Groups, supergroups, and channels in Telegram share a common chat result card format from @doublegram_lookup_bot. The bot labels the chat type with an emoji (👥 for groups/supergroups, 📢 for channels).
Field reference
| Field | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 🆔 ID | -1001234567890 |
Numeric chat ID. Negative for groups/channels; supergroups/channels often start with -100. |
| 📋 Type | 👥 Supergroup or 📢 Channel | Telegram chat type: Group, Supergroup, or Channel (displayed in readable form). |
| 🏷️ Title | Telegram News | Public display name of the group or channel. |
| 📝 Username | @telegram | Public @handle for the chat. Missing on private invite-only groups. |
| 📝 Description | About text | Channel/group description when set and visible. |
| 👥 Members | 1,234,567 | Member or subscriber count when Telegram provides it (formatted with thousands separators). |
| 🔒 Privacy | Private group (invite link) | Shown for invite-link previews without a public username. |
User fields vs chat fields
User cards show Name and Bio. Chat cards show Title and Description instead. You will not see Is Bot on a standard group/channel card.
Forwarded channel/group header
When you forward a post, Lookup may show:
📨 Message forwarded from Channel: (or Group / Supergroup)
If the chat has no public username, Lookup may list basic forward metadata first (ID, type, title, No public username) before or instead of a full enriched card.
ChatPreview (invite links)
Private invite lookups sometimes return preview-style data:
- Title and description from the invite preview
- Members count when available
- Privacy: Private group (invite link)
- No @username line
Access errors on chat cards
Instead of fields, you may see an error block explaining that the resolver cannot access the chat — usually because it is not a member or has no session history for that ID. Lookup may append tips about membership and session cache.
Member count: Counts are point-in-time from Telegram. Large channels may round or delay updates.
Quick reference
- Chats: Title, Description, Members (not Bio)
- Negative IDs for groups/channels
- Private flag for invite-only previews
- Public chats often have @username
Related: why the numeric ID matters more than a username in Telegram Numeric IDs Explained.