Direct Messages in Channels

Bot API 9.2 — August 2025

A channel can open a direct messages tab: a place where readers write to the channel and the admins answer. Each reader gets their own thread, called a direct messages topic, so the admins see one conversation per person instead of one flat feed.

It is the channel-side counterpart of a support inbox, and it is also the channel where Suggested Posts are proposed.

Listing the topics

async for topic in app.get_direct_messages_topics(channel_id):
    print(topic.id, topic.user.first_name, topic.unread_count)

Each DirectMessagesTopic carries who is on the other side (user), the unread counters and last_message. get_direct_messages_topics_by_id() fetches specific ones when you already have their ids.

Reading a conversation

get_direct_messages_chat_topic_history() walks one topic the way get_chat_history() walks a chat:

async for message in app.get_direct_messages_chat_topic_history(channel_id, topic_id):
    print(message.from_user.first_name, message.text)

Pass reverse=True to read oldest-first, and offset_id / offset_date to resume where you stopped.

delete_direct_messages_chat_topic_history() clears one thread without touching the others.

Replying into a topic

Send methods take direct_messages_topic_id, which is what puts your reply in the right thread:

await app.send_message(
    chat_id=channel_id,
    text="Thanks for writing in!",
    direct_messages_topic_id=topic_id,
)

Leaving it out sends to the channel’s general direct messages area, which is rarely what you want when you are answering somebody.

Gotchas

  • direct_messages_topic_id and message_thread_id are different parameters for different things: the first is a per-user thread in a channel’s direct messages, the second is a forum topic in a supergroup. See Topics and Drafts.

  • can_send_unpaid_messages on the topic tells you whether that user may write without paying. A channel charging for messages will reject an unpaid reply chain.

  • Reading topics is a user-session method. A bot administering the channel works through the ordinary message updates instead.