I’m working on a Python Telegram bot project and need help with a specific feature. I want my bot to monitor and capture all messages that are sent in a separate private chat. Basically, I need the bot to act like a listener that can read everything happening in another chat conversation and then forward or process those messages.
The main challenge I’m facing is figuring out how to connect the bot to a different chat room so it can access the message stream. I’ve been searching online for solutions but haven’t found clear documentation on this approach.
Is there a way to configure a Telegram bot so it can monitor messages from a chat it’s not directly participating in? What would be the best method to implement this kind of message monitoring functionality?
Regular Telegram bots are limited to receiving messages only from chats they are part of. They cannot monitor external private conversations or groups they haven’t been invited to, as that would infringe on user privacy. If you’re looking to capture messages from a specific chat, the bot needs to be added to that chat. However, it can only process messages directed at it unless privacy mode is disabled by the chat admin. For scenarios that require monitoring your own messages, consider using Telegram’s MTProto API with a user account, keeping in mind the strict guidelines set by Telegram regarding privacy and service use.
What you’re describing won’t work with standard Telegram bots. The API just doesn’t allow it. Bots can only see messages from chats they’re added to, and even then they need to be mentioned or have privacy mode turned off to see regular messages. I’ve tried similar projects and had to completely rethink the approach. If you really need this, try Telegram’s client API instead of the bot API - but that’s messy too since you’ll need a real user account and phone verification. The best workaround I found was making a user bot with libraries like pyrogram, but you’re still stuck with the same limits. You can only monitor chats your account is actually in.
I hit this exact problem building a monitoring system for my team. Here’s the deal - Telegram blocks this type of cross-chat monitoring for security reasons. Even if you get your bot into the target chat, it’ll only see messages when someone mentions it directly (unless privacy mode is off). What actually worked for me: ditch the bot approach and use a user client instead. Libraries like aiogram with MTProto support let you authenticate with your phone number rather than a bot token. This gives you access to any chat your personal account can see. Downside? It’s more complex and has stricter rate limits. Just make sure you read Telegram’s terms first - especially the parts about automated message processing.
From my experience with Telegram bots, what you’re asking for won’t work with the standard Bot API because of privacy rules. Bots can only see messages in chats where they’re members, and they’ll only catch messages directed at them unless the chat admin changes privacy settings. I’ve had better luck with libraries like Telethon or Pyrogram - they use the MTProto protocol and let you create user accounts that can monitor chats you have access to. Just heads up though, you’ll need to use your personal phone number to set it up, and you’ve got to follow Telegram’s terms of service. Really depends if you’re trying to track your own conversations or legally access messages from other chats.
yep, totally agree! the regular bot API just won’t cut it for that. telegram is strict about privacy, no spying on chats! if u wanna go the extra mile, try MTProto libraries like Telethon, but that means u’re not really making a bot anymore—just automating a user account, and that can get tricky.