# Telegram MCP Server
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/Apache-2.0)
[](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp/actions/workflows/python-lint-format.yml)
[](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp/actions/workflows/docker-build.yml)
---
## 🤖 MCP in Action
Here's a demonstration of the Telegram MCP capabilities in [Claude](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/mcp):
**Basic usage example:**
1. **Example: Asking Claude to analyze chat history and send a response:**
2. **Successfully sent message to the group:**
As you can see, the AI can seamlessly interact with your Telegram account, retrieving and displaying your chats, messages, and other data in a natural way.
---
A full-featured Telegram integration for Claude, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible client, powered by [Telethon](https://docs.telethon.dev/) and the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/). This project lets you interact with your Telegram account programmatically, automating everything from messaging to group management.
---
## 🚀 Features & Tools
This MCP server exposes a huge suite of Telegram tools. **Every major Telegram/Telethon feature is available as a tool!**
### Chat & Group Management
- **get_chats(page, page_size)**: Paginated list of chats
- **list_chats(chat_type, limit)**: List chats with metadata and filtering
- **get_chat(chat_id)**: Detailed info about a chat
- **create_group(title, user_ids)**: Create a new group
- **create_channel(title, about, megagroup)**: Create a channel or supergroup
- **edit_chat_title(chat_id, title)**: Change chat/group/channel title
- **delete_chat_photo(chat_id)**: Remove chat/group/channel photo
- **leave_chat(chat_id)**: Leave a group or channel
- **get_participants(chat_id)**: List all participants
- **get_admins(chat_id)**: List all admins
- **get_banned_users(chat_id)**: List all banned users
- **promote_admin(chat_id, user_id)**: Promote user to admin
- **demote_admin(chat_id, user_id)**: Demote admin to user
- **ban_user(chat_id, user_id)**: Ban user
- **unban_user(chat_id, user_id)**: Unban user
- **get_invite_link(chat_id)**: Get invite link
- **export_chat_invite(chat_id)**: Export invite link
- **import_chat_invite(hash)**: Join chat by invite hash
- **join_chat_by_link(link)**: Join chat by invite link
### Messaging
- **get_messages(chat_id, page, page_size)**: Paginated messages
- **list_messages(chat_id, limit, search_query, from_date, to_date)**: Filtered messages
- **send_message(chat_id, message)**: Send a message
- **reply_to_message(chat_id, message_id, text)**: Reply to a message
- **edit_message(chat_id, message_id, new_text)**: Edit your message
- **delete_message(chat_id, message_id)**: Delete a message
- **forward_message(from_chat_id, message_id, to_chat_id)**: Forward a message
- **pin_message(chat_id, message_id)**: Pin a message
- **unpin_message(chat_id, message_id)**: Unpin a message
- **mark_as_read(chat_id)**: Mark all as read
- **get_message_context(chat_id, message_id, context_size)**: Context around a message
- **get_history(chat_id, limit)**: Full chat history
- **get_pinned_messages(chat_id)**: List pinned messages
- **get_last_interaction(contact_id)**: Most recent message with a contact
### Contact Management
- **list_contacts()**: List all contacts
- **search_contacts(query)**: Search contacts
- **add_contact(phone, first_name, last_name)**: Add a contact
- **delete_contact(user_id)**: Delete a contact
- **block_user(user_id)**: Block a user
- **unblock_user(user_id)**: Unblock a user
- **import_contacts(contacts)**: Bulk import contacts
- **export_contacts()**: Export all contacts as JSON
- **get_blocked_users()**: List blocked users
- **get_contact_ids()**: List all contact IDs
- **get_direct_chat_by_contact(contact_query)**: Find direct chat with a contact
- **get_contact_chats(contact_id)**: List all chats with a contact
### User & Profile
- **get_me()**: Get your user info
- **update_profile(first_name, last_name, about)**: Update your profile
- **delete_profile_photo()**: Remove your profile photo
- **get_user_photos(user_id, limit)**: Get a user's profile photos
- **get_user_status(user_id)**: Get a user's online status
### Media
- **get_media_info(chat_id, message_id)**: Get info about media in a message
### Search & Discovery
- **search_public_chats(query)**: Search public chats/channels/bots
- **search_messages(chat_id, query, limit)**: Search messages in a chat
- **resolve_username(username)**: Resolve a username to ID
### Stickers, GIFs, Bots
- **get_sticker_sets()**: List sticker sets
- **get_bot_info(bot_username)**: Get info about a bot
- **set_bot_commands(bot_username, commands)**: Set bot commands (bot accounts only)
### Privacy, Settings, and Misc
- **get_privacy_settings()**: Get privacy settings
- **set_privacy_settings(key, allow_users, disallow_users)**: Set privacy settings
- **mute_chat(chat_id)**: Mute notifications
- **unmute_chat(chat_id)**: Unmute notifications
- **archive_chat(chat_id)**: Archive a chat
- **unarchive_chat(chat_id)**: Unarchive a chat
- **get_recent_actions(chat_id)**: Get recent admin actions
## Removed Functionality
Please note that tools requiring direct file path access on the server (`send_file`, `download_media`, `set_profile_photo`, `edit_chat_photo`, `send_voice`, `send_sticker`, `upload_file`) have been removed from `main.py`. This is due to limitations in the current MCP environment regarding handling file attachments and local file system paths.
