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Cover image for Paperfold: Using Telegram as Unlimited Cloud Storage with a Desktop App
Deepesh Gupta
Deepesh Gupta

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Paperfold: Using Telegram as Unlimited Cloud Storage with a Desktop App

#buildinpublic #opensource #productivity #rust

I’m building Paperfold, an open-source, cross-platform desktop application that turns Telegram into a usable cloud storage solution.

GitHub: https://github.com/damndeepeshdev/Paperfold
Website: https://paperfold.damndeepesh.dev

What is Paperfold?

Paperfold is a desktop client that uses Telegram’s file storage as a backend and exposes it through a native, user-friendly interface.

Telegram already allows large file uploads and effectively unlimited storage. Paperfold builds on top of that capability and makes it practical for everyday use outside the Telegram app.

The goal is simple: a lightweight cloud storage experience without relying on traditional cloud providers.

Why Build This?

Most cloud storage solutions are limited by:

  • Storage caps
  • Subscription costs
  • Vendor lock-in

Telegram already solves the storage problem. What it lacks is a proper file management experience. Paperfold fills that gap by offering a focused desktop interface while keeping data on Telegram’s infrastructure.

Features

  • Upload and manage files using Telegram as storage
  • Folder-like organization with search
  • Drag-and-drop uploads
  • File previews
  • Soft delete (trash support)
  • Local encrypted metadata
  • Native desktop builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Tech Stack

  • Frontend: React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion
  • Desktop App: Tauri (Rust)
  • Telegram Integration: MTProto via grammers (Rust)
  • Build Tooling: Vite, GitHub Actions
  • The app is designed to be fast, minimal, and resource-efficient.

Running Paperfold Locally

Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/damndeepeshdev/Paperfold.git
cd Paperfold

Install dependencies
npm install

Configure Telegram API credentials
Create a .env file inside src-tauri:
TELEGRAM_API_ID=your_api_id
TELEGRAM_API_HASH=your_api_hash

Run the App
npm run tauri dev

Build production binaries
npm run tauri build

Telegram API credentials can be obtained from https://my.telegram.org.

Current Status

Paperfold is actively being developed. Current focus areas include:

  • Polishing UX

Open Source
Paperfold is open source, and feedback or contributions are welcome.
If you’re interested in desktop applications, Tauri, or unconventional storage backends, feel free to explore the repository:
https://github.com/damndeepeshdev/Paperfold

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