How to join a Telegram group
You join a Telegram group in one of three ways: someone sends you a direct link to the group, someone who is already in the group adds you by your username, or you search for a public group inside the app. The method depends on whether the group is public (searchable and open to anyone) or private (invitation-only or restricted). Most groups you will encounter are public, which means you can find them yourself without waiting for an invite.
The fastest way is through a direct link. If someone sends you a Telegram group link — it looks like t.me/groupname or t.me/joinchat/[code] — you can tap it on your phone or click it on your computer and join when ready. The app opens, shows you the group preview, and asks you to confirm. You are in the group as soon as you tap "Join".
If you want to find groups yourself, open Telegram and tap the magnifying glass icon at the top. Type what you are looking for — "photography", "local news", "book club" — and the search results will show public groups, channels, and people. Tap any group result to see the description, member count, and recent messages. If it looks right, tap "Join" and you are added when ready.
Key Takeaways
- Public groups can be joined by tapping a direct link or by searching for them in the Telegram app's search function.
- Private groups require an invitation from someone already in the group, either through a special join link or by being added directly by username.
- When you join a group, other members can see your username and profile picture unless you change your privacy settings beforehand.
- Group admins can remove you, restrict your ability to post, or delete messages you send, so read the group description and pinned rules before posting.
- Leaving a group is permanent — you cannot see the group's message history after you leave, and rejoining starts you at the newest messages.
The difference between public and private groups
A public group has a username (like @photography_tips) and appears in search results. Anyone can find it and join without permission. The group's name, description, and member list are visible to anyone, even people who are not members. Public groups are good for topics that do not require gatekeeping — hobbies, news, language learning, local community discussion.
A private group does not have a searchable username. It can only be joined through a direct invite link or by being added by someone who is already a member. The group name and description are hidden from non-members. Private groups are used for smaller circles — friend groups, work teams, family coordination, or communities where the admin wants to control who joins.
Some groups are public but have restricted posting — anyone can join and read, but only members approved by the admin can send messages. This is common in large groups where the admin wants to prevent spam or off-topic noise. You will see this noted in the group description.
What happens when you join a group
When you join a group, your username and profile picture become visible to all members. The group admin and other members can see when you joined. You can see all messages sent after you joined, but not messages from before you joined — unless the group admin has made the message history visible to new members, which is rare.
You can start sending messages, photos, videos, and files when ready unless the group has restrictions. Some groups require new members to wait a certain amount of time before posting, or require admin approval for the first message. These restrictions are usually explained in the pinned message at the top of the group.
If you want to stay private, change your Telegram privacy settings before joining groups. You can hide your "last seen" status, prevent people from seeing your profile picture, or restrict who can add you to groups. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security to adjust these. Note that group admins can still see your username and when you joined, but they will not see your phone number or other personal details unless you share them.
Finding groups that match what you are looking for
The Telegram search function works best when you search for specific words. If you search "photography", you will see groups like @photography_tips, @photo_critique, @photographers_worldwide. If you search "Boston", you might find @boston_jobs, @boston_events, @boston_food. The more specific your search term, the more relevant the results.
You can also browse by category. Some Telegram directories like Telegram.me or TGStat list public groups by topic, though these are third-party sites and not run by Telegram itself. These directories show group size, activity level, and sometimes a brief description. Be cautious with very large groups (over 100,000 members) — they tend to have more spam and less moderation.
Ask in communities you already belong to. If you are in a hobby group or local community, members often know related groups worth joining. This is safer than random search because you get a recommendation from someone you trust.
Group rules and what admins can do
Most groups have rules pinned at the top. Read them before you post. Common rules include: no spam, no politics, no self-promotion, no off-topic messages, no sharing of personal information. Breaking the rules can get you muted (unable to post for a set time), restricted (unable to post at all), or removed from the group.
Group admins have broad power. They can delete any message, remove any member, restrict who can post, silence the entire group (no one can post except admins), or change the group description and settings. They cannot see your private messages or access your account, but they can see everything you post in the group and when you joined.
If you are removed from a group, you cannot rejoin unless someone invites you again or the group is public and you rejoin through search. If you leave a group voluntarily, you can rejoin the same way — but you will not see any messages from before you left.
Staying safe in groups
Do not share your phone number, real name, address, or financial information in a group unless you trust the admin and know the group well. Scammers and data collectors join public groups specifically to harvest personal information. If someone in a group asks you to move to a private chat or click a link, be cautious — this is a common scam pattern.
Be aware that anything you post in a group can be screenshot or forwarded. Even if you delete a message, someone may have already saved it. Treat group messages the way you would treat a public conversation — assume they are permanent and visible.
If a group becomes hostile, spammy, or unsafe, you can leave and report it to Telegram. Go to the group info, scroll down, and tap "Report Group". Telegram reviews reports and can remove groups that violate their terms of service, though this takes time.
Leaving a group and managing your group list
To leave a group, open it, tap the group name at the top, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Leave Group". You will be removed when ready. You will no longer see the group in your chat list, and you will not receive notifications from it. If the group is public, you can rejoin anytime by searching for it again.
If you are in many groups and want to organize them, you can mute notifications for groups you want to stay in but do not want to see constantly. Swipe left on the group (on iPhone) or long-press it (on Android), then tap "Mute". You can mute for 1 hour, 8 hours, 1 day, or forever. The group stays in your list, but you will not get notifications unless someone mentions your username.
You can also archive groups. Swipe left and tap "Archive", or long-press and select "Archive". Archived groups move to a separate section and do not clutter your main chat list. You can still access them anytime by scrolling to the Archive section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I join a group without showing my username?
No. When you join any group, your username and profile picture are visible to all members. If you want to hide your identity, you can create a separate Telegram account with a generic username and no profile picture, then use that account for groups where you want privacy. However, Telegram does not support anonymous group membership on a single account.
What if I get added to a group I did not ask to join?
You can leave when ready by opening the group and tapping "Leave Group" at the bottom. If the same person keeps adding you, you can block them. Go to their profile, tap the three dots, and select "Block User". You can also change your privacy settings to prevent anyone from adding you to groups without your permission — go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Groups.
Can I see messages from before I joined a group?
Not normally. When you join a group, you can only see messages sent after you joined. Some group admins enable "View Full Chat History" for new members, which lets you see older messages, but this is uncommon and the admin has to turn it on deliberately. There is no way to see the history yourself.
Is it safe to click group links from strangers?
Clicking a group link is safe in the sense that it will not hack your phone or install malware. However, the group itself might be unsafe. Scam groups, spam groups, and groups that share illegal content exist. Before joining, read the group description and look at a few recent messages to see what the group is actually about. If it looks suspicious, do not join.
Can group admins see my phone number?
No. Group admins can see your username, profile picture, and when you joined, but not your phone number. Your phone number is private to Telegram and only visible to people you have added to your contacts or who have your number saved in their phone.