Additionally, GIF-related tools (`get_gif_search`, `get_saved_gifs`, `send_gif`) have been removed due to ongoing issues with reliability in the Telethon library or Telegram API interactions.
---
## 📋 Requirements
- Python 3.10+
- [Telethon](https://docs.telethon.dev/)
- [MCP Python SDK](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/)
- [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/desktop) or [Cursor](https://cursor.so/) (or any MCP client)
---
## 🔧 Installation & Setup
### 1. Fork & Clone
```bash
git clone https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp.git
cd telegram-mcp
```
### 2. Create a Virtual Environment
```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
```
### 3. Generate a Session String
```bash
python3 session_string_generator.py
```
Follow the prompts to authenticate and update your `.env` file.
### 4. Configure .env
Copy `.env.example` to `.env` and fill in your values:
```
TELEGRAM_API_ID=your_api_id_here
TELEGRAM_API_HASH=your_api_hash_here
TELEGRAM_SESSION_NAME=anon
TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING=your_session_string_here
```
Get your API credentials at [my.telegram.org/apps](https://my.telegram.org/apps).
---
## 🐳 Running with Docker
If you have Docker and Docker Compose installed, you can build and run the server in a container, simplifying dependency management.
### 1. Build the Image
From the project root directory, build the Docker image:
```bash
docker build -t telegram-mcp:latest .
```
### 2. Running the Container
You have two options:
**Option A: Using Docker Compose (Recommended for Local Use)**
This method uses the `docker-compose.yml` file and automatically reads your credentials from a `.env` file.
1. **Create `.env` File:** Ensure you have a `.env` file in the project root containing your `TELEGRAM_API_ID`, `TELEGRAM_API_HASH`, and `TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING` (or `TELEGRAM_SESSION_NAME`). Use `.env.example` as a template.
2. **Run Compose:**
```bash
docker compose up --build
```
* Use `docker compose up -d` to run in detached mode (background).
* Press `Ctrl+C` to stop the server.
**Option B: Using `docker run`**
You can run the container directly, passing credentials as environment variables.
```bash
docker run -it --rm \
-e TELEGRAM_API_ID="YOUR_API_ID" \
-e TELEGRAM_API_HASH="YOUR_API_HASH" \
-e TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING="YOUR_SESSION_STRING" \
telegram-mcp:latest
```
* Replace placeholders with your actual credentials.
* Use `-e TELEGRAM_SESSION_NAME=your_session_file_name` instead of `TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING` if you prefer file-based sessions (requires volume mounting, see `docker-compose.yml` for an example).
* The `-it` flags are crucial for interacting with the server.
---
## ⚙️ Configuration for Claude & Cursor
### MCP Configuration
Edit your Claude desktop config (e.g. `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`) or Cursor config (`~/.cursor/mcp.json`):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"telegram-mcp": {
"command": "uv",
"args": [
"--directory",
"/full/path/to/telegram-mcp",
"run",
"main.py"
]
}
}
}
```
## 📝 Tool Examples with Code & Output
Below are examples of the most commonly used tools with their implementation and sample output.
### Getting Your Chats
```python
@mcp.tool()
async def get_chats(page: int = 1, page_size: int = 20) -> str:
"""
Get a paginated list of chats.
Args:
page: Page number (1-indexed).
page_size: Number of chats per page.
"""
try:
dialogs = await client.get_dialogs()
start = (page - 1) * page_size
end = start + page_size
if start >= len(dialogs):
return "Page out of range."
chats = dialogs[start:end]
lines = []
for dialog in chats:
entity = dialog.entity
chat_id = entity.id
title = getattr(entity, "title", None) or getattr(entity, "first_name", "Unknown")
lines.append(f"Chat ID: {chat_id}, Title: {title}")
return "\n".join(lines)
except Exception as e:
logger.exception(f"get_chats failed (page={page}, page_size={page_size})")
return "An error occurred (code: GETCHATS-ERR-001). Check mcp_errors.log for details."
```
Example output:
```
Chat ID: 123456789, Title: John Doe
Chat ID: -100987654321, Title: My Project Group
Chat ID: 111223344, Title: Jane Smith
Chat ID: -200123456789, Title: News Channel
```
### Sending Messages
```python
@mcp.tool()
async def send_message(chat_id: int, message: str) -> str:
"""
Send a message to a specific chat.
