idbot
What the idbot bots do
A reference. The numeric ID of a user, group, channel or bot is on the home page. This page is what the bot adds under a person’s ID, and what opens separately.
How the reply is built
- The lists below appear under a person’s ID: their username, a forwarded message, or the pick-user button. Groups are also offered for a numeric ID. A group, channel or bot username does not get these lines.
- A line whose count is zero is left out.
- In a group, the chat keeps the count and a “Details in a private chat” button. It only opens the private chat with the bot: send the same request there to get the list buttons.
- The price is on the button under the reply. Each feature has its own page.
- These lists are not in the HTTP API. The API returns username → id only.
Past usernames
- What to send
- A person’s username, a message forwarded from them, or the pick-user button.
- What comes back
- A “Past usernames” line under the ID, when there are any.
- What is paid
- The list of those usernames. The count is free.
Past names
- What to send
- A person’s username, a message forwarded from them, or the pick-user button.
- What comes back
- A “Past names” line under the ID, when there are any.
- What is paid
- The list of those names. The count is free.
Groups
- What to send
- A person’s username, a forwarded message, the pick-user button, or a numeric ID.
- What comes back
- A “Groups” line under the ID, when the bot knows at least one.
- What is paid
- The list as a message and an Excel file: chat id, title, username, link, public or private, admin, left, message count, first and last message, last message id. The count is free.
Messages in groups
- What to send
- A person’s username, a message forwarded from them, or the pick-user button.
- What comes back
- A “Messages in groups” line under the ID, when there are any.
- What is paid
- A file with those messages. The count is free.
Approximate account date
- What to send
- A person’s username, a message forwarded from them, the pick-user button, or Reply in another chat when the author is a person.
- What comes back
- An “Account created” line under the ID, with a month and a year. It is an estimate from the numeric ID, not a date from Telegram. The newest IDs say “after”. The line is absent from a numeric-ID lookup, from the “this is your ID” reply, and from the short line used when one message contains several usernames.
- What is paid
- Nothing. The line is free.
VK page ID
- What to send
- A link to a person or a community: vk.com, vk.ru, vk.me or vk.link, a short name, id123, club, public or event. A post, photo or clip does not work.
- What comes back
- Type, address, name and numeric id. A community id is negative. A closed, deleted or blocked page is marked. In a private chat the reply asks what you were looking for: the bot cannot find someone’s Telegram from a VK page.
- What is paid
- Nothing. The reply is free.
Instagram profile ID
- What to send
- A link to an Instagram profile. Sharing it from the app works. A link to a post or a reel does not.
- What comes back
- The numeric ID, username, name, and whether the profile is public or private.
- What is paid
- Nothing. The reply is free.
Bot ID from a token
- What to send
- The bot token in a private chat. In a group the bot does not read the token and asks you to revoke it in @BotFather.
- What comes back
- Name, username and a shortened ID, plus flags: can join groups, reads all messages, inline, business, Web App.
- What is paid
- The full ID, from the button or with a subscription.
Inline mode
- What to send
- Type @username_to_id_bot in any chat. With nothing after it: your ID. A space and a @username: that account’s ID. A numeric ID: its username and name.
- What comes back
- The option you tap is sent into the chat as a “via @username_to_id_bot” message with a button into the bot. Your own ID can go with the approximate sign-up date.
- What is paid
- Lookup by numeric ID needs a subscription. Usernames use the same daily limit as in the bot; ones that are not found do not count.