Telegram account formats: what you're actually buying
When you buy a Telegram account on EPICSWP, the seller usually delivers it in one of two formats: tdata or session+json. The format decides how you log in, what you need from the seller and how easily you could lose the account afterwards. This article explains the difference and the mistakes to avoid.
What is tdata?
tdata is the data folder that Telegram Desktop keeps on your computer. It holds the login session (an authorization key), your settings and cached media. Buying a tdata folder means buying a copy of the seller's logged-in Telegram Desktop session.
To use it, close Telegram Desktop, put the folder where your installation keeps its data (usually %APPDATA%\Telegram Desktop\ on Windows) and start the app again. It should open already logged in, with no phone number or code, as long as the session is still active. If the seller set a local passcode in Telegram Desktop, you'll need that passcode too.
Portability and limitations
- A tdata session isn't locked to the seller's computer, but it is still the seller's session. If the seller is logged in on their phone, they can end your session from their device list at any time.
- A tdata folder that includes cached media and chat history can be large and slow to send. A folder with only the session files is small.
- Sessions can also end without warning. Telegram can terminate a session that looks suspicious, and an account can be set to end sessions that sit unused for a while. After that, whoever holds the phone number (and the 2FA password, if one is set) can log in again with a code.
What is session+json?
Session+json is the format used with Telegram API libraries such as Telethon, Pyrogram or GramJS. It has two files: a session file (for example account.session) that stores the authorization key, and a JSON file with details such as the API ID, the API hash, the device settings and sometimes the phone number and 2FA password.
You don't open it in the normal Telegram app. You run a script or client that loads the files. With Telethon, for example, a short Python script can load the session and then read chats, send messages or change settings.
Advantages over tdata
- Session files work on any operating system, including Linux servers, as long as you use the same library.
- They're only a few kilobytes, so they're easy to move around.
- They give you API access, which suits bots, scripts and managing several accounts. Telegram bans accounts that send spam, so that access is no excuse for mass-messaging strangers.
Main differences: portability, 2FA and security
| Aspect | tdata | Session+JSON |
|---|---|---|
| Client compatibility | Telegram Desktop | Telethon, Pyrogram, GramJS and other API libraries |
| Portability | Copy the folder to any computer with Telegram Desktop | Works on any server or PC with the matching library |
| File size | Small without cache, large with cached media | A few KB |
| 2FA (cloud password) | Not needed to open an active session; needed to change it or to log in anywhere new | Not needed to use the session; needed to change it or to log in anywhere new |
| Risk of lockout | The seller or Telegram can end the session, and it stops working if the same copy runs in two places at once | The same: the seller or Telegram can end it, and running it in two places at once kills it |
| Typical use case | Personal use on one computer | Scripts, bots or managing several accounts |
What 2FA means for both formats
Telegram's two-step verification (the cloud password) matters more than the format. You don't need it to use a session that's already logged in, but you do need it to change the password, to log in on another device and for some sensitive actions. If the seller won't give it to you, you can't change it, and the seller keeps a way back in.
Ask the seller before you buy: "Is 2FA turned on? If so, will you give me the password?"
After the handover, change the 2FA password, add a recovery email you control and move the account to your own phone number. You can change the number from inside a logged-in session (open Settings, tap your number, then Change Number), and the code goes to the new number, so you don't need the seller's SIM. Telegram won't allow it from a session that's less than 24 hours old, and the same 24-hour rule applies to ending other sessions. With a freshly made session you may have to wait a day before you can lock the account down, so don't confirm the deal until you have.
Which sellers offer which format?
Most listings say which format you'll get. If one doesn't, ask before you pay. Sellers who sell many accounts at once for automation tend to deliver session+json because it's easier to handle in scripts. Sellers of older or Premium accounts more often deliver tdata, since it's the format Telegram Desktop uses itself.
The format tells you nothing about quality. An account can be spam-limited, meaning it can only message people who already have it in their contacts, and still open normally in either format. Ask the seller to message @SpamBot from the account and show you the reply.
Red flags for each format
tdata red flags
- The seller says 2FA is off, but Telegram asks for a cloud password when you open the two-step verification settings. You won't be able to change it, and the seller still knows it.
- The folder contains program files. A tdata folder holds data files only, so treat any .exe or script inside it as malware, and scan everything before you open it.
- The seller insists you use a modified Telegram app or their own proxy. You need neither. A modified app can send your session to someone else, and a proxy lets its owner see when and where you connect.
Session+JSON red flags
- The JSON has no API ID or hash. It should list the app credentials the session was made with. Without them you're guessing, and you'd have to use your own credentials from my.telegram.org.
- The session was created hours before the sale. A session under 24 hours old can't change the phone number or end other sessions yet, and a brand-new account behind it is more likely to be limited.
- The seller won't give you the phone number. You may not need it to log in, but you'll need it if the session ever stops working.
What affects the price
Prices depend on the account's age and history, whether it's spam-limited, whether Telegram Premium is active, and whether the phone number and 2FA password come with it. Compare several listings on EPICSWP, read each seller's reviews and ask exactly what's included before you agree on a price.
How a purchase works on EPICSWP
- Search EPICSWP for Telegram accounts and check each listing for the format.
- Ask the seller about 2FA, the phone number, the account's age and any restrictions. A good seller answers clearly.
- Place the order. You pay the listed price plus the 6% escrow fee (Gold and Platinum members pay less), and your payment is held from the moment you pay.
- The seller sends the tdata folder or the session+json files, or a link to them, in the deal chat, along with the 2FA password and phone details.
- Test the account. Log in, open chats and settings, change the 2FA password and end the seller's other sessions. The money isn't released on a timer, so take the time you need.
- Confirm or dispute. If everything works, confirm receipt and the money goes to the seller. If it doesn't, open a dispute before confirming, and a moderator will review the deal chat and the evidence and decide.
Our guide to buying Telegram channels covers the same escrow and checking steps for channels.
Which format should you choose?
If you just want to use the account on your own computer, tdata is simpler and needs no coding. If you want to run scripts or manage several accounts, session+json is more flexible but needs some technical knowledge.
Either way, pick sellers who give you the phone number (or help you move the account to yours) and the 2FA password. Without those, the seller can take the account back whenever they like.
FAQ
Can I convert tdata to session+json?
Yes. Both formats hold the same kind of authorization key, and open-source tools can convert one into the other. Only use tools you trust, because anything that can read your tdata can also send the session somewhere else.
What happens if the seller ends my session after I buy?
If the seller still has a session open, on their phone for example, they can end yours from the device list. That's why you should end every other session as soon as Telegram lets you, set your own 2FA password and recovery email, and move the account to your number. EPICSWP's escrow only protects you if you open a dispute before you confirm receipt.
Is session+json safe to use on a VPS?
Running on a server is what the format was made for. Keep the server's IP address stable and never run the same session in two places at once: Telegram cancels a session that's used over two connections at the same time, and you then have to log in again from scratch.