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Telegram Channel

Last updated on Feb 25, 2026

Overview

The Telegram channel connects a Telegram Bot to Support Portal, enabling your team to receive and respond to customer messages sent through Telegram. Support Portal supports both standard Telegram Bots and Telegram Business Bots, each operating under different messaging constraints.

Prerequisites

  • A Telegram Bot created through BotFather, with the API token available.
  • For Business Bot mode: the bot must have Business Mode enabled via BotFather (/business_mode command).
  • An active Support Portal account with permission to create Inboxes (see Adding Inboxes).

Configuration Steps

1. Initiate Inbox Creation

Navigate to Settings > Inboxes and select Add Inbox.

2. Select the Telegram Channel Type

From the channel selection interface, select the Telegram icon.

3. Create a Telegram Bot

If you have not already done so, open BotFather in Telegram and create a new bot. Copy the API token provided upon bot creation.

4. Provide the Bot API Token

In the Inbox creation interface, provide the API token for your Telegram bot and select Create Telegram Channel.

5. Assign Agents

Add one or more Agents to the Inbox.

6. Verify Inbox Configuration

After creation, navigate to the Inbox settings page and confirm the Inbox name matches the bot username registered through BotFather.

Telegram Business Bot Configuration

Support Portal supports Telegram Business-mode bots, which allow customer conversations to be handled through a business account rather than a standard bot persona.

Enabling Business Mode

  1. In BotFather, run /business_mode, select your bot, and confirm activation.
  2. Create a new Telegram Inbox in Support Portal using the same bot token. Support Portal automatically detects Business Mode and registers the appropriate webhook.
  3. For clarity, maintain a dedicated Inbox for your Business Bot, separate from any standard bot Inboxes.

Business Bot Constraints

  • 24-hour reply window: Telegram permits responses only within 24 hours of the customer's last message.
  • Bot identity conflicts: If a user has previously interacted with the same bot outside Business Mode, replies may appear to originate from the bot rather than the business account. Using a dedicated Business Bot avoids this behavior.
  • Limited feature set: The Telegram Business API currently supports fewer message types and does not include features such as typing indicators.

Expected Behavior

Once configuration is complete, any message sent by a user to the connected Telegram Bot creates a new conversation in the Support Portal Dashboard. Agents can respond directly, and standard features — including labels, macros, and automation rules (see Automation) — apply.

To verify the integration, send a test message to the bot from a Telegram account and confirm the conversation appears in the corresponding Inbox.

Governance Notes

  • Third-party data flow: All Telegram messages are transmitted through the Telegram Bot API. Message content, sender metadata, and media attachments are exchanged between Telegram's servers and your Support Portal instance.
  • Webhook security: Support Portal registers a webhook with Telegram automatically during Inbox creation. Ensure your instance is accessible over HTTPS for webhook delivery.
  • Data retention: Telegram does not guarantee indefinite storage of bot messages. Consult Telegram's Bot API documentation for current data lifecycle policies.