Skip to main content

Send Photo

Sends a photo to a Telegram chat. Supports both local file paths and URLs, with optional captions and reply functionality.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Input​

  • Client Id - (Optional) The unique identifier for the bot client connection obtained from the Connect node. If not provided, you can use Bot Token instead.
  • Chat Id - The target chat identifier where the photo will be sent. Can be:
    • A user's Telegram ID (e.g., 123456789)
    • A group chat ID (e.g., -987654321)
    • A channel ID (e.g., -1001234567890)
  • Photo Url or Path - The photo source. Can be:
    • A local file path (e.g., C:\Users\John\Pictures\photo.jpg)
    • A URL to an image (e.g., https://example.com/image.jpg)

Options​

  • Bot Token - (Optional) The Telegram bot token credential. This is an alternative to using Client Id - provide either Client Id OR Bot Token.
  • Reply Id - (Optional) The message ID to reply to. If specified, the photo will be sent as a reply. Default: 0 (no reply).
  • Caption - (Optional) Text caption for the photo. Supports up to 1024 characters and can include formatting.

Output​

  • n/a - No output

How It Works​

The Send Photo node sends an image to a specified Telegram chat. When executed, the node:

  1. Either uses the provided Client Id or creates a temporary connection using Bot Token
  2. Validates the Chat Id and Photo Url or Path
  3. Determines if the input is a URL or file path
  4. For URLs: Uses Telegram's FromURL method to send the image directly
  5. For file paths: Reads the local file and uploads it to Telegram
  6. Applies the optional caption if provided
  7. If Reply Id is provided, sends the photo as a reply to that message
  8. Returns success or error based on the API response

Requirements​

  • Either a valid Client Id from a Connect node OR a valid Bot Token credential
  • A valid Chat Id where the bot has permission to send photos
  • For file paths:
    • The file must exist and be readable
    • Supported formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, WEBP
    • Maximum file size: 10 MB
    • Recommended resolution: Up to 1280×1280 pixels
  • For URLs:
    • The URL must be publicly accessible
    • Must point directly to an image file
    • Same size and format limitations apply

Error Handling​

The node will return errors in the following cases:

  • Empty or invalid Chat Id
  • Empty or invalid Photo Url or Path
  • File not found (for local paths)
  • File too large (over 10 MB)
  • Unsupported image format
  • URL not accessible or not pointing to an image
  • Bot doesn't have permission to send photos to the chat
  • Network connectivity issues
  • Telegram API errors

Usage Examples​

Send Local Photo:

Connect
  → Send Photo (
      Chat Id: 123456789,
      Photo Url or Path: "C:\Reports\chart.png"
    )
  → Disconnect

Send Photo from URL:

Send Photo:
  Chat Id: 123456789
  Photo Url or Path: "https://example.com/image.jpg"
  Caption: "Here's the image you requested"

Send Photo with Caption:

Send Photo:
  Chat Id: 123456789
  Photo Url or Path: "/tmp/screenshot.png"
  Caption: "Screenshot taken at 10:30 AM"

Reply with Photo:

Receive Message
  → Send Photo (
      Chat Id: message.chat.id,
      Reply Id: message.message_id,
      Photo Url or Path: "/path/to/response.jpg"
    )

Supported Image Formats​

  • JPG/JPEG - Most common, good compression
  • PNG - Supports transparency
  • GIF - Static images (use Send Animation for animated GIFs)
  • BMP - Uncompressed format
  • WEBP - Modern format with good compression

Use Cases​

Automated Reporting:

Generate Chart
  → Save as PNG
  → Send Photo (chart to manager)

Visual Notifications:

Trigger (on alert)
  → Take Screenshot
  → Send Photo (to monitoring channel)

Product Catalog Bot:

Receive Message (product query)
  → Search Database
  → Send Photo (product image with caption)

Image Processing:

Receive Message (with photo)
  → Download File
  → Apply Filters
  → Send Photo (processed image)

Daily Reports:

Schedule (daily at 9 AM)
  → Generate Report Chart
  → Send Photo (to team channel with summary caption)

Best Practices​

  • Optimize image size - Compress images to under 1 MB for faster uploads
  • Use appropriate formats - JPG for photos, PNG for graphics with transparency
  • Add captions - Include context to make photos more meaningful
  • Validate paths - Check that files exist before attempting to send
  • Handle URLs carefully - Verify URLs are accessible and point to images
  • Use absolute paths - Always use full paths for local files
  • Test with small files first - Verify your flow works before sending large images
  • Consider privacy - Be careful with sensitive images

File Path Examples​

Windows:

C:\Users\John\Documents\report.png
D:\Images\photo.jpg
\\NetworkShare\Photos\image.png

Linux/Mac:

/home/user/documents/report.png
/tmp/screenshot.jpg
~/Pictures/photo.png

URL Examples​

https://example.com/images/photo.jpg
https://cdn.example.com/static/image.png
https://api.example.com/files/12345.jpg

Caption Formatting​

Captions support the same formatting as Send Message:

MarkdownV2:

*Bold* _italic_ `code` [link](https://example.com)

HTML:

<b>Bold</b> <i>italic</i> <code>code</code>

Note: Set Parse Mode in the caption if you want formatting (this requires additional configuration).

Common Patterns​

Send Multiple Photos:

For Each (imagePath in imageList)
  → Send Photo (Chat Id: chatId, Photo Url or Path: imagePath)
  → Delay (1 second)  // Avoid rate limits

Photo with Dynamic Caption:

let caption = `Report for ${date}
Total: ${total}
Status: ${status}`;

// Use in Caption field

Conditional Photo Sending:

If (reportType == "visual")
  → Send Photo (chart image)
Else
  → Send Message (text report)

Error Handling:

Try {
  Send Photo (local file)
}
Catch {
  Send Photo (backup URL)
}

Image Quality Tips​

  • Resolution: Keep under 1280×1280 for optimal display
  • File Size: Aim for under 1 MB for quick uploads
  • Aspect Ratio: Telegram preserves aspect ratio
  • Compression: Use 85-90% quality for JPG to balance size and quality
  • Thumbnails: Telegram automatically generates thumbnails

Telegram Display Behavior​

  • Photos are displayed inline in the chat
  • Users can tap to view full-size
  • Photos show previews in chat list
  • Captions appear below the photo
  • Photos can be saved by users (unless Protect Content is used in Forward)

Troubleshooting​

File Not Found:

  • Verify the file path is correct and absolute
  • Check file permissions
  • Ensure the file hasn't been moved or deleted

Upload Fails:

  • Check file size (must be under 10 MB)
  • Verify image format is supported
  • Test with a smaller image

URL Not Working:

  • Ensure URL is publicly accessible
  • Check that URL points directly to image file
  • Try downloading the URL manually to verify

Poor Quality:

  • Use higher resolution source images
  • Choose appropriate format (PNG for graphics, JPG for photos)
  • Avoid re-compressing already compressed images

Tips​

  • Telegram automatically creates multiple sizes for efficient loading
  • Photos sent by URL are downloaded by Telegram's servers, not your bot
  • Local files are uploaded from your machine
  • For multiple photos, consider using a photo album (requires multiple Send Photo nodes)
  • Caption length is limited to 1024 characters (vs. 4096 for regular messages)
  • You can edit captions after sending using Telegram's edit message API
  • Photos preserve EXIF data unless removed before sending
  • Animated GIFs should use Send Animation node instead