Telegram t.me Link with Prefilled Message: How It Works

A t.me link opens Telegram and drops the user into a chat, channel, group, or bot. You can prefill a message, attach a payload to a bot, or invite a user to a group. The format depends on what you’re linking to. Here’s the full breakdown.

Direct chat with a prefilled message

https://t.me/username?text=Hello%20there

Replace username with the recipient’s Telegram handle. Spaces become %20, line breaks become %0A. The link opens Telegram with the chat ready and the message typed.

The catch: the message isn’t sent automatically. The user has to tap send. That’s a Telegram security feature, not a bug.

Public channel link

https://t.me/yourchannel

Sends the user to your channel where they can subscribe. Add ?after=123 or /123 to link directly to a specific post:

https://t.me/yourchannel/123

Public group link

https://t.me/yourgroup

Same format as a channel. Anyone clicking can join (if the group is public).

Private group invite link

https://t.me/+abc123def456

Private groups generate a unique invite link starting with +. Get it from the group settings → Invite Link. Share that, and only people with it can join.

Bot deep link with start parameter

https://t.me/yourbot?start=campaign123

Hugely useful for bot developers. The start parameter is sent to your bot when the user taps “Start.” You can use it to pass:

• An affiliate code
• A user identifier from your website
• A campaign ID for attribution
• A referral source

Telegram caps the start parameter at 64 characters and only allows letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores.

Group bot deep link

https://t.me/yourbot?startgroup=true

That triggers the “Add to Group” flow. Use this when you want users to add your bot to their groups.

Sticker pack link

https://t.me/addstickers/StickerPackName

Opens Telegram with the install prompt for that sticker pack.

Theme link

https://t.me/addtheme/ThemeName

Same idea, but for themes.

Phone-based link (no username)

https://t.me/+14155552671

If a user has no public username, you can link by phone number with country code. They have to be in your contacts (or Telegram has to know about them) for the chat to open.

Mobile vs web behavior

Device	Behavior
iPhone (Telegram installed)	Opens Telegram app, navigates to target.
Android (Telegram installed)	Opens Telegram app, same flow.
Desktop (Telegram Desktop installed)	Opens Telegram Desktop.
Web browser, no Telegram	Lands on a t.me preview page with “Open in Telegram” button.

Use cases worth setting up

• Customer support button. “Message us on Telegram” with prefilled “Hi, I need help with…”
• Newsletter to channel migration. One link, one tap, channel joined.
• Bot onboarding with referral codes. The start parameter is gold for tracking.
• Community outreach. Add a t.me link to your blog footer for niche communities.
• Event RSVP. Group link in the invite email.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting URL encoding in the text parameter. A space breaks it on some clients. Always encode.
• Using tg:// in HTML. The tg:// scheme works in apps but not in browsers. Always use https://t.me/ for web links.
• Sharing private invite links publicly. Anyone with that link can join. Revoke and regenerate when leaked.
• Going over the 64-character start parameter limit. Bots silently fail above the cap.

Telegram vs WhatsApp links

Both let you open a chat with a prefilled message. WhatsApp uses wa.me links and is bigger globally. Telegram dominates in specific regions (Russia, Iran, parts of Latin America) and is preferred for channels and bots. Pick based on where your audience lives.

FAQ

Will the message send automatically?

No. The user has to tap send. Telegram blocks auto-send for spam protection.

What’s the difference between t.me and tg:// links?

t.me works in browsers and falls back to a web preview if Telegram isn’t installed. tg:// only works inside the Telegram app or on devices where it’s set up. Use t.me for sharing.

Can I share a t.me link with a username that doesn’t exist yet?

Yes — you’ll see a “User not found” page. Set the username first, then share.

How do I track clicks on a t.me link?

Use a redirect through your own domain with UTM tags. The UTM link generator handles the tagging.

Can I add a description or preview text?

No. Telegram pulls preview info from the target (channel name, bot description, etc.). You can’t customize the preview from the URL.

Generate the link in one tap

The Telegram link generator handles handles, channels, groups, and bot deep links. Pick the type, fill in the username, paste the result. Pair with the QR code generator for offline channels.