Overview
Secretary Mode is the BotFather capability that allows a bot to be selected as a Telegram Business chatbot. It must be enabled on the same bot token that is connected to Telestars.
- Open the correct bot’s settings in BotFather.
- Enable Secretary Mode and receive confirmation.
- Avoid enabling the setting on a similarly named bot.
- Prepare the bot for Telegram Business linking.
Before you start
- Access to the official @BotFather bot and the Telegram account that owns the bot.
- A Telegram Business profile where the bot should handle private conversations.
- Permission to add and manage bots in the Telestars workspace.
Step by step
- Open the official @BotFather and send /mybots.
- Select the exact @username shown on the Telestars bot card.
- Open Bot Settings, then choose Secretary Mode.
- Tap Turn on and wait for BotFather to confirm that Secretary Mode is enabled.
- Return to My Bots or the launch checklist and keep the username visible for the Telegram Business step.
How it works
These are the product rules and states that matter for this workflow.
| What to know | Telestars behavior |
|---|---|
| Per-bot setting | Secretary Mode is enabled individually in each BotFather bot’s settings. |
| Purpose | It makes the bot eligible for the Chatbots area of a Telegram Business profile. |
| Not sufficient alone | Turning on Secretary Mode does not link a profile or grant reply permission; those actions happen in Telegram Business settings. |
| Identity check | The @username in BotFather must match the connected Telestars bot before you proceed. |
Verify the result
- BotFather shows Secretary Mode as enabled for the intended bot.
- The BotFather username matches the My Bots card.
- The bot can be found when adding a chatbot in Telegram Business.
Troubleshooting
| If you see this | What to check |
|---|---|
| Secretary Mode is not visible | Open /mybots, select the bot, and check Bot Settings. Update Telegram if the current client does not show the latest controls. |
| The bot cannot be found in Chatbots | Confirm Secretary Mode was enabled on the exact same @username, then retry the search in Telegram Business. |
| BotFather says it is already on | Continue to Telegram Business linking; the profile connection and permissions are separate steps. |
Best practice
Use one clearly named BotFather bot per intended profile, keep tokens private, and verify every connection with a real message from a second account.