How can I make my Telegram bot respond to file uploads in group chats?

Other Questions Telegram bot
1

I’ve created a Telegram bot that’s supposed to react when someone uploads a document. It works fine in private chats but doesn’t do anything in group chats. Here’s a simplified version of my code:

def file_handler(bot, update):
    bot.send_message(update.message.chat_id, 'File received!')
    print('File received')

def setup_bot():
    bot_token = 'your_token_here'
    bot_updater = BotUpdater(bot_token, worker_count=5)

    dispatcher = bot_updater.dispatcher
    dispatcher.add_handler(MessageHandler(Filters.document, file_handler))

    bot_updater.start_polling()
    bot_updater.idle()

setup_bot()

The bot stays silent when I upload files in group chats. Any ideas why this might be happening? How can I fix it so the bot responds to file uploads in groups too?

2

I encountered a similar issue with my Telegram bot. The problem is likely due to the bot’s privacy settings, which by default restrict its access to group chat messages. To solve this, contact @BotFather and use the /setprivacy command to disable privacy mode. This change allows your bot to see all messages, including file uploads in group chats. Make sure your bot has the necessary group permissions and that your event handlers are properly configured. Finally, restart your bot to apply the changes.

3

hey, have u tried using the @BotFather to change ur bot’s privacy settings? i had the same issue and that fixed it for me. also make sure ur bot is an admin in the group chat. if it still doesnt work, try adding some debug logs to see whats going on. good luck!

4

I’ve dealt with this exact problem before. The key is adjusting your bot’s privacy settings through BotFather. Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to make sure your bot is an admin in the group with the right permissions.

One thing to watch out for: even after changing settings, it might take a while for changes to propagate. I had to wait about 30 minutes before my bot started responding in groups.

Also, double-check your error handling. Sometimes, issues in group chats don’t throw obvious errors. I added some logging to track when the bot was actually receiving messages, which helped me pinpoint the problem.

Lastly, if you’re still having trouble, try using the getUpdates method directly. It can give you more insight into what your bot is actually receiving from Telegram’s servers.