# Telegram

> Run the same agent on Telegram, with conversations landing in the same inbox.

Source: https://www.hey.support/docs/integrations/telegram

---

Connecting Telegram lets the same agent answer on Telegram, with the same knowledge, behaviour and capabilities as your website widget. Those conversations land in the same [Inbox](/docs/conversations/inbox).

<Callout>
  Messaging channels are available on **Growth and above**. See [Plans](/docs/billing/plans).
</Callout>

## Setting it up

1. In Telegram, message [@BotFather](https://t.me/botfather) and send `/newbot`. Follow the prompts to name your bot.
2. BotFather replies with an **API token**. Copy it.
3. In Hey Support, open the agent's **Integrations** page and find Telegram under Messaging channels.
4. Paste the token and connect.

We verify the token with Telegram before storing it, so a bad paste fails immediately rather than silently. Once connected the card shows your bot's `@username`.

Tokens are encrypted at rest.

## How it behaves

One Telegram bot connects to one agent. A visitor messaging your bot gets the same answers your website visitors get.

Two differences from the widget, both structural:

* **The conversation has no expiry.** Messaging is a persistent one-to-one surface, so there is no 24-hour resume window — the thread just continues.
* **Cards become text.** A Telegram message cannot render a booking card or a lead form, so the agent shares the same information inline instead.

Inbox rows from Telegram carry a channel chip so you can tell at a glance where a conversation came from. Replying from the Inbox sends back to Telegram; [internal notes](/docs/conversations/inbox) stay internal.

## Disconnecting

Disconnect from the same card. The bot stops relaying immediately. Existing conversations stay in your inbox.

## Other channels

WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram appear as coming-soon in the dashboard.

<Callout>
  One agent, many front doors. Whatever you set in Knowledge, Behavior and [Capabilities](/docs/capabilities/overview) applies everywhere the agent runs — a channel is not a second agent to maintain.
</Callout>