Forwarded messages in Telegram: why IDs can be hidden

When you forward a message to @print_id_bot, the bot tries to show the original sender’s Telegram user ID or the source channel ID / chat_id. Sometimes you see “ID hidden” instead. Here is why.

What the bot shows

Forwarded from user — Sender name and User ID (if allowed)
Forwarded from channel — Channel name and channel ID
Forwarded from chat — Chat name and chat_id
ID hidden — Sender has privacy settings that hide their ID when forwarding

Why “ID hidden” appears

Telegram lets users control who can see their identity when messages are forwarded. If the sender:

Has “Forwarded from” privacy set to “Nobody” or “My contacts”
Or uses a forwarded-origin type that hides the sender

then the bot cannot show their numeric ID. You see “ID hidden. The sender can enable forwarding in Telegram privacy settings.”

What you cannot do

Get ID by phone number — You cannot look up someone’s Telegram user ID from their phone number. Services that claim this are often scams.
Get ID by username — Usernames are not IDs. You need the user to interact with a bot or app.
Bypass privacy settings — If the sender hides their ID, you cannot obtain it.

Developer note: forward_origin

In Telegram updates, forward_origin describes the source. Types include user, hidden_user, chat, channel. For hidden_user, the ID is not available. Use @print_id_bot’s /dump in private chat to inspect the structure; for groups, /json shows the message body.

FAQ

Can I get the ID if the sender allows forwarding?

Yes. Forward the message to @print_id_bot. If the sender’s privacy allows it, the bot shows their User ID.

What about forwarded messages from channels?

The bot shows the channel name and channel ID. Channel IDs are typically available when the message is forwarded.

Why does the bot show a name but not an ID?

For hidden_user origin, Telegram provides a display name but not the numeric ID. The sender’s privacy settings block it.

Is “ID hidden” a bug?

No. It is Telegram enforcing the sender’s privacy choices.

Can I ask the sender to change settings?

They can enable “Forwarded from” in Telegram privacy settings if they want their ID to be visible when messages are forwarded. That is their choice.

Forward a message to @print_id_bot to see the sender's ID (when allowed).

Open @print_id_bot