This topic explains how to create a Telegram group or channel and add a bot as an administrator for integration with Chat App Message Service. By following these steps, you will obtain a public link for your group or channel to use for identification in the console.
Scenarios
Telegram groups and channels are two different ways to distribute messages:
Groups: Support two-way communication among multiple members, making them ideal for building an active user community.
Channels: Are used by administrators for one-way broadcasting, making them suitable for announcements, news updates, and content distribution.
Chat App Message Service connects to a group or channel through a bot. To manage a group or channel in the console, you must meet the following conditions:
The bot has joined the target group or channel.
The bot has administrator permissions.
The group or channel is set to a public type.
Procedure
The creation process for groups and channels is similar. The key steps are:
Choose whether to create a group or a channel based on your needs:
Item | Group | Channel |
Message direction | Two-way communication among members | One-way broadcast by administrators |
Use cases | User community, interactive discussions | Announcements, content distribution |
Member roles | All members can post messages | Only administrators can post messages |
Create a group and add the bot
Step 1: Create a group
Before you begin, ensure you have created a Telegram bot. If not, see "How to Create a Telegram Bot" to create and authorize it first. We recommend using the Telegram mobile or desktop app for these steps, as some features may not be supported in Telegram Web.
Open Telegram. On the main screen, click the new message icon in the upper-right corner and select New Group. Follow the on-screen instructions:
Select at least one initial member, which is a requirement for creating a group in Telegram. We recommend adding your bot by searching for its username.
Set a group name.
(Optional) Set a profile picture for the group.
Click Create.
Step 2: Add the bot to the group
If you already added the bot as an initial member in Step 1, you can skip this step.
In the new group's chat screen, click the group name or profile picture at the top to open its profile page. On the profile page, find and select Add Members. Search for the bot's username (for example, my_demo_bot) and add the bot to the group.
If you cannot find the bot, check the following:
The bot was created successfully.
The bot's username is correct.
The bot is allowed to join groups in BotFather.
Step 3: Grant administrator permissions to the bot
On the group's profile page, find and select Administrators. Select the bot and enable the required permissions. Grant the following permissions based on your business needs:
Permission | Description |
Delete Messages | Allows the bot to delete messages in the group. |
Manage Group | Allows the bot to manage group settings. |
Invite Users | Allows the bot to invite new members to the group. |
Restrict Members | Allows the bot to restrict the actions of group members. |
Pin Messages | Allows the bot to pin messages in the group. |
If the bot does not have the required permissions, it may not be able to manage messages or members as expected.
Step 4: Set the group type to Public
On the group's profile page, select Edit. Set the group type to Public and configure a public username. After you save the settings, Telegram generates a public link for the group in the format: https://t.me/your_group_name.
Chat App Message Service identifies groups using a public link. Therefore, the automatically generated invite link from Telegram (in the format https://t.me/+xxxx) is not supported for integration.
Step 5: Copy the group's public link
Copy the group's public link and save it. You will use this link to identify and integrate the group in the .
Create a channel and add the bot
Step 1: Create a channel
Open Telegram. On the main screen, click the new message icon in the upper-right corner and select New Channel. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the following:
Set a channel name.
(Optional) Set a channel description.
Click Next.
Step 2: Set the channel's public link
On the channel type settings page, select Public and configure a public username for the channel. After you save the settings, Telegram generates a public link for the channel in the format: https://t.me/your_channel_name.
If the username is already taken, Telegram prompts you to enter a different one. After you confirm that the username is available, click Next.
Step 3: Add the bot as a channel member
Select members to add to the channel. We recommend adding your bot as an initial member by searching for its username. You can add other members as needed after the channel is identified in Chat App Message Service.
After you select the members, finish creating the channel.
Step 4: Grant admin permissions to the bot
If you added the bot as a member in Step 3, go to the channel's profile page, find and select Administrators, and promote the bot to an administrator. If you did not add the bot in the previous step, search for the bot's username and add it as an administrator directly.
Typically, you add a bot to a channel as an administrator. If you do not add the bot, Chat App Message Service cannot manage the channel.
Grant the bot the following administrator permissions:
Permission | Description |
Post Messages | Allows the bot to post messages in the channel. |
Edit Messages | Allows the bot to edit posted messages. |
Delete Messages | Allows the bot to delete messages in the channel. |
Manage Channel | Allows the bot to manage channel settings. |
Manage Invite Links | Allows the bot to manage the channel's invite links. |
If the bot lacks key permissions such as Post Messages, it may not function correctly in the channel.
Step 5: Copy the channel's public link
Copy the channel's public link and save it. You will use this link to identify and integrate the channel in the .
Next steps
After the group or channel is created, complete the integration in the . Before integration, confirm that the following conditions are met:
You have created and authorized a Telegram bot.
The bot has been added to the target group or channel.
The bot has been granted administrator permissions.
The group or channel is public.
You have copied the public link.
In the , go to the Group/Channel Management page and enter the public link to identify and integrate the group or channel. The system verifies that the bot is in the group or channel and has the necessary permissions. Only after successful verification will the group or channel appear as a manageable object.
To find your group or channel, use one of the following methods:
Chat list: The newly created group or channel appears directly in your Telegram chat list.
Name search: Search for the public username in the Telegram search bar.
Public link: Open the public link directly in a browser, for example,
https://t.me/my_group_name.
FAQ
What is the difference between a group and a channel?
In general:
Groups are better for interactive communication among members.
Channels are better for administrators to broadcast content.
Use a group to build a user community.
Use a channel to send announcements, notifications, or distribute content.
Console fails to identify group or channel
Please check the following:
Is the group or channel public?
Is the public link configured correctly?
Has the currently connected bot been added to the group or channel?
Has the bot been granted administrator permissions?
If the bot has not been added or has insufficient permissions, the system cannot integrate it.
Why can't I use an invite link for integration?
Invite links are primarily for adding members and are not suitable as a standard identification entry point.
To ensure a stable and verifiable integration, Chat App Message Service uses public links for identification.
What is the difference between an invite link and a public link?
An invite link (in the format https://t.me/+xxxx) is used to invite members and cannot be used as a standard identification entry point. Chat App Message Service uses a public link (in the format https://t.me/your_name) for identification. A public link provides more stable and verifiable results.
Does a group or channel have to be public?
Yes. If you need to identify and integrate it through a public link in the console, it must be public. Chat App Message Service does not currently support private groups, private channels, or invite links for standard integration.
Integration fails even after bot joins
Common causes include:
The bot does not have the required group or channel permissions in BotFather.
The bot has joined but has not been granted administrator permissions.
The console is connected to a different bot.
The group or channel is not public.
The public link you entered is incorrect.
Naming public links
The public link affects the external URL, console identification, and user search experience. Before going live, define a naming standard and choose a simple, memorable name relevant to your business.