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This guide walks you through creating a Telegram bot and connecting it to Zavu.

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Step 1: Create a Bot with BotFather

  1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
  2. Start a conversation and send /newbot
  3. Follow the prompts to name your bot
  4. BotFather will give you a bot token like: 
    123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz
Keep your bot token secret. Anyone with this token can control your bot.

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Step 2: Configure in Zavu Dashboard

  1. Go to Senders in your Zavu dashboard
  2. Select your sender or create a new one
  3. In the Channels tab, click Add Telegram
  4. Paste your bot token
  5. Click Verify to confirm the bot is valid
  6. Click Save to complete setup

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Step 3: Set Up Webhook (Automatic)

When you save your Telegram configuration, Zavu automatically:
  • Registers your webhook URL with Telegram
  • Starts receiving messages from your bot
No manual webhook configuration is needed.

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Bot Commands (Optional)

You can configure bot commands via BotFather: 
/setcommands
Then send a list of commands: 
start - Start the conversation
help - Get help information

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Testing Your Bot

Once configured, test your bot:
  1. Find your bot on Telegram by username
  2. Send a message to the bot
  3. Check your Zavu Inbox for the inbound message
  4. Reply from the Inbox or use the API
const result = await zavu.messages.send({
  to: "123456789", // Chat ID from inbound message
  text: "Thanks for reaching out!",
  channel: "telegram",
});

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Getting Chat IDs

Telegram chat IDs are obtained from inbound messages:
  1. When a user messages your bot, Zavu receives the message
  2. The from field contains the user’s chat ID
  3. Store this ID to send future messages
Chat IDs are numeric (e.g., 123456789). They are different from phone numbers and cannot be derived from them.

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Bot Privacy Mode

By default, bots only receive messages that:
  • Are sent directly to the bot
  • Start with / (commands) in groups
  • Mention the bot in groups
To receive all messages in groups, disable privacy mode via BotFather: 
/setprivacy

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Troubleshooting

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Bot token invalid

  • Regenerate the token via BotFather using /token
  • Make sure you copied the complete token

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Messages not arriving

  • Verify the bot is configured correctly in Zavu
  • Check that the webhook is registered (automatic on save)
  • Ensure the bot hasn’t been blocked by the user

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Can’t message user

  • Users must initiate contact first
  • Check if the user blocked the bot
  • Verify the chat ID is correct

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Next Steps