Table of Contents
Introduction
Telegram is a popular messaging app that allows users to communicate securely. It has over 500 million active users worldwide.
One of Telegram’s key features is the ability to find and add contacts using usernames instead of phone numbers. This allows you to connect with people without sharing personal contact details.
In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about finding and adding contacts by username on Telegram:
Creating a Telegram Username
To be found by username, you first need to create your own Telegram username:
- Open Telegram and go to Settings
- Tap on Privacy and Security
- Tap on Username
- Enter your desired username. It must start with ‘@’
- Tap Save to create your username
Once you have a username, other Telegram users can search for and find you by that username.
Finding Contacts by Username
There are a couple ways to find someone by their Telegram username:
1. Search Bar
- Open Telegram
- Tap on the search bar at the top
- Type the exact @username of the person
- Select the correct match from the dropdown results
2. External Links
You can also find usernames through links:
- t.me/@username – Opens Telegram profile
- telegram.me/@username – Opens Telegram profile
If you have the exact @username, these links will open the user’s Telegram profile for you to add them.
Adding a Contact by Username
Once you’ve found the person you want to add via their username, here is how to add them:
- Tap on their @username from search results
- This will open a new chat with them
- Tap on their name at the top
- Select Add to Contacts
- Choose name to save them under
- Tap Add to save to Telegram contacts
And you’re done! You’ve successfully added a new Telegram contact using only their username.
Creating Telegram Groups/Channels
In addition to personal accounts, you can also create public Telegram groups and channels using usernames:
- Groups – Private discussion groups
- Channels – Public broadcast channels
To make these public, you simply name them with a username just like a personal account. Then anyone can find and join that group/channel by searching for its username.
Finding Public Groups/Channels
The process to find existing public groups/channels by username is the same as finding individual users:
- Search bar
- t.me/ links
- telegram.me/ links
Use the exact username to directly join that group or channel.
Tips for Adding Contacts
Here are some useful tips when adding Telegram contacts by username:
- Double check the username is typed correctly before searching
- Pay attention to the search result selected from the dropdown
- Check if the user has added additional contact details to their bio
- Ask users to share a link to their profile via t.me if you cannot find them
Conclusion
Finding and adding contacts through Telegram usernames provides more privacy and control over who can contact you.
With over 500 million Telegram users, there is huge potential to connect with new people all over the world by username without sharing personal phone numbers.
So give it a try! Create your own Telegram username, search for relevant public groups/channels, and grow your secure social network.