Args:
chat_id: The ID of the chat.
message: The message content to send.
"""
try:
entity = await client.get_entity(chat_id)
await client.send_message(entity, message)
return "Message sent successfully."
except Exception as e:
logger.exception(f"send_message failed (chat_id={chat_id})")
return "An error occurred (code: SENDMSG-ERR-001). Check mcp_errors.log for details."
```
Example output:
```
Message sent successfully.
```
### Getting Chat Invite Links
The `get_invite_link` function is particularly robust with multiple fallback methods:
```python
@mcp.tool()
async def get_invite_link(chat_id: int) -> str:
"""
Get the invite link for a group or channel.
"""
try:
entity = await client.get_entity(chat_id)
# Try using ExportChatInviteRequest first
try:
from telethon.tl import functions
result = await client(functions.messages.ExportChatInviteRequest(
peer=entity
))
return result.link
except AttributeError:
# If the function doesn't exist in the current Telethon version
logger.warning("ExportChatInviteRequest not available, using alternative method")
except Exception as e1:
# If that fails, log and try alternative approach
logger.warning(f"ExportChatInviteRequest failed: {e1}")
# Alternative approach using client.export_chat_invite_link
try:
invite_link = await client.export_chat_invite_link(entity)
return invite_link
except Exception as e2:
logger.warning(f"export_chat_invite_link failed: {e2}")
# Last resort: Try directly fetching chat info
try:
if isinstance(entity, (Chat, Channel)):
full_chat = await client(functions.messages.GetFullChatRequest(
chat_id=entity.id
))
if hasattr(full_chat, 'full_chat') and hasattr(full_chat.full_chat, 'invite_link'):
return full_chat.full_chat.invite_link or "No invite link available."
except Exception as e3:
logger.warning(f"GetFullChatRequest failed: {e3}")
return "Could not retrieve invite link for this chat."
except Exception as e:
logger.exception(f"get_invite_link failed (chat_id={chat_id})")
return f"Error getting invite link: {e}"
```
Example output:
```
https://t.me/+AbCdEfGhIjKlMnOp
```
### Joining Chats via Invite Links
```python
@mcp.tool()
async def join_chat_by_link(link: str) -> str:
"""
Join a chat by invite link.
"""
try:
# Extract the hash from the invite link
if '/' in link:
hash_part = link.split('/')[-1]
if hash_part.startswith('+'):
hash_part = hash_part[1:] # Remove the '+' if present
else:
hash_part = link
# Try checking the invite before joining
try:
# Try to check invite info first (will often fail if not a member)
invite_info = await client(functions.messages.CheckChatInviteRequest(hash=hash_part))
if hasattr(invite_info, 'chat') and invite_info.chat:
# If we got chat info, we're already a member
chat_title = getattr(invite_info.chat, 'title', 'Unknown Chat')
return f"You are already a member of this chat: {chat_title}"
except Exception:
# This often fails if not a member - just continue
pass
# Join the chat using the hash
result = await client(functions.messages.ImportChatInviteRequest(hash=hash_part))
if result and hasattr(result, 'chats') and result.chats:
chat_title = getattr(result.chats[0], 'title', 'Unknown Chat')
return f"Successfully joined chat: {chat_title}"
return f"Joined chat via invite hash."
except Exception as e:
err_str = str(e).lower()
if "expired" in err_str:
return "The invite hash has expired and is no longer valid."
elif "invalid" in err_str:
return "The invite hash is invalid or malformed."
elif "already" in err_str and "participant" in err_str:
return "You are already a member of this chat."
logger.exception(f"join_chat_by_link failed (link={link})")
return f"Error joining chat: {e}"
```
Example output:
```
Successfully joined chat: Developer Community
```
### Searching Public Chats
```python
@mcp.tool()
async def search_public_chats(query: str) -> str:
"""
Search for public chats, channels, or bots by username or title.
"""
try:
result = await client(functions.contacts.SearchRequest(q=query, limit=20))
return json.dumps([format_entity(u) for u in result.users], indent=2)
except Exception as e:
return f"Error searching public chats: {e}"
```
Example output:
```json
[
{
"id": 123456789,
"name": "TelegramBot",
"type": "user",
"username": "telegram_bot"
},
{
"id": 987654321,
"name": "Telegram News",
"type": "user",
"username": "telegram_news"
}
]
```
### Getting Direct Chats with Contacts
```python
@mcp.tool()
async def get_direct_chat_by_contact(contact_query: str) -> str:
"""
Find a direct chat with a specific contact by name, username, or phone.
Args:
contact_query: Name, username, or phone number to search for.
