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How to Filter Your Chat List by Category

Tap through each step to filter a crowded chat list down to what you actually need.

  1. Open your chat list

    Go to the main chat list of your messaging app.

  2. Find the folder or filter tabs

    Look for a row of tabs above the chat list β€” in Telegram this is the Chat Folders bar, which can include defaults like "Unread" and "Groups."

  3. Create or select a category

    Tap a default filter, or create a custom one (Settings β†’ Chat Folders β†’ Create New Folder) and choose which chats it should include, such as unread messages, group chats, or specific people.

  4. View the filtered list

    Once selected, the chat list narrows down to only the chats matching that category.

  5. Why this is useful

    When you have dozens of chats, filtering by category lets you quickly get to just the ones you actually want to check, like unread messages or a specific group of people.

When one long list gets overwhelming

Once a chat list stretches into the dozens, scrolling to find the handful of conversations you actually check regularly gets tedious. A chat-folder or filter feature lets you split that list into named categories you can flip between with a single tap.

Filtering only changes the view

Applying a filter or switching folders never deletes, leaves, or otherwise affects the underlying chats themselves β€” it only changes which ones are currently displayed, so nothing is lost by filtering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does filtering delete or affect the chats themselves?

No. A filter or folder only changes which chats are currently displayed β€” the chats, their history, and your membership in any group are completely unaffected.

How do I go back to seeing everything?

Select the default "All Chats" (or equivalent) tab to return to the unfiltered list showing every conversation.