How to Create a Telegram Bot with BotFather in 2026

To create a Telegram bot, open the official @BotFather, send the /newbot command, then choose a bot name and a unique username (it must end in bot). BotFather instantly returns an access token — a string like 123456789:AA.... That is your working bot: all that remains is to set the description, avatar and command menu.

What is BotFather and why do you need it?

BotFather is Telegram's official bot for creating and managing every other bot. You can't write logic through it, but you can register a bot, get its token and configure its "storefront." Finding it is easy: search @BotFather in Telegram and pick the account with the blue verification badge — that protects you from copycat fakes.

• Registration of a new bot and token issuance.
• Configuration of the name, username, description, avatar and command menu.
• Management: rotating the token, revoking access, deleting the bot.

How to create a bot with /newbot: step by step

The whole process takes about two minutes and needs no programming skills. Here is the order:

1. Open the chat with @BotFather and press Start.
2. Send the /newbot command.
3. Enter the bot name — what users see in the chat header (for example, "Delivery Shop"). Spaces and emoji are allowed here.
4. Enter the username — Latin letters, no spaces, and it must end in bot (for example, delivery_shop_bot). It has to be unique across all of Telegram.
5. Receive the message with your token. Copy it and store it somewhere safe.

If the username is taken, BotFather will ask for another. In practice it's handy to keep 2–3 backup options ready so you're not guessing blind.

What is the bot token and how do you protect it?

The token is your bot's password: anyone who holds it gets full control of the bot. So treat it like a bank password.

• Never publish the token in public repositories, screenshots or chats.
• Store it in environment variables or a secrets manager, not in your code.
• If the token leaks, send BotFather /revoke (or /token) to reset the old one and get a fresh token.

We tested this: after /revoke the old token stops working instantly, and every connected script has to be updated to the new one.

How to set the description, avatar and commands?

You configure the bot's "storefront" through /mybots → select the bot → Edit Bot, or with individual commands. These details are what build trust on first contact.

• /setdescription — text shown on the empty screen before the user starts (what the bot does).
• /setabouttext — a short "About" line in the profile.
• /setuserpic — the avatar (a square image).
• /setcommands — the command menu that pops up by the input field. Format: command - description, one per line.

BotFather command table

Below is the working command set that covers a full bot setup in 2026:

Can you create a bot without coding?

Yes. BotFather gives you the token, and the conversation logic can be built in a visual builder — without a single line of code. It's the fastest route for a shop, service booking or automated broadcasts.

Popular builders include Puzzlebot, SendPulse, BotHelp, Salebot and Manybot. The principle is the same everywhere: paste the token, then assemble the flow from "message," "button" and "condition" blocks.

How to connect the bot to a channel?

To make the bot work with a channel, add it as a channel administrator and grant the rights it needs (post messages, manage messages). Technically this takes a minute — what matters far more is that the channel has a real audience the bot is being launched for.

1. Open channel settings → Administrators → Add.
2. Find the bot by its username.
3. Grant rights: post, edit and delete messages.

Without subscribers, even a perfectly configured bot is just an empty storefront — so build the audience first, then automate.

Common mistakes

• Username without "bot" at the end — BotFather simply won't accept the name.
• Publishing the token in GitHub or screenshots — a direct path to a hijacked bot.
• Forgetting /setcommands — users don't see the menu and don't know what to tap.
• No channel rights granted — the bot is added but can't post.
• Ignoring /setprivacy — in groups the bot can't see the messages it needs and seems "unresponsive."
• Opening the wrong BotFather — without the blue badge it may be a fake.

Once the bot is configured and added to the channel, the next logical step is growing the channel itself — the audience everything was built for. You can start with free Telegram services, and we break down the growth system in our guides on how to create a Telegram channel and how to gain subscribers. A modest boost at the start is just one of the launch tools, not a replacement for content.

If you want a fast start for the channel behind your bot, take a look at Telegram promotion services on SMM Hub: safe, no password or account access, with gradual delivery.

In short

You can create a Telegram bot in a couple of minutes: open @BotFather, send /newbot, set a name and a username ending in "bot," and save the token. Then configure the description, avatar and /setcommands, and build the logic in a no-code builder. Guard the token like a password, and for a channel bot, build the audience first.