Skip to main content

Connect Messaging Platforms

One of OpenClaw's most powerful features is connecting to multiple messaging platforms simultaneously. A single AI agent can serve across WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, LINE, and more — all sharing conversation memory for a consistent experience.

Platform Overview​

PlatformStabilityDifficultyNotes
Telegram5/5EasyRecommended for beginners
Discord5/5EasyBot token is all you need
WhatsApp4/5MediumRequires WhatsApp Business API or Baileys bridge
Slack4/5MediumRequires creating a Slack App
LINE4/5MediumRequires LINE Messaging API
Signal3/5HarderVia signal-cli bridge
iMessage3/5HardermacOS only, requires AppleScript bridge
Matrix4/5MediumOpen protocol, privacy-friendly

General Configuration​

All platform configurations are stored in ~/.openclaw/channels/. Each platform gets its own YAML file:

ls ~/.openclaw/channels/
openclaw channel add <platform>

Telegram is the easiest platform to set up — ideal as your first connection.

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot​

  1. Search for @BotFather in Telegram
  2. Send /newbot
  3. Follow the prompts to set the bot name
  4. Get the Bot Token (format: 123456789:ABCdefGhIjKlMnOpQrStUvWxYz)

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw​

# ~/.openclaw/channels/telegram.yaml
channel:
  type: telegram
  enabled: true
  token: "${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}"
  allowed_users:
    - "123456789"
  response:
    typing_indicator: true
    max_message_length: 4096
    split_long_messages: true

Step 3: Start and Test​

export TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN="your-token-here"
openclaw restart

WhatsApp​

channel:
  type: whatsapp
  mode: business_api
  enabled: true
  business_api:
    phone_number_id: "${WA_PHONE_NUMBER_ID}"
    access_token: "${WA_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
    verify_token: "${WA_VERIFY_TOKEN}"
    webhook_url: "https://your-domain.com/webhook/whatsapp"

Option B: Baileys Bridge (Personal Use)​

channel:
  type: whatsapp
  mode: baileys
  enabled: true
  baileys:
    session_dir: "~/.openclaw/channels/.whatsapp-session"
WhatsApp Usage Notice

Using the Baileys bridge with a personal WhatsApp account may violate WhatsApp's Terms of Service, risking account suspension. Use WhatsApp Business API for production.

Discord​

channel:
  type: discord
  enabled: true
  token: "${DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN}"
  slash_commands: true
  response:
    embed_style: true
    thread_replies: true

Multi-Platform Operation​

You can enable multiple platforms simultaneously. OpenClaw manages all connections automatically:

openclaw channel list
# CHANNEL      STATUS    CONNECTED SINCE
# telegram     active    2026-03-20 10:00
# discord      active    2026-03-20 10:00
# whatsapp     error     Token expired
Cross-Platform Memory Sharing

When users interact with your AI on different platforms, OpenClaw maintains consistent context through the memory system. Topics discussed on Telegram are remembered when mentioned on LINE. This requires proper user identity mapping configuration.

Token Security Best Practices​

  1. Use environment variables: Inject all Tokens via environment variables
  2. Never commit to Git: Add ~/.openclaw/channels/*.yaml to .gitignore
  3. Rotate regularly: Replace tokens at least every 90 days
  4. Use a password manager: Pair with 1Password CLI, Bitwarden CLI, or HashiCorp Vault
  5. Least privilege: Grant Bots only the minimum required permissions

Next Steps​