A Telegram user ID is a permanent numeric identifier that stays with an account even after the person changes their name, photo, or @username. You will not see it anywhere in the normal app interface, which is why most people need a quick, reliable way to look it up.
This guide covers every working method in 2026, whether you want your own ID, someone else's, or the ID of a group or channel. The steps are the same on Android, iOS, Telegram Desktop, and Telegram Web, so pick the method that matches what you are trying to find.
Quick answer: open Telegram, search for @userinfobot, tap Start, and the bot replies with your numeric user ID instantly. To find another person's ID, forward one of their messages to the bot. For a group or channel, add a bot like @getidsbot to it.
What a Telegram User ID Is
Every Telegram account has a unique numeric user ID assigned when the account is created. It is different from a username (the public handle that starts with @) and from your phone number, both of which you can change at any time.
The numeric ID stays fixed for the life of the account. Developers rely on it to build bots, manage channels, and route notifications, because it is the one value about an account that does not change.
Telegram hides this number from the standard interface on purpose. To reveal it you need a lookup bot, the Bot API, or an export tool, all of which are covered below.
Find Your Own User ID With a Bot
The fastest way to see your own ID is to ask a dedicated info bot. @userinfobot is the most widely used and returns your ID the moment you start it.
- 1.Open Telegram and make sure you are logged in.
- 2.Tap the search bar at the top and type @userinfobot, then select it from the results.
- 3.Tap Start at the bottom of the chat.
The bot immediately replies with your numeric user ID along with your first name, last name, and language setting. Tap and hold the number to copy it.
Only tap Start and read what the bot sends back. Never send passwords, login codes, private messages, or personal documents to an ID lookup bot, since they are not needed and the chat is not the place for them.
Find Another Person's User ID
You usually cannot pull a stranger's ID from their @username alone, because Telegram does not expose IDs from username searches. The reliable approach is to forward a message that person sent.
- 1.Open the chat that contains a message from the user.
- 2.Long press or right click the message and choose Forward.
- 3.Send it to @userinfobot (or an alternative like @getidsbot).
The bot reads the forwarded message and replies with the original sender's numeric ID. This only works when the sender has not turned on forwarded message privacy, which strips their identity from forwards. If their account is hidden in forwards, the bot cannot recover the ID.
Inside a group you share with the person, a bot that is a member of that group can also report participant IDs. A user who has never interacted in the group or messaged the bot will not have a retrievable ID.
Use Alternative ID Bots
If @userinfobot is slow or unavailable, several other bots do the same job. Searching for and starting any of them works exactly like the steps above.
- @getidsbot returns your ID and also works when added to groups and channels.
- @myidbot gives your user ID after you tap Start.
- @getmyid_bot shows your user ID and the current chat ID together.
Stick with bots that only report public account details. If a bot asks for your phone number, login code, or a permission unrelated to reading an ID, leave the chat and use a different one.
Find a Group or Channel ID
Groups and channels have their own numeric IDs, which you need for bots, automation, and the Bot API. The simplest method is to add an ID bot to the group or channel.
- 1.Open the group or channel where you have permission to add members.
- 2.Add @getidsbot as a member.
- 3.The bot posts the chat ID, after which you can remove it again.
For the Bot API, supergroup and channel IDs are written with a -100 prefix, so an ID such as 123456789 becomes -100123456789. Personal chat IDs are the same positive number as the user ID.
Find an ID on Telegram Desktop and Web
Both Telegram Desktop and the browser version at web.telegram.org support the same bots. Search for the bot, press Start, or forward a message exactly as you would on mobile.
On the web client you can also read a chat identifier straight from the address bar. Open the conversation, group, or channel, then look at the URL, which contains the numeric part of the chat ID.
Telegram Desktop additionally has a developer option that prints raw IDs in the interface. It is buried in advanced settings and changes between versions, so a bot is the more dependable route for most people.
Get an ID With the Bot API
Developers can read user, group, and channel IDs directly from the Telegram Bot API. First create a bot by messaging @BotFather and following the prompts to receive an access token.
BotFather > /newbot > copy the token
Send any message to your new bot (and for a group, add the bot and disable its privacy mode in BotFather so it can see messages). Then open this URL in a browser, replacing the placeholder with your token.
https://api.telegram.org/bot<YourToken>/getUpdates
The response is JSON. Find the chat object inside it and read the id field, which is the chat ID. The from object holds the sender's user ID. If the response is empty, send the bot another message and reload the URL.
Username Versus User ID
A username and a user ID are not the same thing, and mixing them up is the most common point of confusion. A username is the public @handle people use to find and message you, and you can change or remove it whenever you like.
The user ID is the fixed numeric value behind the account. Bots and automation use the ID rather than the username precisely because the ID never changes, while a username can be edited or transferred to someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Telegram user ID permanent?
Yes. The numeric user ID is assigned when the account is created and does not change, even if you update your name, photo, phone number, or @username. Telegram does not offer a setting to change it.
Can I find someone's ID without them knowing?
Forwarding their message to a bot reads the ID silently, and the other person is not notified. It only works if they have not enabled forwarded message privacy, which hides their identity in forwards.
Why can't I find a user's ID from their username?
Telegram does not expose IDs through username searches alone. The person needs to have sent a message you can forward, or to have interacted in a group or with a bot, before their ID becomes retrievable.
How do I get a group or channel ID?
Add an ID bot such as @getidsbot to the group or channel and it posts the chat ID. For the Bot API, prefix supergroup and channel IDs with -100, for example -100123456789.
What is the difference between a username and a user ID?
A username is the public @handle you can change at any time, while the user ID is a permanent numeric value that never changes. Bots and developers rely on the ID because it stays constant.
The ID bot is not responding, what should I do?
Check your internet connection, then close and reopen Telegram and tap Start again. If it still fails, try an alternative bot like @getidsbot or @myidbot, which perform the same lookup.
First published October 15, 2025. Last updated June 4, 2026.
