Telegram bots: what they do and how to create one
Telegram bots are accounts run by programs instead of people. They can answer questions, download files, manage groups, accept payments and open full apps inside Telegram. This guide explains what bots can do, how to find good ones and avoid fake ones, and how to create your own bot with BotFather in a few minutes.
What a Telegram bot is
A bot looks like a normal chat, but replies come from a program running on its owner's server. Bots receive only what you send them or what happens in groups where they are admins. They cannot start a chat with you first, and they cannot read your private conversations with other people.
Useful types of bots
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| Group management | Welcomes members, removes spam, enforces rules |
| Channel helpers | Schedules posts, adds buttons, shows statistics |
| Utilities | Converts files, makes stickers, sets reminders, translates |
| Shops and payments | Sells goods and services, accepts Telegram Stars |
| Games and mini apps | Opens a full app or game inside Telegram |
| AI assistants | Answers questions, writes and summarises text |
How to find bots
- Search by name or topic in Telegram search; apps and bots have their own section.
- Follow links from official websites of services you already use.
- Check the username carefully: fake bots copy names with an extra letter or underscore.
- Prefer bots with a public channel, a website or a long history.
Bot safety
- Never send a bot your Telegram login code, two-step password or a crypto seed phrase.
- Be careful with bots that ask for your phone number or location without a clear reason.
- "Earning bots" that require a deposit or dozens of referrals before paying are scams; see make money on Telegram.
- Payment through Telegram's own window, with Stars or a payment provider, is safer than sending money to a card from a chat.
Create your own bot with BotFather
BotFather is Telegram's official bot for making bots (username @BotFather, with a verification check mark).
- Open @BotFather and send
/newbot. - Choose a display name, then a username that ends with "bot".
- BotFather replies with a token. It works like a password: anyone who has it controls the bot, so keep it secret.
- Use the token in a bot library for your language, or in a no-code bot builder.
- Set a description, an avatar and commands with
/setdescription,/setuserpicand/setcommands.
If the token leaks, revoke it in BotFather with /revoke and issue a new one.
Bots for groups and channels
To add a bot to a group, open the group info, choose "Add members" and search the bot's username, then give it only the admin rights it needs. In channels, a bot must be an admin to post. More on running a channel: how to create a Telegram channel.
Bots with mini apps
Many bots now open a full web app inside Telegram, called a mini app. That is how games, shops and wallets work in the messenger without installing anything. See Telegram games and mini apps.
One example is @totalhashbot: it opens TotalHash, a free mining game where your phone computes SHA-256 hashes and closes blocks. Tasks inside the game pay small amounts of USD₮ and GRAM, withdrawable to a TON wallet.
Open a bot with a mining game inside.
Open @totalhashbotQuick answers
What is a Telegram bot?
An account run by a program. It replies to messages, manages groups, accepts payments or opens a mini app inside Telegram.
How do I create a Telegram bot?
Open @BotFather, send /newbot, choose a name and a username ending in bot, and keep the token it gives you secret.
What is BotFather?
Telegram's official bot for creating and managing bots. It issues tokens and sets names, descriptions and commands.
Are Telegram bots safe?
Most are, but never give a bot your login code, two-step password or wallet seed phrase, and check usernames for look-alike fakes.