Telegram has no OAuth for posting on behalf of users — that's a deliberate platform choice. Instead, you create a bot with @BotFather, post mate uses the bot token, and the bot publishes into channels where you make it an admin. Once that is done, post mate works as a Telegram channel scheduler and a Telegram bot poster.
Connect Telegram in 5 steps
- Open Telegram and chat with @BotFather
Search for @BotFather in any Telegram client. Send /newbot, follow the prompts to pick a name and a unique username ending in "bot". @BotFather replies with an HTTP API token that looks like 123456:ABC-DEF...
- Copy the bot token into post mate
Open /app/connections, click "Connect Telegram", paste the token. post mate calls getMe to confirm the token works and stores the bot's username for display.
- Add the bot as an admin of your channel
Open the Telegram channel (or group) you want to post to. Tap the channel name → Administrators → Add Admin → search for your bot's username. Give it at least "Post Messages" permission.
- Tell post mate which channel to target
Back in /app/connections, click "Add channel" under your Telegram bot. Paste the channel @handle (or numeric ID for private channels). post mate verifies the bot can post there before saving.
- Schedule a message
In /app/compose, pick the Telegram channel, write up to 4,096 characters, attach media. At the scheduled time post mate calls sendMessage / sendPhoto / sendVideo. If the bot is removed from the channel, the post fails with a clear error.
Once you're back inside post mate the account shows up on /app/connections with a green connection dot. From there it's available as a target in every composer.
What you can post to Telegram from post mate
- ✓Text message — Up to 4,096 characters.
- ✓Image — JPEG/PNG up to 10 MB.
- ✓Video — MP4, up to 50 MB via Bot API.
- ✓File / document — Any file up to 50 MB.
- ✓Link preview — Enable or disable per post.
- ×Posting to user inboxes / non-admin chats — Bots can only post to channels they admin or chats that started them.
- ×Posting to a user's personal account — Telegram does not allow this.
Telegram API capabilities — the honest list
What works
- Text up to 4,096 chars
- Photo, video, document, audio
- Link previews (toggle)
- Markdown/HTML formatting
- Multiple channels per bot
- Multiple bots per workspace
What the API doesn't expose
- Posting as the user (only as the bot)
- Posting to channels the bot does not admin
- Posting to a user's personal account / inbox
- Editing media (text edit is supported, media edit is limited)
- Stories (no public API)
FAQs
Why do I need to create my own bot?
Telegram doesn't allow third-party apps to post as users. Every published message must come from a bot you control. post mate uses your bot's token — never a shared identity.
Can the bot post to a private channel?
Yes. Make the bot an admin, then add the channel in /app/connections using its numeric ID (you can get it from a forwarded message via @userinfobot).
Why does the bot say "chat not found"?
Either the bot is not an admin of the channel, or you mistyped the @handle. Re-add the bot as admin and verify the handle in Telegram.
Where is the token stored?
Encrypted at rest in post mate. You can revoke it at any time by sending /revoke to @BotFather — post mate will turn the connection red on the next scheduled post.
Can I connect multiple bots?
Yes. Each bot is a separate connection, each with its own list of channels.
Ready to schedule your first post?
Sign up for post mate, connect Telegram from /app/connections, and start cross-posting from a single composer. 14-day free trial, cancel anytime — no credit card to start the trial when you sign up with Google.