How to migrate a WhatsApp group to Telegram (without losing your photos)

Moving a community from WhatsApp to Telegram is common, but Telegram's built-in import is limited and often drops your photos and videos. Here's how the migration actually works and how to keep everything during the switch.

Can you move a WhatsApp group to Telegram directly?

Not fully. Telegram has a "Move to Telegram" / import-chat feature, but it copies a one-time snapshot of recent messages into a new Telegram chat. It does not keep the two groups in sync, and members don't move automatically. People end up split across both apps during the transition.

Why does Telegram's import lose photos and videos?

WhatsApp's chat export (which Telegram's import reads) handles text well but frequently drops or downgrades media, voice notes, and older history. So the imported Telegram chat is often mostly text, with the photos and videos missing. That's the main pain point people hit when migrating.

What's the easiest way to migrate without losing media?

Run a two-way bridge for a few weeks. Instead of a one-time import, a bridge mirrors a WhatsApp group and a Telegram group live, both directions, so every new message, photo, video, and voice note shows up in both. People move to Telegram at their own pace and nothing is lost in the meantime. When everyone has switched, you stop the bridge.

How does wa2tg.app help with the migration?

wa2tg.app is a managed WhatsApp to Telegram bridge. There's no code and no QR: you name your Telegram group on the site, add our number to your WhatsApp group and paste a short code, and from then on messages mirror both ways (text, photos, video, voice). You keep it running for the few weeks of the transition. The free plan gives you 100 messages/day for a month, renewable each month with a review (no card); if you need more it's $20 (500/day) for a month, one-time.

Related: worried about your number? Read is it safe to bridge WhatsApp and Telegram? Comparing tools? See the watgbridge (self-hosted) comparison or all the ways to auto-forward WhatsApp to Telegram. Going the other way? Migrate a Telegram group to WhatsApp.

WhatsApp and Telegram side by side: the same message mirrored both ways by wa2tgWhatsApp groupOrder 4471 shippedOn my way!Telegram groupOrder 4471 shippedOn my way!wa2tgboth ways
The same message, live on both apps — mirrored both ways by wa2tg (illustration).

FAQ

Can I move a WhatsApp group to Telegram?

Telegram's import copies a one-time snapshot of recent text, but it doesn't move members or keep the groups in sync, and it often loses photos and videos. A two-way bridge mirrors both groups live so nothing is lost during the switch.

Why does my media disappear when importing to Telegram?

WhatsApp's export, which Telegram reads, drops or downgrades photos, videos, voice notes, and older history, so the imported chat is mostly text.

What is the best way to migrate without losing photos?

Run a managed bridge like wa2tg.app for a few weeks so the WhatsApp and Telegram groups mirror each other both ways. Everyone moves over gradually and all media keeps flowing.

Start free — no card, no QR

Mirror a WhatsApp group and a Telegram group, both ways. Free to use: 100 msgs/day for a month, renewable each month with a review. Need more? $20 (500/day) — one-time, no subscription.

Start free →