Open Telegram and search for the (the official bot creation tool). Start a chat and type the command /newbot .
To build this setup without spending any money, you will need:
To move beyond basic text alerts and receive actual image snapshots when motion occurs, you can leverage free third-party automation tools if your camera firmware does not natively support direct Telegram photo uploads. Option A: Using Scrypted or Home Assistant (Recommended)
You don’t need to buy a new camera. You can turn an old Android or iPhone into a fully functional IP camera.
: Written in Rust for performance, this bot is unique because it's designed to be deployed on an old Android phone using Termux . You can take a forgotten device, install Termux, and turn it into a dedicated controller that fetches live records from your IP cameras and sends them to Telegram on command. It’s a fantastic way to recycle old hardware.
For tech enthusiasts, creating a hardware-based bridge is the most flexible free option:
The script converts this data into a displayed directly in your terminal or on a local web interface.
: Some budget-friendly "Chinese IP cameras" (like those from XM/XiongMai) can be enhanced with open-source firmware like , which includes tools like to send motion alerts directly to Telegram. DIY with Raspberry Pi
Generate a QR code containing the Python script or a simple URL that points to a pre-configured automation service. Better yet, encode your bot token and chat ID into a QR, then use a QR-reader app on a Raspberry Pi to auto-configure.