Anyone trying to create their first Telegram bot knows that some botfather commands are tricky, and one mistake can ruin the entire process. There are many textual and video tutorials on how to work with Telegram Botfather, and there’s not much to add to them. But here, we have explained its commands and tokens step-by-step. Plus, we have introduced SmartBotsLand, a platform to add more features to the bot (features that the Botfather alone cannot make).
What Is Telegram Botfather?
Botfather is Telegram’s official robot that allows all users to create bots. With Botfather, no user should develop a bot from scratch. In other words, interacting with Botfather is the first step in creating a new Telegram bot. It allows you to give your bot a name, a link, and a profile picture or delete it whenever it’s no longer needed.
Why Do People Use Telegram Botfather?
Developing a Telegram bot without Botfather is almost impossible, and of course, against Telegram’s policy. To put it another way, Telegram created Botfather to monitor the bots created by users and block those who violate its rules and regulations. Besides creating bots, people use Telegram Botfather for the following purposes:
- Changing bot settings.
- Generating API keys.
- Setting a welcome message/picture.
- Running the bot as a mini app. (learn more about mini apps or web apps via this link.)
- Activating the business mode.
- Allowing the bot to send a message in groups.
- Using a “payment provider” for the bot.
- Creating simple buttons.
- Integrating it with a website.
And many more.
Telegram Botfather Commands
Working with Botfather is quite easy, but many misunderstand its commands. We have introduced them all here to help you understand the commands better.
**NOTE:** You can access the commands by typing / (slash) in the bot (the traditional way) or opening the mini app (the blue Open at the bottom left).
/newbot
Create a new bot using this command. Once you run this command, it asks you to add your bot’s name, username, and description. Except for the token, you change all the info later.
/mybots
You can edit your existing bots or get their API tokens. This command is super important because it allows you to delete the bot, transfer its ownership, or change its payment settings. When you click the “Edit Bot”, you can change the bot’s name, description, picture, commands, privacy and policy, and others.
/myapps
You can create a web app for your bot using this button. By clicking the /newapp command, Telegram Botfather will ask you to enter a title, a short description, a picture (with specified dimensions), a GIF (you can skip it), and a short name (3-30 characters).
/mygame
With this command, you can create an HTML game bot. However, there is a set of rules you should obey. For example, you are not allowed to promote a business, spam users with the information you collect from them, or use cookies.
/token
In simple words, a token is the bot’s ID. This is how Telegram knows your bot. Without a token, you cannot send messages, process commands, or access other bot functionalities. Anyone with your bot token can control your bot, send messages from it, and manage its settings. So, it’s important to keep it safe, just like what Botfather’s web app does (look at the picture below)
/revoke
Your token is like a password. So, if it’s compromised or you want to change it, use this command. Telegram Botfather will change the token, but the bot info will remain the same.
/setname
Use this Telegram Botfather command to change the bot’s name. There is no specific character limit for the name, and you can change it an unlimited number of times.
/setdescription
This command lets you change the bot’s description. According to Botfather itself, “People will see this description when they open a chat with your bot, in a block titled ‘What can this bot do?’.”
/setabouttext
The “About” text will appear on the bot’s profile page and be forwarded to anybody who shares it.
/setuserpic
The user pic is the bot’s own image, not a user’s profile image. The file you send to the bot files must be under 50MB, and the best dimensions are 512×512 pixels.
/setinline
With this command, you can activate the inline mode for your bot. You probably saw the inline mode in bots like @GIF and @gamee. The inline mode allows your bot to display content directly in the message input field, without being added to the chat.
/setinlinegeo
If you enable “Inline Geo”, the bot asks for permission to get the user’s location every time they send a query. In a chat, type @foursquare to see an example.
/setinlinefeedback
If you want to know what users are choosing inline mode, enable this feature. It helps the bot owner understand which items are most popular. The owner will receive two things in the inline feedback: 1) the chosen result’s ID, 2) the user’s ID.
/setcommands
You can customize the bot’s commands based on your needs. As the Telegram says, “Commands must always start with the / symbol and contain up to 32 characters”. Also, you should use a fixed pattern to add commands. The Telegram Botfather DO NOT accept anything other than this format:
command1 – XXXXX
command2 – YYYYY
/setjoingroups
In case you want to keep the bot private, you can prevent group invitations. On the other hand, you can let people add the bot to their groups by clicking “Enable” (if it’s disabled).
/setdomain
This command allows you to add a “Login with Telegram” button to your website. The website receives the user’s Telegram ID, name, and username (but not their phone number) when they hit this button.
