Send Telegram Chat Action

Action ID: telegram_send_chat_action

Description

Send a chat action to a Telegram chat to indicate what the bot is doing. Chat actions show users that the bot is actively processing, typing, uploading, or performing some other action. This improves user experience by providing visual feedback during long operations.

Provider

Telegram

Connection

Name	Description	Required	Category
Telegram Bot Connection	The Telegram bot connection to use for sending the chat action.	✓	telegram

Input Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Default	Description
chat_id	string	✓	-	Unique identifier for the target chat or username of the target channel (in the format @channelusername)
action	dropdown	✓	-	Type of action to broadcast. Choose one, depending on what the user is about to receive: typing for text messages, upload_photo for photos, record_video or upload_video for videos, record_voice or upload_voice for voice notes, upload_document for general files, choose_sticker for stickers, find_location for location data, record_video_note or upload_video_note for video notes.
business_connection_id	string	-	-	Unique identifier of the business connection on behalf of which the action will be sent
message_thread_id	integer	-	-	Unique identifier for the target message thread; for supergroups only

View JSON Schema

{
  "description": "Telegram send chat action node input.",
  "properties": {
    "chat_id": {
      "title": "Chat ID",
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Unique identifier for the target chat or username of the target channel (in the format @channelusername)"
    },
    "action": {
      "title": "Action",
      "type": "string",
      "enum": [
        "typing",
        "upload_photo",
        "record_video",
        "upload_video",
        "record_voice",
        "upload_voice",
        "upload_document",
        "choose_sticker",
        "find_location",
        "record_video_note",
        "upload_video_note"
      ],
      "description": "Type of action to broadcast. Choose one, depending on what the user is about to receive: typing for text messages, upload_photo for photos, record_video or upload_video for videos, record_voice or upload_voice for voice notes, upload_document for general files, choose_sticker for stickers, find_location for location data, record_video_note or upload_video_note for video notes."
    },
    "business_connection_id": {
      "title": "Business Connection ID",
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Unique identifier of the business connection on behalf of which the action will be sent"
    },
    "message_thread_id": {
      "title": "Message Thread ID",
      "type": "integer",
      "description": "Unique identifier for the target message thread; for supergroups only"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "chat_id",
    "action"
  ],
  "title": "TelegramSendChatActionInput",
  "type": "object"
}

Output Parameters

Name	Type	Description
success	boolean	Whether the chat action was sent successfully.
error	string	The error that occurred if the chat action was not sent successfully.

View JSON Schema

{
  "description": "Output from a Telegram send chat action.",
  "properties": {
    "success": {
      "title": "Success",
      "type": "boolean",
      "description": "Whether the chat action was sent successfully."
    },
    "error": {
      "title": "Error",
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The error that occurred if the chat action was not sent successfully."
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "success"
  ],
  "title": "TelegramSendChatActionOutput",
  "type": "object"
}

How It Works

This node sends a chat action indicator to notify users that the bot is performing a specific activity. Common actions include "typing" (shows typing indicator), "upload_photo" (shows uploading animation), "record_video" (shows recording indicator), and others. The action is displayed for a few seconds. Chat actions are especially useful for long operations where you want to show progress to the user before sending the actual content.

Usage Examples

Example 1: Show Typing Indicator

Input:

chat_id: "123456789"
action: "typing"

Output:

success: true

Example 2: Show Upload Photo Action

Input:

chat_id: "-1001234567890"
action: "upload_photo"

Output:

success: true

Example 3: Show Recording Video Action with Thread

Input:

chat_id: "-1001234567890"
action: "record_video"
message_thread_id: 42

Output:

success: true

Example 4: Show Find Location Action

Input:

chat_id: "@mychannel"
action: "find_location"

Output:

success: true

Example 5: Failed Chat Action

Input:

chat_id: "invalid_id"
action: "typing"

Output:

success: false
error: "Bad Request: chat not found"

Common Use Cases

• Long Processing: Show "typing" while processing complex queries

• File Upload: Show "upload_photo" or "upload_video" while generating media

• Search Operations: Show "find_location" while searching for information

• Document Generation: Show "upload_document" while creating files

• Video Processing: Show "record_video" while encoding or processing videos

• User Feedback: Provide visual feedback during any long operation

• Better UX: Improve user experience by reducing perceived wait time

Supported Actions

Action	Meaning	Best Used When
typing	Bot is typing a message	Generating text responses
upload_photo	Bot is uploading a photo	Processing image requests
record_video	Bot is recording a video	Capturing or processing video
upload_video	Bot is uploading a video	Encoding or transferring video
record_voice	Bot is recording a voice message	Processing audio input
upload_voice	Bot is uploading a voice message	Sending audio files
upload_document	Bot is uploading a document	Creating or processing files
choose_sticker	Bot is choosing a sticker	Selecting from sticker library
find_location	Bot is finding a location	Searching maps or location data
record_video_note	Bot is recording a video note	Processing short videos
upload_video_note	Bot is uploading a video note	Sending short video files

Error Handling

Error Type	Cause	Solution
Invalid Chat ID	Chat ID doesn't exist or bot doesn't have access	Verify chat ID and ensure bot is member of chat
Invalid Action	Action value is not recognized	Use one of the supported action types
Authentication Error	Bot token is invalid or expired	Verify Telegram connection configuration
Permission Denied	Bot lacks permission to send actions	Check bot permissions in chat
User Blocked Bot	User has blocked the bot	User needs to unblock bot first
Chat Not Found	Chat has been deleted or is inaccessible	Verify chat still exists
Timeout Error	Request took too long to complete	Try again or check connection

Notes

• Duration: Chat actions are displayed for approximately 5 seconds. If the operation takes longer, send the action again.

• Timing: Send the action just before starting the operation so the indicator appears immediately.

• Refresh: For long operations, resend the action every 3-5 seconds to keep the indicator visible.

• Selection: Choose the action that best matches what the user will receive for consistency.

• User Experience: Chat actions provide important feedback that reduces user frustration during waits.

• Channel vs Private: Chat actions work in both private chats and groups/channels.

• Message Threads: For supergroup topics/threads, use message_thread_id to show action in specific thread.

• Quiet Operation: Chat actions are subtle indicators that don't generate notifications.