← All guides · updated 2026-09-10
How to get a channel chat id in MAX: three working ways
Step by step: how to find out the chat id of a MAX channel or private chat — via bot events, long polling of updates and checking a known id.
Way 1. Bot events (the main one)
Add the bot to the channel, publish anything in it and look at the update the bot receives: the chat id is inside that event. This is the most reliable way, because the id comes straight from the platform for the exact channel you need.
Way 2. Checking a known id
If you already have a chat id, ask the bot for chat information and look at the response: if the request succeeds, the id is correct, and the response confirms the chat name. This is how the service verifies a channel when you connect it.
Way 3. Automatic capture by the tool
In Postomat you do not need to hunt for the id manually: paste the bot token and send any message to the channel — the service pulls the id from the bot’s update and offers it for connection.
Details
- The chat id is a number, sometimes negative for channels — do not “fix” the minus sign.
- An id from one bot works with any bot that is in the same chat.
- If updates do not arrive, check that the bot is an administrator and that the publishing right is enabled.
Frequently asked
Why are no events arriving?
Most often the bot is not a chat administrator or the publishing right is off; check the channel settings.
Is the chat id the same as the channel link?
No. The link is for readers, the id is a technical number needed by the API to publish.
Can I find the id without a bot?
No: the id is only obtainable through the API, that is, through a bot or a service acting on its behalf.
Try it on your own channels
Free plan: one channel and ten posts a month, no card required.
This guide is also available in Russian — the whole knowledge base exists in both languages.