Telegram MCP Server
Connects an assistant to your Telegram account to list dialogs, read messages, mark chats as read and save draft replies.
- Maintained by
- Community (chaindead)
- Hosting
- Runs locally on your machine
- Authentication
- API key or credentials (environment variables)
- Last checked
Uses your own Telegram API ID and hash; run the package's one-time auth command before first use.
How to connect the Telegram MCP server
Pick your AI client and paste the snippet. Swap the YOUR_… placeholders for your own values. New to this? Our guide to how MCP clients and servers fit together explains what each piece does.
Claude Code
claude mcp add --env TG_APP_ID=YOUR_TG_APP_ID --env TG_API_HASH=YOUR_TG_API_HASH --transport stdio telegram \
-- npx -y @chaindead/telegram-mcpClaude Desktop
{
"mcpServers": {
"telegram": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@chaindead/telegram-mcp"
],
"env": {
"TG_APP_ID": "YOUR_TG_APP_ID",
"TG_API_HASH": "YOUR_TG_API_HASH"
}
}
}
}Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop after saving.
Full Claude Desktop setup guide →Cursor
{
"mcpServers": {
"telegram": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@chaindead/telegram-mcp"
],
"env": {
"TG_APP_ID": "YOUR_TG_APP_ID",
"TG_API_HASH": "YOUR_TG_API_HASH"
}
}
}
}VS Code
{
"servers": {
"telegram": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@chaindead/telegram-mcp"
],
"env": {
"TG_APP_ID": "YOUR_TG_APP_ID",
"TG_API_HASH": "YOUR_TG_API_HASH"
}
}
}
}Frequently asked questions
What is the Telegram MCP server?
It is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server — a small piece of software that gives AI assistants like Claude a secure, governed connection to Telegram. Connects an assistant to your Telegram account to list dialogs, read messages, mark chats as read and save draft replies.
Is there an official Telegram MCP server?
Not from Telegram itself. This one is community-maintained (chaindead). It is widely used, but review the repository and pin a version before relying on it in production.
Is the Telegram MCP server hosted, or do I run it myself?
It runs locally. Your AI client starts it on your own machine with npx, and it talks to the client over standard input and output rather than the network.
Do I need an API key for the Telegram MCP server?
Yes. The local server reads TG_APP_ID, TG_API_HASH from its environment, so you create those credentials first and add them to your client's config.
What can an AI assistant actually do with Telegram?
Through this server an assistant can work with list dialogs, read messages, mark as read, draft messages — reading from and acting on Telegram directly instead of you copy-pasting between windows. What you allow it to do is controlled by the permissions you grant.
How do I set this up for my business?
The setup section above has copy-paste config for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor and VS Code. If you want it rolled out across a team with permissions, governance and support handled, that is what Crox's Build engagement covers.
New to MCP? Start with our plain-English guide to the Model Context Protocol or see how to connect AI to your business tools without writing code .
Want this connected to your business — with governance handled?
Crox maps your processes, connects AI to the tools you already use, and keeps it working as models change. Start with a readiness assessment or talk to us about a build.