How to get a Telegram Chat ID

Any message SquadOS sends to Telegram on its own — not as a reply to someone — needs a Chat ID. This number tells the bot exactly where the message goes: 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 keep it.

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 — it’s the group’s Chat ID.
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.
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 the Chat ID

With the Chat ID in hand, paste it into the destination field of whatever will send the message. Keep the number: it doesn’t change while the chat exists.

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.