How I Built a Telegram Video Avatar Bot With Python and FFmpeg

📰 Dev.to · liveavabot

Learn how to build a Telegram video avatar bot using Python and FFmpeg to convert videos to compatible formats

intermediate Published 21 Apr 2026

Action Steps

Record a short video clip using a device like an iPhone
Use FFmpeg to convert the video from HEVC (H.265) to H.264, a format compatible with Telegram's video avatar system
Write a Python script to interact with the Telegram API and upload the converted video as an avatar
Test the bot to ensure it works correctly and handles potential errors
Deploy the bot on a server or platform to make it accessible to users

Who Needs to Know This

This project is beneficial for developers and engineers who want to create custom Telegram bots or automate tasks, especially those interested in video processing and conversion

Key Insight

💡 Telegram's video avatar system only accepts H.264 videos, so converting from HEVC (H.265) is necessary