Both are official. They exist because two different independent developers built Telegram clients for macOS, and Telegram adopted both rather than discarding one. They differ in design and in what they support.
The two apps
| Telegram for macOS | Telegram Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Built as | A native macOS application | The macOS build of the multi-platform client |
| Platform features | Touch Bar, gesture navigation, Share menu integration | Consistent with the Windows and Linux versions |
| Secret Chats | Supported | Not the focus of this build |
| Suits | Someone who wants a Mac-native app | Someone who uses several platforms and wants them identical |
Which to choose
If the Mac is your main machine and you want the app to feel like part of the system, take Telegram for macOS. It carries every feature from the iOS version, Secret Chats included. If you move between a Mac and a Windows or Linux machine and want the same interface and the same keyboard habits everywhere, take Telegram Lite.
You do not have to pick permanently
Cloud chats live with the account, so both apps show the same conversations and the same history. You can install both, use them at the same time and decide by using them. The only thing that does not follow you is a Secret Chat, because those are bound to the device and session that created them.
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