When developers or creators talk about a “Telegram API key,” they are almost always referring to one of two distinct credentials, depending on what they want to build: a Bot API Token (for automated bots and channel posting) or an MTProto API ID and Hash (for custom user-account clients).
Understanding which one you need—and how to get, use, and protect it—is the first step toward building anything on Telegram’s platform.
1. The Two Faces of “Telegram API Keys”
Before diving into code, you need to clarify your use case. Telegram splits its developer tools into two entirely separate systems:
| Feature | Bot API Token | MTProto api_id & api_hash |
| :— | :— | :— |
| Primary Use | Creating chatbots, automated notification systems, or posting to channels. | Building custom Telegram clients, scraping data, or automating a personal user account. |
| Who it acts as | A standalone bot identity (a separate “user” with a robot badge). | Your personal Telegram user account. |
| Where to get it | Inside Telegram via @BotFather. | Through the web portal at my.telegram.org. |
| Format | A string like 123456789:ABCdefGhIJKlmNoPQRsTUVwxyZ. | An integer (api_id) and a 32-character hex string (api_hash). |
2. Path A: Getting a Bot API Token (Most Common)
If you want to spin up an automated assistant, hook up an AI wrapper, or send alerts from your server to a Telegram channel, you want a Bot API Token.
Getting one takes less than a minute:
- Open Telegram and search for the official
@BotFatheruser (look for the verified blue checkmark). - Send the command
/startand then send/newbot. - BotFather will prompt you to choose a display name for your bot (
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