How to get Telegram Bot Chat ID

how_to_get_telegram_chat_id.md

How to get Telegram Bot Chat ID

Content :

1. Create a Telegram Bot and get a Bot Token
2. Get Chat ID for a Private Chat
3. Get Chat ID for a Channel
4. Get Chat ID for a Group Chat
5. Get Chat ID for a Topic in a Group Chat

Create a Telegram Bot and get a Bot Token

1. Open Telegram application then search for @BotFather
2. Click Start
3. Click Menu -> /newbot or type /newbot and hit Send
4. Follow the instruction until we get message like so

   Done! Congratulations on your new bot. You will find it at t.me/new_bot.
   You can now add a description.....
   
   Use this token to access the HTTP API:
   63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c
   Keep your token secure and store it safely, it can be used by anyone to control your bot.
   
   For a description of the Bot API, see this page: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api
   

5. So here is our bot token 63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c (make sure we don't share it to anyone).

Back to top ↑

Get Chat ID for a Private Chat

1. Search and open our new Telegram bot
2. Click Start or send a message
3. Open this URL in a browser https://api.telegram.org/bot{our_bot_token}/getUpdates
   • See we need to prefix our token with a word bot
   • Eg: https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/getUpdates
4. We will see a json like so

   {
     "ok": true,
     "result": [
       {
         "update_id": 83xxxxx35,
         "message": {
           "message_id": 2643,
           "from": {...},
           "chat": {
             "id": 21xxxxx38,
             "first_name": "...",
             "last_name": "...",
             "username": "@username",
             "type": "private"
           },
           "date": 1703062972,
           "text": "/start"
         }
       }
     ]
   }
   

5. Check the value of result.0.message.chat.id, and here is our Chat ID: 21xxxxx38
6. Let's try to send a message: https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/sendMessage?chat_id=21xxxxx38&text=test123
7. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message test123 should be arrived on our Telegram bot chat.

Back to top ↑

Get Chat ID for a Channel

1. Add our Telegram bot into a channel
2. Send a message to the channel
3. Open this URL https://api.telegram.org/bot{our_bot_token}/getUpdates
4. We will see a json like so

   {
     "ok": true,
     "result": [
       {
         "update_id": 838xxxx36,
         "channel_post": {...},
           "chat": {
             "id": -1001xxxxxx062,
             "title": "....",
             "type": "channel"
           },
           "date": 1703065989,
           "text": "test"
         }
       }
     ]
   }
   

5. Check the value of result.0.channel_post.chat.id, and here is our Chat ID: -1001xxxxxx062
6. Let's try to send a message: https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/sendMessage?chat_id=-1001xxxxxx062&text=test123
7. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message test123 should be arrived on our Telegram channel.

Back to top ↑

Get Chat ID for a Group Chat

The easiest way to get a group chat ID is through a Telegram desktop application.

1. Open Telegram in a desktop app
2. Add our Telegram bot into a chat group
3. Send a message to the chat group
4. Right click on the message and click Copy Message Link
   • We will get a link like so: https://t.me/c/194xxxx987/11/13
   • The pattern: https://t.me/c/{group_chat_id}/{group_topic_id}/{message_id}
   • So here is our Chat ID: 194xxxx987
5. To use the group chat ID in the API, we need to prefix it with the number -100, like so: -100194xxxx987
6. Now let's try to send a message: https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/sendMessage?chat_id=-100194xxxx987&text=test123
7. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message test123 should be arrived on our group chat.

Back to top ↑

Get Chat ID for a Topic in a Group Chat

In order to send a message to a specific topic on Telegram group, we need to get the topic ID.

1. Similar to steps above, after we click the Copy Message Link, we will get a link like: https://t.me/c/194xxxx987/11/13, so the group Topic ID is 11.
2. Now we can use it like so (see message_thread_id): https://api.telegram.org/bot783114779:AAEuRWDTFD2UQ7agBtFSuhJf2-NmvHN3OPc/sendMessage?chat_id=-100194xxxx987&message_thread_id=11&text=test123
3. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message test123 should be arrived inside our group chat topic.

Back to top ↑

Trying to get group chat id on macOS installed Telegram app. There doesn't seem to be a right click "Copy Message Link" option. What am I missing?

Hi @ilium007, the possible cause is because your group chat is private. Here are steps you can try:

1. Convert your group chat into a public group.
2. Try to send a message again
3. Try to right click, and see if the "Copy Message Link" option is available.
4. If it is success, you can convert your group chat back to private group (and the "Copy Message Link" should still available).

See if those steps work for you. Thanks.

Can't I get a chat ID for private conversations from a bot that doesn't belong to me?

Can't I get a chat ID for private conversations from a bot that doesn't belong to me?

@skdplay, Same logic with the "Get Chat ID for a Private Chat", as long as someone else start conversation or send message to your bot, you will see their chat_id from the https://api.telegram.org/bot{our_bot_token}/getUpdates endpoint.

I ended up adding @MissRose_bot to the chat and issuing /id

@nafiesl No bot tokens because it's not my bot

@skdplay - then create a bot, get the token, and add it to the chat

@ilium007 No, you're not using my bot, it means you're using private chat and want the chat ID of another bot.

Can't I get a chat ID for private conversations from a bot that doesn't belong to me?

Ah I see, I was misunderstood your question. When you don't have the bot token, then you can't get the chat ID.

I tried the URL link method and included my bot token as well. But I keep getting this result back {"ok":true,"result":[]}. Does anyone know why and how I can retrieve the chatID?

I tried the URL link method and included my bot token as well. But I keep getting this result back {"ok":true,"result":[]}. Does anyone know why and how I can retrieve the chatID?

@lydnguyen I think you need to send message first. Ff it doesn't work, try to end conversation and start again. Sometimes I experience the same issue, too.

Thanks a lot!!!!

Helpful! Thank you, sir!