# sendChatAction

> Use this method when you need to tell the user that something is happening on the bot's side

**Category:** Telegram Bot API — Methods (A-Z)  
**URL:** https://docs.botlify.cloud/sendchataction  
**Platform:** Botlify Cloud (https://botlify.cloud)  

---

Use this method when you need to tell the user that something is happening on the bot's side. The status is set for 5 seconds or less (when a message arrives from your bot, Telegram clients clear its typing status). Returns *True* on success.

Example: The ImageBot needs some time to process a request and upload the image. Instead of sending a text message along the lines of "Retrieving image, please wait...", the bot may use sendChatAction with *action* = *upload_photo*. The user will see a "sending photo" status for the bot.

We only recommend using this method when a response from the bot will take a **noticeable** amount of time to arrive.

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| business_connection_id | String | Optional | Unique identifier of the business connection on behalf of which the action will be sent |
| chat_id | Integer or String | Yes | Unique identifier for the target chat or username of the target bot or supergroup in the format @username. Channel chats and channel direct messages chats aren't supported. |
| message_thread_id | Integer | Optional | Unique identifier for the target message thread or topic of a forum; for supergroups and private chats of bots with forum topic mode enabled only |
| action | String | Yes | Type of action to broadcast. Choose one, depending on what the user is about to receive: typing for text messages, upload_photo for photos, record_video or upload_video for videos, record_voice or upload_voice for voice notes, upload_document for general files, choose_sticker for stickers, find_location for location data, record_video_note or upload_video_note for video notes. |

## Example

```php

```

> [!TIP]
> **Botlify Cloud Runtime**
> Credentials are auto-injected in .env — always load them with getenv(): BOT_TOKEN, ADMIN_CHAT_ID, BOT_USERNAME. Main database: database.db (SQLite, WAL mode). Runtime errors: error.log. Quick test: send to $ADMIN_CHAT_ID. Full details: Runtime Reference.