Groups are created from the new message button. The exact wording differs slightly across platforms, but the sequence is the same everywhere: start a new message, choose to create a group, pick the people, name it.
Step by step
- Tap the new message button, the pencil or plus icon.
- Choose New Group.
- Select the contacts to add. You can add more later, so this does not have to be complete.
- Give the group a name and, optionally, a photo.
- Confirm to create it.
Private or public
A new group is private and can only be joined through an invite link you share. You can give it a public link instead from the group settings, which makes it searchable and joinable by anyone. A private group can be made public later and back again, so this is not a decision you are locked into.
How large groups can get
A group holds up to 200,000 members. Telegram converts a growing group to a supergroup automatically, which unlocks the tools large communities need, including pinned messages everyone is notified about, granular administrator permissions, and topics that split one group into separate threaded sections with their own history.
Set the permissions before you invite people
Open the group settings and decide what ordinary members may do before the group fills up. You can restrict media, links, polls or all messages, and you can appoint administrators with precisely scoped rights rather than handing over everything. Doing this first is considerably less work than moderating a large group that was opened with defaults.
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