folder of your channel and its groups, and if you work with related channels, use a shared folder instead of a one-off swap. More ways to grow are in our guide to growing a Telegram channel, and every service is on the services page.