Download tdownloader

Download tdownloader, install it on your system and create your Telegram credentials. Every step, with its screenshot, so there are no doubts.

Download tdownloader #

First step: download the app for your system. It's free and needs no registration. Then scroll down to your system's section to install it.

Once the download finishes, go to your system's section (Windows, macOS or Linux) to install it, then create your API ID and API Hash.

Install on Windows #

When you open the installer, Windows shows a blue SmartScreen warning. This is completely normal: it appears with any new app that does not yet have a paid signing certificate. The app is safe; you just need to tell Windows to continue.

  1. Double-click the tdownloader-setup.exe file you downloaded.

  2. The blue screen Windows protected your PC appears. Click the More info link.

    SmartScreen warning “Windows protected your PC” with the More info link
    Click More info.

  3. The app name is shown and a new button appears. Click Run anyway.

    SmartScreen with the Run anyway button
    Click Run anyway.

  4. Continue the installer as usual and open tdownloader.

The first time you open the app it may take a few seconds to show your channels while Windows scans it. If the sidebar looks empty, wait a moment: it fills in on its own once the program finishes starting.
To update, do not download the installer again. Open tdownloader and, if a new version is available, it updates itself on launch: it notifies you and restarts already on the latest version. Reinstalling over it by hand is not necessary.

Install on macOS #

macOS may say the app is damaged and can’t be opened (or that it is from an unidentified developer). It is not damaged: it is the Gatekeeper protection blocking apps that do not yet have Apple’s paid signature. It takes 10 seconds to fix.

macOS alert: the app is damaged and can't be opened
If you see this alert, do NOT click Move to Trash. Click Cancel and follow the steps.

  1. Drag tdownloader to your Applications folder. In the alert, click Cancel (NOT Move to Trash).

  2. Open the Terminal app (in Applications → Utilities, or with Spotlight: Cmd+Space and type Terminal). Paste this command and press Enter:

    xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/tdownloader.app

    It removes the quarantine flag that macOS adds to downloads. It asks for no password and, if it works, shows no message.

  3. Open tdownloader normally (double-click). It will no longer complain.

If instead of damaged it only says unidentified developer, just right-click (or Control+click) the app → Open → Open. Only the first time.
To update, open the app: it updates itself on launch and restarts on the latest version. Do not copy the new .dmg over it by hand, because you would go through Gatekeeper quarantine again and have to repeat the xattr command step above.

Install on Linux #

There are two formats. Use whichever you prefer.

Package .deb Ubuntu, Debian, Mint...

Double-click the file to install it from the Software Center, or from a terminal:

sudo apt install ./tdownloader_*.deb

AppImage any distribution

The AppImage needs no installation: just make it executable and open it.

  1. Right-click the file → Properties → Permissions → tick Allow executing file as program. Or from a terminal:

    chmod +x tdownloader-*.AppImage

  2. Double-click to open it.

Create your API ID and API Hash #

Telegram requires personal credentials (an API ID and an API Hash) for apps to access your account. You create them once, they are free and take a minute. Telegram’s page is in English; here is every step with its screenshot.

Open my.telegram.org

  1. Go to my.telegram.org. Enter your phone number in international format (with the country code, for example +34611223344) and click Next.

    my.telegram.org: enter the phone number in international format
    Your number with country code → Next.

  2. Telegram sends a login code to your Telegram app (NOT by SMS). Open Telegram on your phone or computer: in the official Telegram chat you will see a message with your Web login code.

    Telegram message with the Web login code
    The code arrives inside Telegram, in the Telegram chat.

  3. Go back to my.telegram.org, type that code in Confirmation code and click Sign In.

    my.telegram.org: enter the confirmation code and click Sign In
    Paste the code → Sign In.

  4. Click API development tools.

    Your Telegram Core: API development tools option
    Click API development tools.

  5. Fill in the Create new application form with these values and click Create application:

    App title
    tdownloader
    Short name
    tdownloader (5 to 32 letters or digits)
    URL
    Leave it blank
    Platform
    Choose Desktop
    Description
    tdownloader app (or leave it blank)
    Create new application form: App title and Short name tdownloader, Platform Desktop
    Fill it in like this and click Create application.

  6. You will see two values: App api_id (a number) and App api_hash (a long string of letters and digits). Copy both. They are the only ones you need.

    App configuration: copy App api_id and App api_hash
    Copy App api_id and App api_hash.

  7. Go back to tdownloader: paste the api_id into the API ID field and the api_hash into API Hash, add your phone number and click Send code. Done!

These credentials are yours and stay on your computer. tdownloader never sends them to our servers: they only connect your machine directly to Telegram, just like the official app.