diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.test.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6632ecea10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/**
+ * @vitest-environment node
+ */
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { TelegramBlock } from '@/blocks/blocks/telegram'
+
+describe('TelegramBlock tools.config.params', () => {
+  it('accepts public photo URLs for telegram_send_photo', () => {
+    const params = TelegramBlock.tools.config.params({
+      operation: 'telegram_send_photo',
+      botToken: 'token',
+      chatId: ' 123 ',
+      photo: ' https://example.com/a.jpg ',
+      caption: 'hello',
+    } as any)
+
+    expect(params).toEqual({
+      botToken: 'token',
+      chatId: '123',
+      photo: 'https://example.com/a.jpg',
+      caption: 'hello',
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('accepts stringified JSON photo objects from advanced-mode references', () => {
+    const params = TelegramBlock.tools.config.params({
+      operation: 'telegram_send_photo',
+      botToken: 'token',
+      chatId: '123',
+      photo: '{"url":"https://example.com/a.jpg"}',
+    } as any)
+
+    expect(params.photo).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+  })
+
+  it('supports legacy `withPhoto` alias', () => {
+    const params = TelegramBlock.tools.config.params({
+      operation: 'telegram_send_photo',
+      botToken: 'token',
+      chatId: '123',
+      withPhoto: 'https://example.com/a.jpg',
+    } as any)
+
+    expect(params.photo).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects multiple photo values', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      TelegramBlock.tools.config.params({
+        operation: 'telegram_send_photo',
+        botToken: 'token',
+        chatId: '123',
+        photo: ['https://example.com/1.jpg', 'https://example.com/2.jpg'],
+      } as any)
+    ).toThrow('Photo reference must be a single item, not an array.')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.ts b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.ts
index ce4076d384..0488a84f07 100644
--- a/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.ts
+++ b/apps/sim/blocks/blocks/telegram.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { TelegramIcon } from '@/components/icons'
 import type { BlockConfig } from '@/blocks/types'
 import { AuthMode } from '@/blocks/types'
 import { normalizeFileInput } from '@/blocks/utils'
+import { normalizeTelegramMediaParam } from '@/tools/telegram/media'
 import type { TelegramResponse } from '@/tools/telegram/types'
 import { getTrigger } from '@/triggers'
 
