How to get a Telegram Chat ID

When you create a schedule in SquadOS and pick Telegram as the delivery channel, the system asks for a Chat ID. This number tells the bot exactly where to send the agent’s response: your private chat with the bot, a group, or a channel.

This guide shows how to find that ID in just a few minutes.

What is the Chat ID

Every Telegram chat has a unique numeric identifier:

• Private chat (you talking to the bot): positive number, e.g. 123456789
• Group: negative number, e.g. -987654321
• Supergroup or channel: long negative number, e.g. -1001234567890

SquadOS accepts any of the three — just paste the exact number.

Prerequisite

Before anything, the bot that SquadOS uses needs access to the target chat:

• Private chat: you must have started a conversation with the bot (send /start at least once).
• Group: add the bot to the group.
• Channel: add the bot as a channel admin.

Without this, even with the right Chat ID, Telegram blocks delivery.

Method 1 — Private chat (most common)

The fastest way is to use a public diagnostic bot.

1. On Telegram, open a chat with @userinfobot.

2. Send any message (e.g. /start).

3. The bot replies with your data, including a line like:

   Id: 123456789

4. That number is your Chat ID. Copy it and paste it into the Telegram Chat ID field in the schedule.

Method 2 — Group

1. Add the bot @userinfobot to your group (temporarily).
2. Send any message in the group.
3. The bot replies with the group’s data, including the Id (negative number).
4. Copy that number and paste it into the schedule.
5. You can remove @userinfobot from the group afterwards — keep only the SquadOS bot.

Caution

Group IDs are negative. Paste it exactly as shown, with the leading - sign.

Method 3 — Channel

Channels don’t accept messages from regular users, so the method is slightly different:

1. Forward any message from the channel to @userinfobot in a private chat.
2. The bot shows the original channel’s data, including the Id (starts with -100).
3. Copy the full number (including the -100 prefix) and paste it into the schedule.
4. Confirm that the SquadOS bot is an admin of the channel.

Method 4 — Telegram Web (quick alternative)

If you prefer not to use an external bot:

1. Go to web.telegram.org and open the target chat.
2. Look at the URL in your browser. Examples:
   • #123456789 → private chat, ID 123456789
   • #-987654321 → group, ID -987654321
   • For supergroups/channels, prefer Method 3 (the Web URL doesn’t always show the full -100 prefix).

Using it in the schedule

With the Chat ID in hand:

1. In SquadOS, open the agent you want to schedule.
2. Go to Triggers → Schedules → Add Schedule.
3. Under Delivery channel, pick Telegram.
4. Paste the Chat ID into the field.
5. Save.

Done. When the schedule fires, the agent’s response goes straight to that chat.

Common issues

• “chat not found”: the bot doesn’t have access to the chat yet. Send /start (private) or add the bot to the group/channel.
• “bot was blocked by the user”: you blocked the bot. Unblock it and send /start again.
• Nothing arrives, no error either: make sure you pasted the full ID, including the - and the -100 prefix if it’s a supergroup/channel.