How to Stop Autoplay and Auto-Download in Telegram
Telegram autoplay GIFs and videos by default. If you prefer to stop the automatic play of these, this guide is for you.
Here, you’ll also see the steps to turn off auto-download on Telegram. Let’s begin.
Disable Autoplay and Auto-Download in Telegram
Android
Open the Telegram app and hit the three horizontal lines at the top left.
Select “Settings,” which is between “Saved Messages” and “Invite Friends.” Tap “Data and Storage” between “Privacy and Security” and “Chat Settings.”
In the “Automatic media download” section, you can see these three options:
- When using mobile data (this option is for cellular data)
- When connected to Wi-Fi (this option is for Wi-Fi connection)
- When roaming
To disable auto-download for the type of connection you prefer, hit the toggle switch beside that.
If you want to customize, tap one of your preferred options above.
You can see the “Data usage” section for customizing the data usage. The “Type of media” section to customize what kind of media you like to auto-download.
You can see the Contacts, Private Chats, Group Chats, and Channels if you hit the media type (for instance: Photos). If you wish, turn off any of it, and hit “Save.”
Remember that the voice message will auto-download, and you can’t stop that.
To reset the auto-download settings of the Telegram app, hit the “Reset Auto-Download Settings” in the “Automatic media download” section and hit “Reset” in the popup. This option only works if you have made changes to the auto-download settings.
See: How to Disable Telegram Notifications
In the “Autoplay media” section, you can view “GIFs” and “Videos,” and besides each of them, a toggle switch. The former is for the autoplay of GIF, and the latter is for the video autoplay.
Turn off both the toggle switches, and that’s all. If you want to enable autoplay, turn them on.
iPhone
Launch Telegram and tap “Settings” at the bottom.
Select “Data and Storage” between “Privacy and Security” and “Appearance.”
You can see the “Automatic Media Download” section.
The “Reset Auto-Download Settings” is for resettings the auto-download settings. Hit it and hit “Reset” if you want to do a reset. This option works only when your settings are not the default.
The “Using Cellular” option is for cellular data, and “Using Wi-Fi” is for Wi-Fi connection.
Tap the one you prefer.
To turn off auto-download, disable the toggle switch at the top.
The “Data Usage” and “Types of Media” sections are for customizing the auto-download. Note that the voice messages will auto-download as always.
In the “Autoplay Media” section, you can see “GIFs” and “Videos,” and beside each of them, a toggle switch. Turn off both the toggle switches, and that’s it. To enable autoplay, turn them on.
See: How to Delete Telegram Contact
Web
Open Telegram Web and click on the three horizontal lines at the left sidebar top.
Select Settings > Data and Storage.
In the “Auto-download photos” section, turn off the ones for which you don’t want the auto-download of images.
The same applies to “Auto-download videos and GIFs” and “Auto-download files.”
At the bottom, you can see the “Autoplay media” section. Turn off the “GIFs” and “Videos.”
That’s all. If you want to turn on autoplay, turn on the abovementioned options.
Desktop
Open the Telegram Desktop app and hit the three horizontal lines in the left sidebar top.
Select Settings > Advanced.
In the “Automatic media download” section, click on the kind of chat you want. The available options are “In private chats,” “In groups,” and “In channels.”
You can disable anyone you see in the “Automatically download” section by turning off the toggle switch. Click on “Save,” and that’s it.
In the “Autoplay” section, you can see “Rounded video messages,” “Videos,” and “GIFs.”
You can disable the one you prefer. Hit the “Save” button, and that’s it.
If you want to enable autoplay, turn on the ones you’ve disabled and hit the “Save” button.
