OpenClaw Messaging Integration: WhatsApp, Telegram & Slack

Supported Platforms

OpenClaw supports integration with major messaging platforms, enabling you to interact with your AI agent through familiar interfaces:

• WhatsApp: Personal and business messaging
• Telegram: Bot-friendly with rich features
• Discord: Community and team communication
• Slack: Enterprise workspace integration
• Signal: Privacy-focused messaging
• iMessage: Apple ecosystem (macOS only)

Telegram Integration

Step 1: Create a Bot

Message @BotFather on Telegram:

/newbot
Name: My OpenClaw Agent
Username: my_openclaw_bot

Step 2: Configure Environment

# .env
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=123456789:ABCdefGHIjklmnoPQRstuVWxyz
TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS=your_telegram_id

Step 3: Enable in Config

// config.js
module.exports = {
  messaging: {
    platform: 'telegram',
    options: {
      polling: true,
      allowedUsers: process.env.TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS?.split(',')
    }
  }
}

Discord Integration

Step 1: Create Application

1. Go to Discord Developer Portal
2. Create New Application
3. Navigate to Bot section and create bot
4. Copy the bot token

Step 2: Configure Permissions

Required bot permissions:

• Send Messages
• Read Message History
• Attach Files (for screenshots, exports)
• Use Slash Commands (optional)

Step 3: Environment Setup

# .env
DISCORD_TOKEN=your_discord_bot_token
DISCORD_GUILD_ID=your_server_id
DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID=specific_channel_id

Slack Integration

Step 1: Create Slack App

1. Visit Slack API
2. Create New App → From Scratch
3. Select your workspace

Step 2: Configure OAuth & Permissions

Add these OAuth scopes:

chat:write
channels:history
im:history
files:write

Step 3: Enable Socket Mode

For real-time communication without a public endpoint:

# .env
SLACK_BOT_TOKEN=xoxb-your-bot-token
SLACK_APP_TOKEN=xapp-your-app-token
SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET=your-signing-secret

WhatsApp Integration

Using WhatsApp Business API

For production use, integrate with the official WhatsApp Business API:

# .env
WHATSAPP_PHONE_NUMBER_ID=your_phone_number_id
WHATSAPP_ACCESS_TOKEN=your_access_token
WHATSAPP_VERIFY_TOKEN=your_verify_token

Alternative: WhatsApp Web Bridge

For personal use, you can use browser-based bridges (note: against WhatsApp ToS for automation).

Multi-Platform Configuration

Run your agent across multiple platforms simultaneously:

// config.js
module.exports = {
  messaging: {
    platforms: [
      {
        type: 'telegram',
        token: process.env.TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN
      },
      {
        type: 'discord',
        token: process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN
      }
    ],
    routingRules: {
      // Route specific users to specific contexts
      telegram: { contextPrefix: 'tg_' },
      discord: { contextPrefix: 'dc_' }
    }
  }
}

Security Considerations

User Whitelisting

Always restrict which users can interact with your agent:

ALLOWED_USERS=user_id_1,user_id_2,user_id_3

Command Confirmation

Enable confirmation for sensitive operations:

# In AGENTS.md
## Security Rules
- Require explicit confirmation for:
  - File deletion
  - Email sending
  - External API calls
  - System commands

Conclusion

Messaging integration transforms OpenClaw from a development tool into a always-available personal assistant. Choose the platform that fits your workflow and follow the security best practices to ensure safe operation.