Semantic search: questions and answers
Short answers to what people ask most about the new channel search.
What is semantic search?
Search by meaning. Instead of looking for your exact words inside channel names, it works out what you are looking for and finds channels about that subject, even when they use different words or another language.
Does search by channel name still work?
Yes. Name search runs on every query alongside semantic search, and the two result lists are merged. If you type a channel’s exact username, that channel comes first.
Why can’t I find a channel I know exists?
Try its exact username. Channels without a description or topics are not searchable by meaning, only by name, and so are channels added after the last index update. Private channels and groups that are not in our catalog cannot be found at all.
How many results will I get?
Up to 500 channels by meaning, plus channels whose names match your text. Past that point matches get loose, so we stop there rather than list everything vaguely related. The “Load more” button below the results shows the next page.
How often are new channels added?
New channels appear in the catalog as we discover them and can be found by name right away. They become searchable by meaning with the next index update.
Can I search in my own language?
Yes. A query in one language can find channels written in another. Results lean toward the language you type in, so use the language filter if you want one language only.
Why don’t results match the country I typed?
A channel’s country is not part of the match, so that one big country does not take over every query. Use the language filter, or name a city or a local topic.
Can I paste a Telegram link?
Yes. Links like t.me/name, t.me/s/name/123, links with ?start= and tg://resolve, as well as @name, are turned into the channel name automatically. Private invite links (t.me/+…) cannot be searched.
Does semantic search read my messages or channel posts?
No. Channels are matched using only their public profile: title, category, topics and description. Your query is used to run the search and nothing else.
Why does a channel rank above a bigger one?
Relevance comes first. Size only decides between channels that match your query equally well.
Still stuck? Start with the search tips or see how the search works.