---
title: "Connect your bot to Telegram"
description: "Create a Telegram bot with BotFather and connect it to Chat Thing, so anyone can chat to your bot in Telegram."
canonical_url: "https://chatthing.ai/docs/channels/telegram"
last_updated: "2026-09-25"
---

# Connect your bot to Telegram

**Available on:** Standard, Pro, Enterprise plans.

Run your bot as a Telegram bot that anyone can message.

> **Standard, Pro and Enterprise**
>
> The Telegram channel is included on the Standard, Pro and Enterprise plans.
>
> **Who can do this:** [team owners and admins](https://chatthing.ai/docs/account/teams#what-each-role-can-do).

## Create a bot with BotFather

Telegram bots are created with BotFather, Telegram's own bot for managing bots.

[Video: connect a bot to Telegram (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrVl5hTFJ5Y)

*Video walkthrough, recorded in 2024. Some screens have changed since.*

1. Open [t.me/BotFather](https://t.me/BotFather) and start a chat with it in Telegram.
   ![The BotFather page on t.me with a Send Message button](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1721395679/telegram_bot_father_send_message_1bfdb6a869.png)
   ![A new chat with BotFather in Telegram, with a Start button](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1721395679/telegram_bot_father_empty_8e132aa12f.png)
2. Send `/newbot`.
   ![BotFather's list of commands, starting with /newbot](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1721395679/telegram_bot_father_start_e570d054c1.png)
3. Send a display name for your bot.
   ![BotFather replying to /newbot and asking for a name for the bot](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1721395678/telegram_bot_father_new_3bb69543bb.png)
4. Send a username for your bot. It must be unique and end in `bot`, for example `acme_help_bot`.
5. BotFather replies with a token. Copy it.

You can use BotFather's other commands later to set your bot's description and profile picture.

## Connect it to Chat Thing

1. In Chat Thing, open your bot, select the **Channels** tab and turn on the **Telegram** card. The **Telegram channel settings** page opens.
   ![The Telegram card on the Channels tab, with its toggle switched off](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1773771840/docs/telegram-channel-toggle.png)
2. Under **Bot details**, enter the username in **Bot user name** and paste the token into **Authentication token**.
3. Click **Save**.

![The Telegram Bot details section with Bot user name and Authentication token fields](https://res.cloudinary.com/djyjvrw5u/image/upload/v1773771842/docs/telegram-settings.png)

## Check it works

Once you've saved, the settings page shows a link to your bot in the format `t.me/your_bot_username`. Open it, start a chat and ask a question your bot should answer. The conversation also appears in [Conversations](https://chatthing.ai/docs/manage/conversations).

## Troubleshooting

### The bot doesn't reply

Check the **Authentication token** is the latest one from BotFather (asking BotFather for a new token makes the old one stop working) and that the **Bot user name** matches the username you created. Save again after any change.

### The bot replies "This bot is currently unavailable"

The Telegram channel is turned off. Turn the **Telegram** card back on in the **Channels** tab.

## Related

- [Channels](https://chatthing.ai/docs/channels): Where your bot talks to people - your website, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Telegram, email and the API - and which plans include each channel.