How to Get Your Telegram Bot Token (Step-by-Step Guide 2026)

Open Telegram and search for @BotFather — this is Telegram's official bot for creating and managing bots. As of 2026, BotFather remains the only official way to create Telegram bots and generate bot tokens. You'll recognize it by the blue verification checkmark next to its name.

Don't confuse with other bots: There are many bot-related accounts on Telegram. Make sure you select the official one with the blue checkmark. Start the conversation by clicking Start.

Why BotFather? BotFather is the only way to generate legitimate bot tokens. Any bot token from third-party tools or generators is fraudulent and won't work with the official Telegram Bot API. This has not changed — BotFather has been the single source for bot creation since the Bot API launched.

If you can't find @BotFather, try searching in the global search (not just your contacts) and ensure you have a stable internet connection. The official username is simply @BotFather with no spaces or variations.

Send the command /newbot to BotFather. BotFather will guide you through creating your bot with two required fields:

Display name: This is the name customers will see in chat (e.g., "Acme Support Bot" or "My Company Assistant"). You can use spaces, emoji, and special characters. Pick something that represents your brand clearly since this is what your customers will identify.

Username: This must be unique across all of Telegram and must end in _bot or Bot (e.g., acme_support_bot or mycompany_helper_bot). If your chosen username is taken, BotFather will tell you to try another. Try adding your city, year, or numbers if needed.

Tip: Keep the username professional and memorable. Avoid overly long usernames since customers may need to message your bot directly in some cases.

After you submit both fields, BotFather will confirm your bot was created and send you your bot token.

After creating your bot, BotFather will send you a message containing your HTTP API token. This token authenticates your bot with Telegram's servers and is required to send and receive messages through the Bot API.

Telegram bot token format: Every bot token follows the same structure — a sequence of digits, followed by a colon, followed by an alphanumeric string:

123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrSTUvwxYZ

Breaking this down:

• First part (digits before the colon): This is your bot's unique numeric ID. It's always a sequence of digits (typically 9-10 digits long).
• Colon separator (:): A single colon separates the bot ID from the API key.
• Second part (after the colon): A 35-character alphanumeric string containing uppercase letters, lowercase letters, hyphens, and underscores. This is the secret portion of your token.

The full token is typically around 46 characters long. For example: 7104583026:AAH3gVL9Bx-kFm2Dn5Y_rW8eXpZqJ1cMtNs

Copy this token immediately and save it securely. You'll need the complete token — both the digits, the colon, and the alphanumeric string — to connect your bot to any service.

Security best practices:

• Treat your bot token like a password — anyone with this token can control your bot
• Don't share it in public repositories, chat logs, or screenshots
• Store it securely in your password manager or encrypted storage
• Rotate it periodically if you suspect it's been compromised

If your Telegram bot token is compromised, lost, or you simply want to rotate it for security reasons, BotFather lets you revoke the old token and generate a new one instantly.

How to revoke your Telegram bot token:

1. Open the chat with @BotFather in Telegram
2. Send the command /mybots
3. Select the bot whose token you want to revoke from the list
4. Tap API Token
5. Tap Revoke current token

BotFather will immediately invalidate the old token and generate a new one. The new token will have the same bot ID (digits before the colon) but a different alphanumeric key after the colon.

What happens when you revoke a token:

• The old token stops working immediately — any service using it will lose access
• A new token is generated automatically
• Your bot's username, display name, and settings remain unchanged
• You'll need to update the token in every service that uses it (including Converge if you've connected it)

When to revoke your token:

• You accidentally committed it to a public Git repository
• You shared it in a chat or support ticket
• A team member with access has left your organization
• You want to rotate credentials as a regular security practice

Alternative method: You can also send /token directly to BotFather, then select your bot to view or revoke the current token.

With your bot token ready, you can connect it to a customer support platform like Converge to manage Telegram conversations alongside your other messaging channels.

In Converge, go to Settings → Platforms → Telegram. Paste your bot token into the token field and click Connect.

Converge will verify the token with Telegram's servers. If successful, your Telegram bot will be linked to your inbox and you'll start receiving messages from Telegram in your unified view.

Verification: Send a test message to your Telegram bot. It should appear in your Converge inbox within seconds. You can reply directly from Converge without switching to the Telegram app.

Common connection issues:

• Invalid token error: Double-check you copied the entire token including the digits, colon, and alphanumeric string. No extra spaces or characters.
• Bot not receiving messages: Make sure your bot is not disabled in BotFather. Also, verify you haven't accidentally blocked the bot in Telegram.
• Webhook errors: Converge automatically sets up webhooks for you. If webhook delivery fails, check that your token is still valid in BotFather.

Once connected, you can manage Telegram conversations alongside WhatsApp, Messenger, and all other channels — all from one unified inbox.