How to Add Admins to a Telegram Channel (and What Each Right Means)

To add an admin to a Telegram channel, open the channel, go into its settings, find the administrators section and choose to add an admin. You then pick a person and switch individual rights on or off. Give each admin only the rights they actually need, because some rights cannot be undone once used.

This guide walks through the steps, explains what the common rights do, and covers the mistakes that cause the most trouble for channel owners.

Before you start

A few things are worth knowing before you hand anyone access.

• Only the owner or an admin with the right to add admins can add new ones. If you created the channel, you are the owner.
• Admins act in the channel's name. In a channel, posts appear under the channel's name, not the admin's personal name, unless signatures are switched on.
• Telegram's menus change from time to time. The labels below describe what you will usually see. If a button looks different in your app, look for the closest match in the channel's settings.

How to add an admin, step by step

The process is similar on phones, tablets and the desktop app.

1. Open your channel and tap its name or picture at the top to open the channel info.
2. Open the channel's settings (often an edit or pencil icon, or a "Manage channel" option).
3. Find the section for administrators.
4. Choose the option to add an admin.
5. Search for the person. In many cases they need to be a subscriber of the channel or in your contacts to appear.
6. Review the list of rights and switch off anything they do not need.
7. Optionally give them a custom title, if your app offers one.
8. Save. The person now appears in the administrators list.

To change someone's rights later, open the same administrators list, tap their name and adjust the switches. To remove them, use the dismiss or remove option on the same screen.

Adding a bot as an admin

Bots are added the same way. Many tools for scheduling, moderation and analytics only work once they are admins. Give a bot only the rights its documentation says it needs. Our guide on how to add a bot to a Telegram channel or group goes into more detail.

What each admin right means

The exact names vary between app versions, and Telegram adds or renames rights over time. These are the rights most channel owners will see, described in general terms.

Change channel info

Lets the admin edit the channel name, picture and description. This is more powerful than it sounds. Someone with this right can change how your channel looks to every visitor. Give it only to people you trust with your brand.

Post messages

Lets the admin publish new posts in the channel. This is the right most content helpers need.

Edit messages of others

Lets the admin edit posts that were published by someone else, including the owner. Useful for an editor who fixes typos. Risky if the person is new, because an edit can quietly change the meaning of an old post.

Delete messages of others

Lets the admin remove any post. A deleted post is gone for subscribers. Treat this as a serious right.

Manage stories

Recent versions of Telegram let channels publish stories. Admins can be allowed to post, edit or delete them. If your channel does not use stories, you can leave these off.

Invite users via link

Lets the admin create and manage invite links. This is handy for a marketing helper who tracks promotions. Read our guide to Telegram invite links to see how links can be used to measure where subscribers come from.

Manage live streams or voice chats

Lets the admin start, run and end live audio or video sessions in the channel.

Add new admins

Lets the admin promote other people to admin. This is the most sensitive right after ownership itself. An admin with this right can bring in other people with the same or fewer rights. Most owners keep it to themselves.

Remain anonymous and signatures

Channels publish under the channel's name by default. Some owners switch on post signatures so readers can see which admin wrote each post. This is set in the channel settings rather than per admin in most versions.

Which rights to give to whom

A simple way to decide is to match rights to roles.

• Writer or guest author: post messages. Nothing else.
• Editor: post messages, edit messages of others.
• Community or marketing helper: invite users via link, and possibly post messages.
• Moderator for a linked discussion group: rights in the group, not in the channel. A channel admin is not automatically an admin of the discussion group.
• Bot: only what the bot's own instructions require.
• Co-owner you fully trust: more rights, but still think hard before giving "add new admins".

If you are unsure, start with fewer rights. Adding a right later takes seconds. Undoing a deleted post or a renamed channel can be much harder.

Keeping your channel safe with multiple admins

More admins means more accounts that could be compromised. A hacked admin account can post scam links to all your subscribers within minutes.

1. Ask every admin to turn on two-step verification. Our guide on setting up Telegram two-step verification explains how.
2. Remind admins never to share a login code with anyone, including people claiming to be from Telegram. See why you should never share your Telegram login code.
3. Review the administrators list regularly and remove people who no longer help.
4. Check the channel's recent actions log, if your app shows one, after any unusual post.
5. Keep the owner account separate from day-to-day posting if you can, and protect it carefully.

Common mistakes

• Giving every admin every right. It is the default on some screens, so owners save without looking. Always review the switches.
• Giving "add new admins" casually. One careless admin can then create many more.
• Forgetting bots. Old bots often keep full rights long after you stop using them. Remove the ones you no longer need.
• Assuming channel admins also manage the discussion group. Comments live in a separate linked group with its own admins.
• Adding someone you only know online to a valuable channel. Scams involving "helpers" who later take over channels are common. Read how to spot Telegram scams.
• Never reviewing the list. People leave projects, but their access stays until you remove it.

FAQ

Can an admin remove the owner?

No. An admin cannot remove the channel's owner. However, an admin with broad rights can still do real damage, such as deleting posts or changing the channel's name, so choose rights carefully.

Do subscribers see who the admins are?

Subscribers usually cannot see the full admin list of a channel. Posts appear under the channel's name unless you enable signatures.

Why can't I find the person I want to add?

Telegram may only show people who are subscribers or in your contacts. Ask them to join the channel first, then search again.

Is there a limit on the number of admins?

Telegram has limits, but they change over time. If you hit one, the app will tell you. For most channels a small, trusted team is the better choice anyway.

How is an admin different from the owner?

The owner has every right and can do a few things no admin can, such as deleting the channel or transferring ownership. Our guide on transferring channel ownership covers that process.

Does adding admins affect my TGDirectory listing?

No. Your listing reflects the channel itself. If you want to prove you run the channel on TGDirectory, you can claim it from its listing page by adding our bot as an admin. Our guide on claiming your channel on TGDirectory explains how.

Summary

Adding an admin takes a minute: open the channel's settings, go to administrators, add a person and choose their rights. The important part is the rights screen. Give writers the right to post, editors the right to edit, and keep sensitive rights like "add new admins" and "change channel info" for people you fully trust. Ask every admin to use two-step verification, and review your admin list from time to time.