Get Telegram chat_id with the Bot API
The fastest way to get a Telegram Bot API chat_id is to inspect message.chat.id in an incoming update. Ask the user to start your bot first; for a group, add the bot and send a command; for a channel, add the bot as an administrator and inspect channel_post.chat.id.
Quick reference
| Destination | Field to read | Typical format |
|---|---|---|
| Private chat | message.chat.id | Positive integer; normally equals the user ID |
| Group or supergroup | message.chat.id | Negative integer; supergroups commonly start with -100 |
| Channel | channel_post.chat.id | Negative integer; the bot normally needs channel access |
For polling, call getUpdates after the interaction. For webhooks, read the same fields from the incoming JSON body. A helper bot such as @print_id_bot can show the value immediately; its /dump command also displays the update structure for debugging.
Guides
Telegram Bot API: how to get chat_id — Get chat_id for private chat, group, supergroup, and channel. Use @print_id_bot or your own webhook.
Telegram Bot API ‘chat not found’: common causes — Bot removed from chat, wrong chat_id, migration to supergroup. How to fix and get the correct chat_id.
Telegram update JSON: how to inspect /dump output — Inspect the raw update structure. Useful for debugging webhooks and understanding message, chat, and user fields.
Aiogram: get chat_id and user ID (examples) — Python Aiogram examples: extract chat_id and user ID from updates.
Telegraf (Node.js): get chat_id and user ID — Node.js Telegraf examples: get chat_id and user ID from context.
python-telegram-bot: get user ID and chat_id — python-telegram-bot library: extract user ID and chat_id from updates.
Go Telegram Bot API: get chat_id — Go: get chat_id from incoming updates for your bot.
FAQ
Why do I get “chat not found”?
Common causes: the bot was removed from the chat, you are using a wrong or outdated chat_id, or the group was upgraded to a supergroup (chat_id can change). Add the bot back, get the current chat_id with @print_id_bot, and ensure you use the correct value.
How do I debug my webhook updates?
Use the /dump command in @print_id_bot (in private chat) to see the full update JSON. It shows the structure of message, chat, user, and other fields. Compare with your webhook payload to find where chat_id and user ID are located.
Which library guide should I use?
Choose the guide that matches your stack: Aiogram and python-telegram-bot for Python, Telegraf for Node.js, and the Go guide for Go. The general Bot API guide applies to any language.
Get chat_id instantly with @print_id_bot.
Related guides
- Add a bot to a group to get chat_id (10 seconds)
- Aiogram: get chat_id and user ID (examples)
- Bot not responding in a Telegram group: checklist
- C# Telegram bot: get chat_id
- Forwarded messages in Telegram: why IDs can be hidden
- Forwarded sender ID hidden in Telegram: reasons and limits
- Get a Telegram Group chat_id in 10 Seconds
- Get Telegram channel ID for Bot API (what's possible and what isn't)