Telegram is a popular instant messaging application that rivals WhatsApp.
This application gives WhatsApp and Messenger a run for their money by offering nearly every feature that Facebook-owned applications have and even more.
But one can’t help but wonder why you can’t sometimes find a group on Telegram.
You can’t find a group on Telegram because groups on the messaging app are private by default. Private Telegram groups don’t show up during in-app searches on the platform. You may also have been banned or reported by the group admin, the group link revoked, or the group banned/disbanded.
Making a Telegram group public is also possible. This will be dealt with in more detail in this article. The difference between Telegram channels and groups will also be highlighted.
What Is a Telegram Group?
If you’re familiar with WhatsApp groups, you must have a fair understanding of Telegram groups.
A Telegram group is a way for people interested in a particular topic or niche to interact with one another. Members of such groups can share photos, updates, videos, and other media types.
Just like a WhatsApp group, a Telegram group’s admin can invite other messaging application users into a single chat. Every member of the group can contribute to chats in real-time.
Telegram groups have one significant advantage over WhatsApp groups. A WhatsApp group can accommodate up to 1,024 members, according to the latest Android and iOS Beta updates. But a Telegram group can have up to 200,000 members.
The Differences Between Public and Private Telegram Groups
Telegram offers private and public Telegram groups to help users moderate groups to the right size. However, these Telegram group categories have a few significant differences.
Private Telegram Groups
Only the admin or creator of the group can invite other Telegram users to the group. Private groups usually come with the popular ‘t.me’ invite links only the admin or creator can access.
Private groups are not searchable, i.e., you cannot find them when you perform in-app searches. Private groups are private, after all.
Public Telegram Groups
On the other hand, public Telegram groups are accessible to all. You can find them during an in-app search if you know the group’s name.
Such groups can have up to 200,000 members within a short period. This is because intending members only need to click their invite links to join.
The invite link of a public Telegram group is available to all group members. This way, any group member can share the ‘t.me’ link on social media platforms or other messaging apps like WhatsApp to invite others.
Telegram Channel vs. Telegram Group
Before highlighting why you can’t find a particular group on Telegram, it is important to differentiate between a Telegram channel and a Telegram group. Both have similar features but are designed for different purposes.
A Telegram channel allows you, the admin, to broadcast information to a broad audience. Members of a Telegram channel are known as subscribers.
Bots are usually part of Telegram channels. However, they can’t reply to messages or respond to them the way members of a Telegram group do.
But Telegram groups are usually created specifically for interaction with the audience. You can ask your audience what they think about a particular subject, run polls, and members can also interact with one another.
However, you can link Telegram group chats to your Telegram channel. Every message you post on the Telegram channel will be automatically posted in the Telegram group.
In other words, you get the best of both Telegram worlds when you combine your channel and group.
Why Can’t I Find a Group on Telegram?
If you can’t find a group on Telegram, it could be due to the following reasons.
Reason #1: Private Group
If the group is private, it will be impossible for you to find and join it without an invite link from the group’s admin. Private Telegram groups are private for a reason, meaning not every Tom, Dick, and Harry can join.
You can only be added to a private Telegram group if its admin issues you an invite link. After that, the group admin can also add you to the group, making you one of its members.
Reason #2: Revoked Invite Link
You may not be able to find a group on Telegram if the admin has revoked its invite link. No matter how often you click the link, you won’t be admitted or even find the group on Telegram.
Reason #3: Banned or Reported by the Group Admin
Another reason you can’t find a group on Telegram is that you may have been reported or banned by the group admin. You may have fallen within a category of Telegram users that the group admin doesn’t want to admit into the group.
If you’re less than 18, you may not be able to join some X-rated Telegram groups. You must be 18 and above to join such groups on the messaging platform.
Reason #4: Banned Telegram Group
It may have been banned or disbanded if you can’t find a group on Telegram. Telegram reserves the right to ban groups that have gone against its terms and conditions.
In addition, groups that also share intellectual material illegally may also get banned by Telegram.
For instance, creating dedicated X-rated groups on Telegram is not legal. But users create them anyway and share leaks, porn videos, and pictures. Such groups may be reported and subsequently banned.
A Telegram group can also be disbanded. As stated earlier, most groups are created for a particular reason. If the reasons for creating a specific Telegram group have been met, the admin may decide to disband the group.
Conclusion
Telegram groups are an excellent way of fostering conversations or chats on the messaging platform.
If you can’t find a particular group on Telegram, it probably means you may have been banned or reported by an admin, or an admin has revoked the invite link.
Another reason is that the Telegram group may be private. Private Telegram groups don’t show up when you perform in-app searches, unlike public groups that do.
