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Telegram is the simplest platform to connect. You only need a bot token from BotFather, and you’ll be chatting with AI in under 2 minutes.

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Prerequisites

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Setup Guide

1

Create a Bot with BotFather

  1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
  2. Send /newbot
  3. Choose a display name for your bot (e.g., “My AI Assistant”)
  4. Choose a username ending in bot (e.g., my_ai_assistant_bot)
  5. BotFather will reply with your Bot Token — it looks like:
123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz
Keep your bot token secret! Anyone with this token can control your bot.
2

Configure in LemonData Dashboard

  1. Go to your Claw Dashboard
  2. Click the settings icon on your instance
  3. Open the IM Integrations tab
  4. Expand the Telegram section
  5. Paste your Bot Token
  6. Click Save
3

Start Chatting

  1. Open Telegram and find your bot by its username
  2. Send any message (e.g., “Hello!”)
  3. The first user is automatically paired as the owner — no code needed!
  4. Start chatting with AI!

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Optional: Customize Bot Profile

After creating your bot, you can customize it with BotFather:
CommandPurpose
/setdescriptionSet the bot’s bio/description
/setabouttextSet the “About” section
/setuserpicUpload a profile picture
/setcommandsAdd command suggestions

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Using in Groups

Privacy Mode is enabled by default for Telegram bots. In group chats, the bot will only see messages that:
  • Start with / (commands)
  • @mention the bot directly
  • Are replies to the bot’s messages
To let the bot see all group messages, disable Privacy Mode via BotFather: send /setprivacy → select your bot → choose Disable. Note: you must remove and re-add the bot to existing groups for this change to take effect.

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Group Settings

Configure group behavior in the IM Integrations tab of your Dashboard:
SettingOptionsDescription
Group PolicyOpen (default) / Allowlist / DisabledControls who can trigger the bot in groups
Require @mentionOn / OffBot only responds when @mentioned (recommended)
Group IDsList of chat IDsRestrict to specific groups (empty = all groups)
Group Allowed UsersList of user IDsOnly these users can trigger the bot (allowlist mode)
Group Policy controls who can message the bot in groups, while Group IDs controls which groups the bot responds in. Use both together for fine-grained control.

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DM Policy

Control who can send direct messages to your bot:
PolicyBehavior
Pairing (default)New users get a pairing code — enter it in the WebUI to authorize
AllowlistOnly user IDs you specify can message the bot
OpenAnyone can message the bot (use with caution — consumes your AI credits)

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Troubleshooting

  • Verify the bot token is correct (no extra spaces)
  • Check that your instance is running (green status in dashboard)
  • Try restarting the instance from the dashboard
  • Make sure you’re sending a direct message to the bot, not in a group
  • The pairing system activates on the first message from a new user
  • Response time depends on the AI model selected
  • Larger models (Claude Opus, GPT-5) may take a few seconds
  • Check your LemonData balance — insufficient credits will cause errors