Every Telegram entity has a numeric ID. Unlike usernames, IDs rarely change. If you have an ID from a forward, bot API, or export, send it directly to @doublegram_lookup_bot.
ID formats
| Entity | ID sign | Example |
|---|---|---|
| User or bot | Positive | 123456789 |
| Basic group | Negative (shorter) | -123456789 |
| Supergroup / channel | Negative (often -100…) | -1001234567890 |
Lookup accepts IDs with 7–13 digits (after the minus sign for negative IDs).
How Lookup processes IDs
- Positive ID — Lookup tries user resolution first (get user profile).
- Negative ID — Lookup skips user lookup and queries chat/group/channel directly.
- If user lookup fails on a positive ID, Lookup may fall back to chat lookup when applicable.
Step by step
- Copy the numeric ID (only digits, with minus if negative).
- Send it as a plain message to Lookup in private chat.
- Read the result card or error message.
Where to get IDs: Forward a message to Lookup, use My Data for your own ID, or read IDs from bot logs and API responses.
When ID lookup fails
Common error scenarios:
- Strict privacy user — Lookup cannot access the user by ID; try their @username if public
- Unknown chat ID — The resolution layer has never seen that chat; the account may need to join or interact first
- Invalid ID — Wrong number or typo
Error messages explain whether privacy or session access blocked the lookup.
ID vs username
- Username — Human-readable, can change, only exists for public handles
- ID — Permanent for the entity, works in APIs and forwards, always numeric
See Telegram Numeric IDs Explained for deeper context.
Quick reference
- Users: positive numeric ID
- Groups/channels: negative numeric ID
- Send: plain number message
- Length: 7–13 digits (excluding minus)
Related: the fastest workflow — forward a message to Forward a Message to the Telegram Lookup Bot.