Connect OpenClaw to Your Phone: Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal & More

The magic of OpenClaw happens when your AI agent meets you where you already are — your phone. Instead of opening a special app or website, you just text your agent on Telegram, WhatsApp, or whatever messaging app you already use. If you haven’t set up OpenClaw yet, start with our 10-minute setup guide first.

Here’s how to set up each channel, ranked by ease of setup.

Quick Comparison

Channel	Setup Time	Best For	Limitations
Telegram	5 minutes	Easiest setup, rich features	Need Telegram account
Discord	10 minutes	Teams, communities	Requires bot setup
Signal	10 minutes	Privacy-focused users	Needs linked device
WhatsApp	15 minutes	Most universal messenger	Requires bridge setup
iMessage	20 minutes	Apple ecosystem	macOS required, BlueBubbles
Slack	10 minutes	Work/team contexts	Workspace admin needed

1. Telegram (Recommended First Channel)

Telegram is the easiest and most feature-rich channel for OpenClaw. Most users start here.

Setup Steps

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram and message @BotFather
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose a name (e.g., “My OpenClaw”)
4. Choose a username (e.g., my_openclaw_bot)
5. Copy the API token BotFather gives you

Step 2: Add to OpenClaw Config

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN",
      "ownerChatId": "YOUR_CHAT_ID"
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Get Your Chat ID Message your bot, then check the OpenClaw logs — it’ll show incoming chat IDs.

Step 4: Restart OpenClaw

openclaw gateway restart

That’s it. Message your bot and your agent responds.

Telegram Tips

• Groups: Add your bot to group chats for shared access
• Voice: Send voice messages — OpenClaw can transcribe them
• Files: Send documents, images, and the agent can process them
• Inline buttons: OpenClaw can send interactive button menus

2. Discord

Great for teams or if you already live in Discord.

Setup Steps

Step 1: Create a Discord Bot

1. Go to Discord Developer Portal
2. Click “New Application” → name it
3. Go to “Bot” → “Add Bot”
4. Copy the bot token
5. Enable “Message Content Intent” under Privileged Gateway Intents

Step 2: Invite to Your Server Generate an invite URL with these permissions:

• Send Messages
• Read Message History
• Add Reactions
• Use Slash Commands

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw

{
  "channels": {
    "discord": {
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN",
      "ownerId": "YOUR_DISCORD_USER_ID"
    }
  }
}

Step 4: Restart and test

Discord Tips

• Use threads to keep conversations organized
• The bot can react with emojis
• Set up channel-specific permissions for shared servers

3. Signal

For the privacy-conscious. Signal’s end-to-end encryption means even the transport is secure.

Setup Steps

Signal requires the signal-cli bridge. It’s slightly more involved but worth it for privacy.

Step 1: Install signal-cli

# macOS
brew install signal-cli

# Linux
# Download from GitHub releases

Step 2: Register or link a number

signal-cli link -n "OpenClaw"
# Scan the QR code with your Signal app

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw

{
  "channels": {
    "signal": {
      "number": "+1234567890",
      "ownerNumber": "+YOUR_PHONE_NUMBER"
    }
  }
}

Signal Tips

• Messages are end-to-end encrypted in transit
• Supports group chats
• Voice messages work with transcription skills

4. WhatsApp

The most universal messenger — 2B+ users. Setup requires a bridge but is stable once running.

Setup Steps

WhatsApp uses the wacli bridge or WhatsApp Business API.

Step 1: Install the WhatsApp bridge Follow the wacli skill setup for QR code authentication.

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

{
  "channels": {
    "whatsapp": {
      "ownerJid": "YOUR_PHONE@s.whatsapp.net"
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Scan QR code when prompted

WhatsApp Tips

• No markdown tables — use bullet lists
• Supports voice messages
• Group chat integration available
• Status/story features not supported

5. iMessage (macOS Only)

If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, iMessage integration means your agent responds in the same app as your human conversations.

Setup Steps

Requires macOS and the BlueBubbles server.

Step 1: Set up BlueBubbles Follow the bluebubbles skill setup guide.

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

{
  "channels": {
    "imessage": {
      "server": "http://localhost:1234",
      "password": "YOUR_BLUEBUBBLES_PASSWORD"
    }
  }
}

iMessage Tips

• Tapbacks (reactions) work
• Rich links render properly
• Works with both iMessage and SMS

Multi-Channel Setup

The real power: connect multiple channels and your agent responds everywhere.

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": { "token": "..." },
    "discord": { "token": "..." },
    "signal": { "number": "..." }
  }
}

Your agent maintains context across channels. Start a conversation on Telegram, continue it on Discord — the memory and personality carry over.

Which Channel Should You Start With?

Just want to try it? → Telegram (5 minutes, works great) Team/work use? → Discord or Slack Privacy matters most? → Signal Already on WhatsApp? → WhatsApp (more setup, but universal) All-in on Apple? → iMessage

Most power users end up with 2-3 channels: one for personal (Telegram/Signal), one for work (Slack/Discord), and optionally one for the phone everyone else uses (WhatsApp).

Troubleshooting

Agent not responding?

1. Check openclaw gateway status
2. Verify your token/credentials
3. Check the logs for errors
4. Make sure your ownerChatId / ownerId is correct

Messages delayed?

• Check your AI provider’s rate limits
• Consider a faster/cheaper model for quick responses
• Heartbeat interval might be consuming capacity

Group chats not working?

• Ensure the bot has message read permissions
• Check DM policy settings
• The agent may need to be mentioned in groups

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Need help with setup? Our Discord community has helped thousands get connected. Or check the detailed guides at openclaw.ai/integrations.