Telegram for PC is so much more than a messaging app. The service boasts tons of features, some of which you might not even be aware of. With that in mind, in this guide we’ll explore six things you can do with Telegram for PC that have the potential of making your life much easier.
1. Store Your Files for Free
Telegram allows you to store an unlimited number of files for free on its cloud servers. You can store audio, videos, documents, and photos, though you’re limited to 2GB per file. Here’s how to set up cloud storage on Telegram:
Use Saved Messages
You can use the “Saved Messages” option to upload and store your files. Check out the steps for doing so below.
Click on the hamburger menu at the top left-hand corner in the Telegram app.
Now click on “Saved Messages.”
Press on the Attach (paper clip) icon and find the file that you wish to upload.
Select your file and click Open.Next, add a caption for the file if you wish and click on the Send icon to upload. Remember, there’s a limit of 2GB per file.
You can now access the file by going to “Saved Messages.”
Use a Bot
A bot is a third-party application that runs inside Telegram. You can use a certain bot to send files to it. Here’s how to go about it:
Search for @Botfather using the Telegram search bar. Click on the first result (it has a azure Telegram verification badge next to it).
Click the Start button to launch the bot. You’ll be presented with the list of commands you’ll use to create and manage your bot.
Click on the /newbot command from the list to create a new bot. Once you’re done, follow the prompt to set a name and username for your bot.You’ll get a link to access your bot. When you click on the link, you’ll be redirected to your new bot.
Click Start at the bottom to begin uploading files to the bot. In essence, you’ll be sending the files to the bot as if you were sending a message to a Telegram user.
Create a Private Channel
The last option is to upload your files to a private channel. Here’s how to go about it:
Open Telegram and click on the hamburger menu at the top left-hand corner of the app.
A menu will appear on your left-hand side. Click on “New Channel.”
Enter your preferred channel name and click Create. You can also add a description of the channel if you wish.
On the new window, select “Private Channel” and click Save.
Skip the “Add Members” step to create your channel. You can now upload your files to the channel by clicking on the Attach icon.
2. Take Notes
Like OneNote, you can use Telegram to create notes that synchronize across devices on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows.
You can achieve this by sending the notes to your “Saved Messages” folder. It works the same way regular messaging works, only this time you’re sending the messages to “Saved Messages”.
Click on the hamburger menu at the top left-hand corner of the app. Open “Saved Messages.”
Simply type your note using the message bar at the bottom and hit Send.
Telegram allows you to edit messages by right-clicking on a text and selecting Edit, so you can mark finalized tasks.
Also, you can pin the note by right-clicking on it and clicking pin. This way, you can view them at a glance.
The only downside to using Telegram for note-taking is the lack of a sharing and collaboration feature.
3. Set Reminders
Need to set reminders for tasks and other important information? You can use a Telegram bot for that. Here’s how to go about it:
Visit the Skeddy website. Click on the @SkeddyBot link at the top of the page.
On the pop-up menu, click on the “Open Telegram Desktop” button. You’ll be redirected to the Skeddy bot on Telegram.Click /start. You can now set up the language and time zone settings.
To set a reminder, click on the menu button. In the pop-up menu, click on the “/add” command.
Type in the reminder just as if you’re sending the Skeddy bot a message. The bot will send a link to view the reminder. You’re able to create reminders using natural language with Skeddy bot. For instance, you can send a message like: “send Janet an email in 30 minutes.” You don’t have to set the time and the reminder separately. The bot will decipher the message and create the reminder for you.
The reminder will appear as a Windows notification pop-up at the set time. You’ll also get a notification on Telegram.
4. Send and Receive Gmail Messages
Would you like to be able to receive and send your Gmail emails right inside Telegram? You can actually do this with the Gmail Bot.
Go to Gmailbot. Click on “Open Telegram Desktop” on the pop-up, and then click Start after the bot opens in the app.
Allow the Gmail Bot to set up Gmail integration by pressing the “Authorize me” button below. You’ll be redirected to Gmail to complete the setup.
After you’re done with authorization, you’ll return to Telegram. Click on the Menu button and select the “/settings” command to configure your preferences. You will be able to select the types of emails you want to receive on Telegram.
Once that is done, go to Menu again and select “/start” to start sending and receiving emails. You can create, reply, forward, archive, or delete emails directly from Telegram.
5. Edit Photos
Telegram comes with a powerful photo editor for touching up your photos. That’s why it’s such a great WhatsApp alternative. Besides the basic photo editing functions such as rotate, crop, and auto-enhance, it also features more advanced Photoshop-like controls.
You can adjust contrast, brightness, warmth, highlights, and saturation. You can also blur and sharpen photos or add drawings, stickers, masks, and text.
Open “Saved Messages” on Telegram.
Click on the Attach icon and select the image you want to edit. In the new window, double-click on the image. You’ll see the tools you need to edit and enhance your image.
When everything is to your satisfaction, click Done and then Send the image to “Saved Messages.”
6. Convert Images to Text
ImageToText is an OCR Bot that allows you to convert images into text inside Telegram. Here’s how it works on Telegram for PC:
Go to the ImageToText website.
Click on the “Open In Telegram” button in the browser pop-up. You’ll be redirected to Telegram.Click the Start button at the bottom. To start using the service, attach an image containing text and click Send. You should receive the OCR result as a text message from the bot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Image Credit: Pixabay
Are Telegram bots safe?
Telegram encrypts all messages sent through the platform. However, introducing a bot to a channel or chat downgrades the encryption. Also, fraudsters often use Telegram bots to steal your personal information. Avoid using bots to store or send confidential information.
How long does Telegram store my data?
If you’re inactive for six months or one year (depending on your settings), Telegram will delete all your data from its servers.
What kind of content can get me banned from Telegram?
According to Telegram’s terms of service, you can get banned for uploading illegal pornographic content and content that promotes violence on publicly accessible bots, groups, and channels.
I’m a tech writer. I believe the world’s biggest problems can be solved by progressively solving the little ones. I hope that through my writing, I can help people solve the little problems in their life.
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