@@ -269,13 +270,14 @@ export const TelegramBlock: BlockConfig<TelegramResponse> = {
               messageId: params.messageId,
             }
           case 'telegram_send_photo': {
-            // photo is the canonical param for both basic (photoFile) and advanced modes
-            const photoSource = normalizeFileInput(params.photo, {
-              single: true,
+            // photo supports both public URLs/file_ids and UserFile objects.
+            // Backwards-compatible aliases (e.g., `withPhoto`) are supported for older saved workflows.
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+            const rawPhoto = params.photo ?? (params as any).withPhoto ?? (params as any).with_photo
+            const photoSource = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(rawPhoto, {
+              label: 'Photo',
+              errorMessage: 'Photo is required.',
             })
-            if (!photoSource) {
-              throw new Error('Photo is required.')
-            }
             return {
               ...commonParams,
               photo: photoSource,
@@ -283,13 +285,12 @@ export const TelegramBlock: BlockConfig<TelegramResponse> = {
             }
           }
           case 'telegram_send_video': {
-            // video is the canonical param for both basic (videoFile) and advanced modes
-            const videoSource = normalizeFileInput(params.video, {
-              single: true,
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+            const rawVideo = params.video ?? (params as any).withVideo ?? (params as any).with_video
+            const videoSource = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(rawVideo, {
+              label: 'Video',
+              errorMessage: 'Video is required.',
             })
-            if (!videoSource) {
-              throw new Error('Video is required.')
-            }
             return {
               ...commonParams,
               video: videoSource,
@@ -297,13 +298,12 @@ export const TelegramBlock: BlockConfig<TelegramResponse> = {
             }
           }
           case 'telegram_send_audio': {
-            // audio is the canonical param for both basic (audioFile) and advanced modes
-            const audioSource = normalizeFileInput(params.audio, {
-              single: true,
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+            const rawAudio = params.audio ?? (params as any).withAudio ?? (params as any).with_audio
+            const audioSource = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(rawAudio, {
+              label: 'Audio',
+              errorMessage: 'Audio is required.',
             })
-            if (!audioSource) {
-              throw new Error('Audio is required.')
-            }
             return {
               ...commonParams,
               audio: audioSource,
@@ -311,13 +311,13 @@ export const TelegramBlock: BlockConfig<TelegramResponse> = {
             }
           }
           case 'telegram_send_animation': {
-            // animation is the canonical param for both basic (animationFile) and advanced modes
-            const animationSource = normalizeFileInput(params.animation, {
-              single: true,
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+            const rawAnimation =
+              params.animation ?? (params as any).withAnimation ?? (params as any).with_animation
+            const animationSource = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(rawAnimation, {
+              label: 'Animation',
+              errorMessage: 'Animation is required.',
             })
-            if (!animationSource) {
-              throw new Error('Animation is required.')
-            }
             return {
               ...commonParams,
               animation: animationSource,
diff --git a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/media.test.ts b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/media.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..26c8583ff0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/media.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/**
+ * @vitest-environment node
+ */
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { normalizeTelegramMediaParam } from '@/tools/telegram/media'
+
+describe('normalizeTelegramMediaParam', () => {
+  it('accepts trimmed URL/file_id strings', () => {
+    expect(normalizeTelegramMediaParam('  https://example.com/a.jpg  ', { label: 'Photo' })).toBe(
+      'https://example.com/a.jpg'
+    )
+    expect(normalizeTelegramMediaParam('  ABC123  ', { label: 'Photo' })).toBe('ABC123')
+  })
+
+  it('accepts URL instances', () => {
+    expect(
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam(new URL('https://example.com/a.jpg'), { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+  })
+
+  it('accepts object shapes with url/href/file_id', () => {
+    expect(
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam({ url: 'https://example.com/a.jpg' }, { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+    expect(
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam({ href: 'https://example.com/a.jpg' }, { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+    expect(normalizeTelegramMediaParam({ file_id: 'FILE_ID' }, { label: 'Photo' })).toBe('FILE_ID')
+    expect(normalizeTelegramMediaParam({ fileId: 'FILE_ID_2' }, { label: 'Photo' })).toBe(
+      'FILE_ID_2'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('parses stringified JSON objects/arrays from advanced-mode inputs', () => {
+    expect(
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam('{\"url\":\"https://example.com/a.jpg\"}', { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+
+    expect(
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam('[{\"url\":\"https://example.com/a.jpg\"}]', { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toBe('https://example.com/a.jpg')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects missing values with a configurable message', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam('', { label: 'Photo', errorMessage: 'Photo is required.' })
+    ).toThrow('Photo is required.')
+
+    expect(() => normalizeTelegramMediaParam(undefined, { label: 'Photo' })).toThrow(
+      'Photo URL or file_id is required.'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('rejects multiple values when an array is provided', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam([{ url: 'a' }, { url: 'b' }], { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toThrow('Photo reference must be a single item, not an array.')
+
+    expect(() =>
+      normalizeTelegramMediaParam('[{\"url\":\"a\"},{\"url\":\"b\"}]', { label: 'Photo' })
+    ).toThrow('Photo reference must be a single item, not an array.')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/media.ts b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/media.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aef1c7c458
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/media.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+function isRecord(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
+  return typeof value === 'object' && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value)
+}
+
+export function normalizeTelegramMediaParam(
+  input: unknown,
+  opts: {
+    label: string
+    errorMessage?: string
+    multipleErrorMessage?: string
+  }
+): string {
+  const missingMessage = opts.errorMessage ?? `${opts.label} URL or file_id is required.`
+  const multipleMessage =
+    opts.multipleErrorMessage ??
+    `${opts.label} reference must be a single item, not an array. Select one item (e.g. <block.files[0]>).`
+
+  if (input === null || input === undefined) {
+    throw new Error(missingMessage)
+  }
+
+  if (typeof input === 'string') {
+    const trimmed = input.trim()
+    if (trimmed.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(missingMessage)
+    }
+
+    // Support advanced-mode values that were JSON.stringify'd into short-input fields.
+    if (trimmed.startsWith('{') || trimmed.startsWith('[')) {
+      let parsed: unknown
+      try {
+        parsed = JSON.parse(trimmed) as unknown
+      } catch {
+        parsed = undefined
+      }
+
+      if (parsed !== undefined) {
+        return normalizeTelegramMediaParam(parsed, opts)
+      }
+    }
+
+    return trimmed
+  }
+
+  if (input instanceof URL) {
+    const asString = input.toString().trim()
+    if (asString.length > 0) return asString
+    throw new Error(missingMessage)
+  }
+
+  if (Array.isArray(input)) {
+    if (input.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error(missingMessage)
+    }
+    if (input.length > 1) {
+      throw new Error(multipleMessage)
+    }
+    return normalizeTelegramMediaParam(input[0], opts)
+  }
+
+  if (isRecord(input)) {
+    if ('url' in input && typeof input.url === 'string') {
+      const url = input.url.trim()
+      if (url.length > 0) return url
+    }
+
+    if ('href' in input && typeof input.href === 'string') {
+      const href = input.href.trim()
+      if (href.length > 0) return href
+    }
+
+    if ('file_id' in input && typeof input.file_id === 'string') {
+      const fileId = input.file_id.trim()
+      if (fileId.length > 0) return fileId
+    }
+
+    if ('fileId' in input && typeof input.fileId === 'string') {
+      const fileId = input.fileId.trim()
+      if (fileId.length > 0) return fileId
+    }
+  }
+
+  throw new Error(missingMessage)
+}
diff --git a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_animation.ts b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_animation.ts
index 191dc188d8..9418afae79 100644
--- a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_animation.ts
+++ b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_animation.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { ErrorExtractorId } from '@/tools/error-extractors'
+import { normalizeTelegramMediaParam } from '@/tools/telegram/media'
 import type {
   TelegramMedia,
   TelegramSendAnimationParams,
@@ -52,9 +53,10 @@ export const telegramSendAnimationTool: ToolConfig<
       'Content-Type': 'application/json',
     }),
     body: (params: TelegramSendAnimationParams) => {
+      const animation = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(params.animation, { label: 'Animation' })
       const body: Record<string, any> = {
         chat_id: params.chatId,
-        animation: params.animation,
+        animation,
       }
 
