Telegram MCP Server (Eugene Evstafev)
Telegram chat, contact, and media operations accessible via MCP interface.
Data last scanned today · Reviewed today
Overview
Telegram MCP Server acts as an interface between your AI assistant and your Telegram account. Utilizing the Telethon library, it exposes over 80 distinct tools to manage interactions, including sending messages, downloading media, and handling chat group administrative tasks. The server supports complex workflows such as message scheduling, poll creation, and contact alias management. It is designed to handle multiple accounts and includes configuration options for proxies, device identities, and file path management.
Our verdict
This server receives a medium security risk score of 65/100. While it benefits from having zero direct dependencies and a highly active development lifecycle with 39 contributors, it is community-maintained and lacks an official vendor audit. Users should be aware that the authentication mechanism has not been editorially reviewed, so caution is advised when handling sensitive chat data.
- Zero direct dependencies reduce the supply-chain attack surface.
- Active development with commits occurring within the last 24 hours.
- Supports a read-only configuration for safer integration.
- Community participation includes 39 distinct contributors.
- Not maintained by the official Telegram platform vendor.
- Authentication method remains unreviewed by security professionals.
- Lacks OAuth support for managing account access permissions.
Tools
| Tool | Description | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| download_media | Downloads media from Telegram. | medium |
| upload_file | Uploads a file to Telegram. | medium |
| send_voice | Sends a voice message to Telegram. | medium |
| send_sticker | Sends a sticker to Telegram. | medium |
| set_profile_photo | Sets the user profile photo. | medium |
| edit_chat_photo | Edits the chat photo. | medium |
Compatibility
| Client | Local | Docker | Remote | Read-only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Desktop | ||||
| Cursor | ||||
| VS Code | ||||
| Windsurf | ||||
| ChatGPT |
Frequently asked questions
›What are the core requirements to run the Telegram MCP server?
You need Python 3.10 or higher, an MCP-compatible client like Claude Desktop or Cursor, and your Telegram API credentials obtained from my.telegram.org.
›How do I install the server safely?
Do not install via pip or uvx as the 'telegram-mcp' package on PyPI belongs to an unrelated project. Instead, clone the GitHub repository directly and use uv sync to set up your environment.
›How can I restrict the server to read-only mode?
You can set the TELEGRAM_EXPOSED_TOOLS environment variable to 'read-only', which prevents the registration of tools capable of modifying your account or sending messages.
›Is it possible to enable specific write tools while using read-only mode?
Yes, you can append a plus sign followed by a comma-separated list of tool names, such as 'read-only+send_message', to selectively expose specific write capabilities.
›How do I authenticate the server with my Telegram account?
Use the provided session_string_generator.py script, which supports interactive prompts, QR code login, or standard phone number and verification code entry to generate the required session string.
Badge
Maintain this server? Add the live badge to your README.