"""
try:
# Fetch all contacts using the correct Telethon method
result = await client(functions.contacts.GetContactsRequest(hash=0))
contacts = result.users
found_contacts = []
for contact in contacts:
if not contact:
continue
name = f"{getattr(contact, 'first_name', '')} {getattr(contact, 'last_name', '')}".strip()
username = getattr(contact, 'username', '')
phone = getattr(contact, 'phone', '')
if (contact_query.lower() in name.lower() or
(username and contact_query.lower() in username.lower()) or
(phone and contact_query in phone)):
found_contacts.append(contact)
if not found_contacts:
return f"No contacts found matching '{contact_query}'."
# If we found contacts, look for direct chats with them
results = []
dialogs = await client.get_dialogs()
for contact in found_contacts:
contact_name = f"{getattr(contact, 'first_name', '')} {getattr(contact, 'last_name', '')}".strip()
for dialog in dialogs:
if isinstance(dialog.entity, User) and dialog.entity.id == contact.id:
chat_info = f"Chat ID: {dialog.entity.id}, Contact: {contact_name}"
if getattr(contact, 'username', ''):
chat_info += f", Username: @{contact.username}"
if dialog.unread_count:
chat_info += f", Unread: {dialog.unread_count}"
results.append(chat_info)
break
if not results:
return f"Found contacts matching '{contact_query}', but no direct chats with them."
return "\n".join(results)
except Exception as e:
return f"Error searching for direct chat: {e}"
```
Example output:
```
Chat ID: 123456789, Contact: John Smith, Username: @johnsmith, Unread: 3
```
---
## 🎮 Usage Examples
- "Show my recent chats"
- "Send 'Hello world' to chat 123456789"
- "Add contact with phone +1234567890, name John Doe"
- "Create a group 'Project Team' with users 111, 222, 333"
- "Download the media from message 42 in chat 123456789"
- "Mute notifications for chat 123456789"
- "Promote user 111 to admin in group 123456789"
- "Search for public channels about 'news'"
- "Join the Telegram group with invite link https://t.me/+AbCdEfGhIjK"
- "Send a sticker to my Saved Messages"
- "Get all my sticker sets"
You can use these tools via natural language in Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client.
---
## 🧠 Error Handling & Robustness
This implementation includes comprehensive error handling:
- **Session management**: Works with both file-based and string-based sessions
- **Error reporting**: Detailed errors logged to `mcp_errors.log`
- **Graceful degradation**: Multiple fallback approaches for critical functions
- **User-friendly messages**: Clear, actionable error messages instead of technical errors
- **Account type detection**: Functions that require bot accounts detect and notify when used with user accounts
- **Invite link processing**: Handles various link formats and already-member cases
The code is designed to be robust against common Telegram API issues and limitations.
---
## 🛠️ Contribution Guide
1. **Fork this repo:** [chigwell/telegram-mcp](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp)
2. **Clone your fork:**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/<your-github-username>/telegram-mcp.git
```
3. **Create a new branch:**
```bash
git checkout -b my-feature
```
4. **Make your changes, add tests/docs if needed.**
5. **Push and open a Pull Request** to [chigwell/telegram-mcp](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp) with a clear description.
6. **Tag @chigwell or @l1v0n1** in your PR for review.
---
## 🔒 Security Considerations
- **Never commit your `.env` or session string.**
- The session string gives full access to your Telegram account—keep it safe!
- All processing is local; no data is sent anywhere except Telegram's API.
- Use `.env.example` as a template and keep your actual `.env` file private.
- Test files are automatically excluded in `.gitignore`.
---
## 🛠️ Troubleshooting
- **Check logs** in your MCP client (Claude/Cursor) and the terminal for errors.
- **Detailed error logs** can be found in `mcp_errors.log`.
- **Interpreter errors?** Make sure your `.venv` is created and selected.
- **Database lock?** Use session string authentication, not file-based sessions.
- **iCloud/Dropbox issues?** Move your project to a local path without spaces if you see odd errors.
- **Regenerate session string** if you change your Telegram password or see auth errors.
- **Bot-only functions** will show clear messages when used with regular user accounts.
- **Test script failures?** Check test configuration in `.env` for valid test accounts/groups.
---
## 📄 License
This project is licensed under the [Apache 2.0 License](LICENSE).
---
## 🙏 Acknowledgements
- [Telethon](https://github.com/LonamiWebs/Telethon)
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/)
- [Claude](https://www.anthropic.com/) and [Cursor](https://cursor.so/)
- [chigwell/telegram-mcp](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp) (upstream)
---
**Maintained by [@chigwell](https://github.com/chigwell) and [@l1v0n1](https://github.com/l1v0n1). PRs welcome!**
## Star History
[](https://www.star-history.com/#chigwell/telegram-mcp&Date)