       if (params.caption) {
diff --git a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_audio.ts b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_audio.ts
index d539f7f226..d136a2db9e 100644
--- a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_audio.ts
+++ b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_audio.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { ErrorExtractorId } from '@/tools/error-extractors'
+import { normalizeTelegramMediaParam } from '@/tools/telegram/media'
 import type {
   TelegramAudio,
   TelegramSendAudioParams,
@@ -50,9 +51,10 @@ export const telegramSendAudioTool: ToolConfig<TelegramSendAudioParams, Telegram
         'Content-Type': 'application/json',
       }),
       body: (params: TelegramSendAudioParams) => {
+        const audio = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(params.audio, { label: 'Audio' })
         const body: Record<string, any> = {
           chat_id: params.chatId,
-          audio: params.audio,
+          audio,
         }
 
         if (params.caption) {
diff --git a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_photo.ts b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_photo.ts
index 7454925844..b64f0ea7f0 100644
--- a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_photo.ts
+++ b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_photo.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { ErrorExtractorId } from '@/tools/error-extractors'
+import { normalizeTelegramMediaParam } from '@/tools/telegram/media'
 import type {
   TelegramPhoto,
   TelegramSendPhotoParams,
@@ -50,9 +51,10 @@ export const telegramSendPhotoTool: ToolConfig<TelegramSendPhotoParams, Telegram
         'Content-Type': 'application/json',
       }),
       body: (params: TelegramSendPhotoParams) => {
+        const photo = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(params.photo, { label: 'Photo' })
         const body: Record<string, any> = {
           chat_id: params.chatId,
-          photo: params.photo,
+          photo,
         }
 
         if (params.caption) {
diff --git a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_video.ts b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_video.ts
index 72ec45250d..d0bbb06907 100644
--- a/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_video.ts
+++ b/apps/sim/tools/telegram/send_video.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { ErrorExtractorId } from '@/tools/error-extractors'
+import { normalizeTelegramMediaParam } from '@/tools/telegram/media'
 import type {
   TelegramMedia,
   TelegramSendMediaResponse,
@@ -50,9 +51,10 @@ export const telegramSendVideoTool: ToolConfig<TelegramSendVideoParams, Telegram
         'Content-Type': 'application/json',
       }),
       body: (params: TelegramSendVideoParams) => {
+        const video = normalizeTelegramMediaParam(params.video, { label: 'Video' })
         const body: Record<string, any> = {
           chat_id: params.chatId,
-          video: params.video,
+          video,
         }
 
         if (params.caption) {