/setprivacy
By default, Telegram bots only work when you use a predefined command, starting with a slash (like /start). However, if you want the bot to receive all messages (even those without a slash), you can use the /setprivacy command.
/deletebot
As its name suggests, you can delete your bot with this Botfather command. When you delete the conversation between you and the bot, the bot can no longer send you messages or interact with you, unless you /start it again.
/newapp
If you want your bot to open a website, use this command. The Telegram Botfather asks for a name, description, and URL to create a web app.
/listapp, /editapp, and /deleteapp
With the first command, you can get a list of web apps you own, and with the second one, you can edit the web app. /deleteapp is also used to delete the web app from the bot. If you delete the web app, the blue open button will be removed.
/new game, /listgames, /editgames, and /deletegame
These 4 commands are used to create, edit, or delete the game bots on Telegram. As mentioned earlier, creating a game bot has many responsibilities, and the developer must adhere to Telegram’s Terms of Service.
Telegram Botfather Commands in a Nutshell
|
Category |
Command | Description |
|
General |
/newbot |
Create a new bot |
|
/mybots |
Edit your bots |
|
|
Edit Bots |
/setname |
Change a bot’s name |
|
/setdescription |
Change bot description |
|
|
/setabouttext |
Change bot about info |
|
|
/setuserpic |
Change bot profile photo |
|
|
/setcommands |
Change the list of commands |
|
|
/deletebot |
Delete a bot |
|
|
Bot Settings |
/token |
Get authorization token |
|
/revoke |
Revoke bot access token |
|
|
/setinline |
Toggle inline mode |
|
|
/setinlinegeo |
Toggle inline location requests |
|
|
/setinlinefeedback |
Change inline feedback settings |
|
|
/setjoingroups |
Allow your bot to be added to groups |
|
| /setprivacy |
Toggle privacy mode in groups |
|
|
Web Apps |
/myapps |
Edit your web apps |
|
/newapp |
Create a new web app | |
|
/listapps |
Get a list of your web apps |
|
| /editapp |
Edit a web app |
|
| /deleteapp | Delete an existing web app | |
|
Games |
/mygames |
Edit your games |
|
/newgame |
Create a new game |
|
| /listgames |
Get a list of your games |
|
| /editgame |
Edit a game |
|
| /deletegame |
Delete an existing game |
How Can I Level Up My Telegram Bot?
Telegram Botfather only allows you to create basic bots with limited actions. To have a more complex and professional bot, you should use bot-creating platforms like SmartBotsLand. With such platforms, you can add multiple buttons and files to the bot, create an online store, manage groups, collect money from subscribers, and more.
What Are Telegram Bots Mostly Used for?
The main function of Telegram bots is summarized in 3 words: to automate tasks. To be more specific, Telegram bots are used for the following purposes:
Run a business
– With a Telegram shop bot, you can show your products, handle orders, and process payments directly in Telegram.
– Using a subscription bot, you can manage paid memberships, renew expired ones, accept payment, generate VIP codes, etc.
– A customer support bot answers the FAQs and reduces workload on human support teams.
Manage Telegram groups
– Automatically ban spams, filter messages, delete harmful links and curse words, and enforce group rules.
– Run polls, quizzes, or challenges.
– Send updates, announcements, or news directly to subscribers.
– Provide a report about the number of violating users.
Content creation
AI bots like ChatGPT and Grok can create visual and textual content. Also, some bots send fresh content from RSS feeds, websites, or social media to the groups or channels.
Note: The RSS feature can also benefit crypto traders who make money via signals.
Help with the daily tasks
Telegram bots can create a to-do list, set reminders, or manage calendars, book flights and tickets, open maps, find nearby places based on the location, and connect to external apps like Google Drive, Trello, or GitHub.
Entertainment
Telegram supports HTML5 games that can run inside chats (group and private ones).
Is Telegram Botfather Safe?
Botfather is the official bot of Telegram; so if you trust Telegram, you should trust its beloved bot too. Moreover, it only accesses your general information, like name, phone number, and profile picture. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about.
When you search Botfather, there will be lots of fake botfathers in the search results. Make sure the one you choose has the verified blue checkmark.
FAQs
1. How to create a Telegram bot using Botfather?
To create a new bot on Telegram, start the @Botfather and follow the steps. Choose a proper name, username, description, and picture. The Botfather will give you a token that you can use on different platforms (like SmartBotsLand) to make your bot more professional and useful.
2. Is BotFather free to use?
Yes, Telegram Botfather is totally free.
3. Is it illegal to use Telegram bots?
As long as you obey Telegram’s rules and regulations, it is completely legal to use Telegram bots.
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