Azure Bot Framework GroupMe Bot Fix Guide

The Azure Bot Framework GroupMe bot configuration you’ve completed is missing critical OAuth redirect URL setup, which prevents the bot from being discoverable and usable in GroupMe groups. The blank page you encounter after GroupMe authentication indicates an incomplete OAuth configuration flow that needs proper redirect URI handling.

Contents

• Understanding the OAuth Redirect Issue
• Step-by-Step GroupMe Bot Configuration
• Troubleshooting Common Problems
• Advanced Configuration Options
• Alternative Solutions

Understanding the OAuth Redirect Issue

The core problem you’re experiencing stems from the OAuth redirect URL configuration between your GroupMe application and Azure Bot Service. When you navigate to https://oauth.groupme.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=[MY_CLIENT_ID] and complete authentication, you’re redirected to a blank https://dev.botframework.com page instead of the expected callback URL.

This happens because the redirect URL registered in your GroupMe application doesn’t match the actual OAuth flow endpoint that Azure Bot Service expects. According to the official documentation, the redirect URL must be properly configured in both GroupMe and Azure for the authentication flow to work correctly.

The OAuth authentication flow follows this sequence:

1. User initiates bot addition via GroupMe
2. GroupMe redirects to GroupMe OAuth page
3. User authenticates with GroupMe credentials
4. GroupMe redirects back to the registered callback URL
5. Azure Bot Service processes the authentication and completes the bot addition

When the redirect URL is misconfigured, step 4 fails, resulting in the blank page you’re seeing.

Step-by-Step GroupMe Bot Configuration

Here’s the complete configuration process that addresses the OAuth redirect issue:

1. Correct GroupMe Application Registration

At dev.groupme.com, when creating your application, you need to set the Callback URL to:

https://groupme.botframework.com/Home/Login

This is the critical redirect URL that GroupMe will use to return after authentication. Make sure this exactly matches - any deviation will cause authentication failures.

2. Azure Bot Service GroupMe Channel Configuration

In your Azure Bot Service resource:

1. Navigate to Channels → GroupMe
2. In the GroupMe Channel Configuration section, enter:
   • Access Token: Your GroupMe application access token
   • Client ID: Your GroupMe application client ID

3. Verify OAuth Flow

Test the OAuth flow by:

• Accessing: https://oauth.groupme.com/oauth/authorize?client_id=[YOUR_CLIENT_ID]
• Completing authentication
• Expecting to be redirected to a page showing “Bot added successfully” rather than a blank page

If you still get a blank page, proceed to the troubleshooting section below.

4. Additional GroupMe Bot Setup

Beyond the OAuth application, you may need to create a specific bot instance at dev.groupme.com/bots/new. This creates a dedicated bot profile that users can search for and add to their groups.

The bot creation process at dev.groupme.com/bots/new typically requires:

• Selecting your registered application
• Configuring bot details (name, avatar, etc.)
• Setting permissions for the bot

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Issue: Blank Page After Authentication

Solution: The blank https://dev.botframework.com page indicates an OAuth redirect URL mismatch.

Steps to fix:

1. Verify your GroupMe application’s callback URL is exactly: https://groupme.botframework.com/Home/Login
2. Ensure there are no trailing spaces or typos
3. Restart the OAuth flow after correcting the URL

Issue: Bot Not Found in GroupMe Search

Solution: The bot may not be properly registered or discovered in GroupMe’s directory.

Steps to fix:

1. Create a bot instance at dev.groupme.com/bots/new using your registered application
2. Wait several minutes for the bot to appear in search results
3. Verify the bot name matches exactly what users will search for

Issue: “404 on azureedge.net” Error

Solution: This GitHub issue indicates problems with Azure’s edge servers during the bot addition process.

Workaround:

• Try again after 15-30 minutes
• Clear browser cache and cookies
• Use an incognito/private browsing window
• Consider creating a new GroupMe application if the issue persists

Advanced Configuration Options

Custom OAuth Redirect URLs

For advanced scenarios, you can configure custom OAuth redirect URLs in your bot’s configuration. According to Azure’s OAuth URL support documentation, you can update your appsettings.json to include:

{
  "OAuthUrl": "https://token.botframework.com/.auth/web/redirect",
  "MicrosoftAppId": "your-app-id",
  "MicrosoftAppPassword": "your-app-password"
}

Regional OAuth Endpoints

If you’re using Azure in a specific region, you may need to configure the appropriate OAuth endpoint:

{
  "OAuthUrl": "https://europe.token.botframework.com/.auth/web/redirect"
}

Alternative Solutions

Manual Bot Addition

If the OAuth flow continues to fail, you can try manually adding the bot using the Direct Line protocol:

1. Get your Direct Line token from Azure Bot Service
2. Use the Direct Line API to add the bot to groups programmatically
3. This requires additional development but bypasses the OAuth issues

Contact GroupMe Support

If all else fails, contact GroupMe support at dev.groupme.com/support with:

• Your application ID
• Screenshots of the authentication error
• Details of your bot configuration

Microsoft Bot Framework Community

Engage with the Microsoft Bot Framework community where similar OAuth redirect issues have been discussed and resolved by other developers.

Conclusion

The Azure Bot Framework GroupMe bot configuration failure you’re experiencing is typically caused by OAuth redirect URL misconfiguration. Here are the key takeaways:

1. Always use https://groupme.botframework.com/Home/Login as your GroupMe application callback URL - this is the most common configuration mistake
2. Complete the bot creation process at dev.groupme.com/bots/new to make your bot discoverable in search
3. Test the OAuth flow separately before attempting to add bot to groups to identify authentication issues
4. Wait for propagation - changes to GroupMe applications may take 5-15 minutes to take effect
5. Consider Direct Line as an alternative if OAuth issues persist

For immediate resolution, double-check your GroupMe application’s callback URL setting and ensure it exactly matches https://groupme.botframework.com/Home/Login. This single configuration change should resolve most of the authentication and discovery issues you’re experiencing.

Sources

1. Connect a Bot Framework bot to GroupMe - Microsoft Learn
2. Azure Bot Framework - GroupMe bot configured but cannot add to group or find bot - Stack Overflow
3. Adding Bot to GroupMe broken (404 on azureedge.net) - GitHub Issue
4. OAuth URL support in Azure AI Bot Service - Microsoft Learn
5. GroupMe Developers - OAuth Tutorial