Chat channels

Messaging platforms OpenClaw can connect to

OpenClaw can talk to you on any chat app you already use. Each channel connects via the Gateway. Text is supported everywhere; media and reactions vary by channel.

Delivery notes

  • Telegram replies that contain markdown image syntax, such as ![alt](url), are converted into media replies on the final outbound path when possible.
  • Slack multi-person DMs route as group chats, so group policy, mention behavior, and group-session rules apply to MPIM conversations.
  • WhatsApp setup is install-on-demand: onboarding can show the setup flow before the plugin package is installed, and the Gateway loads the WhatsApp runtime only when the channel is actually active.

Supported channels

  • Discord — Discord Bot API + Gateway; supports servers, channels, and DMs
  • Feishu — Feishu/Lark bot via WebSocket (bundled plugin)
  • Google Chat — Google Chat API app via HTTP webhook (downloadable plugin)
  • iMessage — Native macOS integration via the imsg bridge (bundled plugin)
  • IRC — Classic IRC servers; channels + DMs with pairing/allowlist controls
  • LINE — LINE Messaging API bot (downloadable plugin)
  • Matrix — Matrix protocol (downloadable plugin)
  • Mattermost — Bot API + WebSocket; channels, groups, DMs (downloadable plugin)
  • Microsoft Teams — Bot Framework; enterprise support (bundled plugin)
  • Nextcloud Talk — Self-hosted chat via Nextcloud Talk (bundled plugin)
  • Nostr — Decentralized DMs via NIP-04 (bundled plugin)
  • QQ Bot — QQ Bot API; private chat, group chat, and rich media (bundled plugin)
  • Signal — signal-cli; privacy-focused
  • Slack — Bolt SDK; workspace apps
  • Synology Chat — Synology NAS Chat via outgoing+incoming webhooks (bundled plugin)
  • Telegram — Bot API via grammY; supports groups
  • Tlon — Urbit-based messenger (bundled plugin)
  • Twitch — Twitch chat via IRC connection (bundled plugin)
  • Voice Call — Telephony via Plivo or Twilio (plugin, installed separately)
  • WebChat — Gateway WebChat UI over WebSocket
  • WeChat — Tencent iLink Bot plugin via QR login; private chats only (external plugin)
  • WhatsApp — Most popular; uses Baileys and requires QR pairing
  • Yuanbao — Tencent Yuanbao bot (external plugin)
  • Zalo — Zalo Bot API; Vietnam's popular messenger (bundled plugin)
  • Zalo Personal — Zalo personal account via QR login (bundled plugin)

Notes

  • Channels can run simultaneously; configure multiple and OpenClaw will route per chat.
  • Fastest setup is usually Telegram (simple bot token). WhatsApp requires QR pairing and stores more state on disk.
  • Group behavior varies by channel; see Groups.
  • DM pairing and allowlists are enforced for safety; see Security.
  • Troubleshooting: Channel troubleshooting.
  • Model providers are documented separately; see Model Providers.