The short answer
- 1Mention a guest bot's @username in any chat and it replies there without becoming a member.
- 2It sees only the message that mentions it and replies to that message, not the rest of the chat.
- 3The bot's developer must turn on guest mode, and your tagged message still goes to the bot's owner.
In this article
Ask a bot without letting it in
Normally a bot has to be added to a group before it can answer there, and once it is a member it can see more of the conversation. Guest bots work differently. You include the bot's @username in a message, in any private chat or group, and it replies right there, even though it is not a member. Telegram describes it this way: bots "only have access to the specific message they are tagged in and any replies to that message", and they "cannot see which users are in the chat".
The bot's developer has to turn on guest mode, so this works only with bots that support it. When a bot answers as a guest, Telegram marks its reply with who it was for, and iPhone explains it plainly: "This bot can't read the chat – only the message where it was mentioned."
Four ways a bot can be in a conversation
| Type | Member of the chat? | What it sees | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest bot | No | The message that mentions it, and replies to that message | A quick question, translation or summary in a chat you don't want to open up |
| Inline bot | No | Only what you type after its @username, before you send | Picking a GIF, a link or a result to post as your own message |
| Bot added to the group | Yes | Commands and messages addressed to it, by default | Group features such as games, polls or reminders |
| Bot made an admin | Yes | Much more of the conversation | Moderation, such as removing spam |
For what an added bot can read, see what a bot in your group can read; for admin rights, see making a bot an admin.
When a guest bot is the right choice
- You need one answer, not a member. Asking a bot to translate or summarise a single message does not require giving it a seat in the group.
- The group is private. A guest bot sees only the message you tag it in, so the rest of the conversation stays out of its reach.
- You are not an admin. You can call a guest bot without anyone adding it.
Developers who want their bot to be callable this way turn on guest mode in its settings; building bots that answer in other people's chats is covered in building an inline bot.
FAQ
What is a guest bot on Telegram?
A bot you can call in any private chat or group by including its @username, without adding it as a member. It replies in that chat.
What can a guest bot see?
Only the message it is tagged in and replies to that message. It cannot see other messages or the list of members.
Why doesn't a bot answer when I mention it?
Only bots whose developers turned on guest mode can be called this way. Other bots must be added to the group first.
Sources
At a glance
- 1How
Include the bot's @username in a message.
- 2Sees
That message and replies to it, nothing else.
- 3Care
What you tag it with still reaches its owner.
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