How to Stop Telegram from Auto-Downloading Photos & Videos (Android & iPhone)

How to Stop Telegram from Auto-Downloading Media (Android & iPhone)

Don’t want Telegram downloading every image and video automatically? Whether you're saving data or just keeping your phone clutter-free, here's how to turn off auto-download in Telegram on both Android and iPhone.

Why disable auto-download?
- Saves mobile data
- Reduces storage usage
- Prevents unnecessary media clutter

Step-by-Step Guide for Android

1. Open the Telegram app.
2. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left.
3. Select Settings > Data and Storage.
4. Under Automatic Media Download:
   • Mobile Data – Uncheck Photos, Videos, Files
   • Wi-Fi – Uncheck if needed
   • Roaming – Disable all

Above: Navigate to Data and Storage in Settings and disable unwanted media auto-download.

Step-by-Step Guide for iPhone

1. Open the Telegram app.
2. Tap Settings at the bottom right.
3. Go to Data and Storage.
4. Under Automatic Media Download, turn OFF:
   • Using Mobile Data
   • Using Wi-Fi
   • While Roaming

iPhone users can manage download settings per network type to control data usage and storage.

Bonus: Stop Telegram Media from Saving to Gallery (Android Only)

1. Go to Settings > Chat Settings.
2. Turn off “Save to Gallery”.

Turning off media visibility keeps Telegram files from appearing in your phone's gallery.

Conclusion

That’s it! You’ve successfully disabled automatic media downloads in Telegram. Now, you can choose what to download and when, saving both mobile data and storage space.

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