declineSuggestedPost

Returns: TrueOfficial docs ↗

Use this method to decline a suggested post in a direct messages chat. The bot must have the 'can_manage_direct_messages' administrator right in the corresponding channel chat. Returns True on success.

Parameters

chat_idIntegerRequired

Unique identifier for the target direct messages chat

message_idIntegerRequired

Identifier of a suggested post message to decline

commentStringOptionalminLen 0maxLen 128

Comment for the creator of the suggested post; 0-128 characters

Returns

On success, True is returned.

GramIO Usage

// Decline a suggested post without a comment
await bot.api.declineSuggestedPost({
  chat_id: -1001234567890,
  message_id: 42,
  comment: "",
});

// Decline with a reason for the post author
await bot.api.declineSuggestedPost({
  chat_id: -1001234567890,
  message_id: 42,
  comment: "This content doesn't match our channel guidelines.",
});

// Moderate suggested posts via callback query from an admin panel
bot.on("callback_query", async (ctx) => {
  const data = ctx.queryPayload;
  if (typeof data === "string" && data.startsWith("decline:")) {
    const messageId = Number(data.split(":")[1]);
    await bot.api.declineSuggestedPost({
      chat_id: -1001234567890,
      message_id: messageId,
      comment: "Declined by moderator.",
    });
    await ctx.answerCallbackQuery({ text: "Post declined." });
  }
});

Errors

Code	Error	Cause
400	Bad Request: chat not found	chat_id is invalid or the bot has no access to this DM chat
400	Bad Request: message not found	The suggested post message doesn't exist or was already handled
400	Bad Request: comment is too long	comment exceeds 128 characters — shorten the message
403	Forbidden: not enough rights	Bot lacks can_manage_direct_messages right in the corresponding channel
429	Too Many Requests: retry after N	Rate limit hit — check retry_after, use auto-retry plugin

Tips & Gotchas

• The chat_id is the DM chat, not the channel. The bot must have can_manage_direct_messages in the channel, which grants it access to the associated direct messages chat. The chat_id you pass is the DM chat identifier, not the channel ID.
• comment is required but can be empty. Pass "" to decline without leaving feedback for the post author. When declining with a reason, stay within the 128-character limit.
• Pair with approveSuggestedPost for a moderation flow. Both methods work symmetrically — use one or the other depending on the admin decision.
• The suggested post message stays visible until handled. Calling declineSuggestedPost resolves the pending post request; the original message is not automatically deleted.

See Also

• approveSuggestedPost — approve the same suggested post instead
• deleteMessage — delete a message entirely