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How to find and join Telegram groups and channels
Telegram is one of the most beloved social apps in some countries, and like most messaging apps, it offers groups of interest that you can join. A Telegram group is a big chat room. Users from around the world can take part in public or private conversations, chatting either in real time or according to their convenience.
Channels, on the other hand, function more like newsletters. In these, you can’t reply or chat with anyone. Instead, you’ll see a long chain of messages, which is handy if you want a list of links and resources relevant to your interests that gets updated frequently.
But how do you find and join Telegram groups or channels? This guide covers what you need to know to get talking on Telegram.
QUICK ANSWER
- To join public Telegram groups and channels, search for them in the mobile or desktop app and click Join inside the group.
- To join private Telegram groups and channels, you'll need an invitation link from an existing member.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
Finding and joining public Telegram groups yourself
The Telegram app lets you search for and join public groups and channels. Groups will be marked with their number of members, while channels list their subscriber count.
The process is pretty straightforward for both groups and channels.
- Tap the Search field at the top and type in the name of a topic or interest. Adding “chat” to your search can help narrow your results down to groups.
- Tap Show More to view the full list of available groups and channels.
- Once inside a group or channel, tap the Join button.
Joining private Telegram groups using an invite link
If the group or channel you want to join is private, it won’t appear in search results. Plus, a friend might also want you to join their Telegram group. In these cases, you’ll have to use an invite link sent by someone already belonging to the group or channel in question. Naturally, you can also use links to join public groups or channels, which anyone can find and share.
Telegram invite links start with https://t.me/. Clicking on one will open your Telegram app, and then you can click Join to hop into the group or channel. Your interactions in these groups won’t show up anywhere else if it’s a private link unless, of course, people take screenshots.
Keep in mind that spam and irrelevant posts are possible in both groups and channels unless moderators are actively ferreting these types of posts out. Look at a group or channel carefully before joining, and be careful not to click on anything suspicious. But with some due diligence, you’ll be able to find plenty of fun Telegram groups and channels relevant to all your interests.
FAQs
Yes, if the admins of a particular Telegram group change the group’s settings, it can then go from public to private.
You can do so in two ways:
- You can tap on the name of the group at the top of the app, then tap on Add Member and search for one of your contacts within Telegram to add to the group.
- The other option is to share the same invite link you initially received. If you don’t have it anymore, you’ll have to ask one of the group’s admins or someone else in the chat.