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Connecting Channels

Overview of messaging channels your OpenClaw agent supports and how to connect them.

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Channels are messaging platforms your agent connects to for two-way communication. Your agent receives messages, processes them with AI, and responds — all automatically.

You can connect multiple channels at once. Your agent handles conversations across all of them from a single configuration.

Supported Channels

Core Channels

These are pre-configured and can be connected during the setup wizard or from the console.

  • WhatsApp — linked device via QR code scan. Your phone stays the primary device; your agent operates alongside it.
  • Signal — linked device via QR code scan. Works the same way as WhatsApp linking.
  • iMessage — Apple ID credentials. Legacy setup; BlueBubbles is recommended for new configurations.
  • Email — IMAP/SMTP with your existing email account. Works with Gmail, Outlook, and most providers.

Additional Channels

These are available via console configuration and support a wide range of platforms.

  • Telegram — bot token from BotFather
  • Discord — bot token from the Discord Developer Portal
  • Slack — Bot token and App token from your Slack workspace
  • Google Chat — Google Workspace integration
  • Microsoft Teams — extension plugin
  • Matrix, Mattermost, and more — available via OpenClaw plugins

How to Connect

Channel setup happens after your agent finishes the initial onboarding. You have two options:

From your agent’s detail page, click the “Add Channel” button in the Getting Started panel. This opens an interactive setup wizard for common channels:

  • WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord, Slack (and others)

The wizard shows you friendly setup steps first, then opens your agent’s console to run the connection command. This is the easiest path for first-time setup.

Option 2: Console CLI (For All Channels)

For maximum flexibility, open the Console page and run:

openclaw channels add

This shows an interactive menu of all available channels. Or run directly:

openclaw channels login <provider>

Examples:

openclaw channels login whatsapp
openclaw channels login signal
openclaw channels login telegram
openclaw channels login discord
openclaw channels login slack

For WhatsApp and Signal, a QR code appears directly in the terminal. Scan it with your phone to complete the link. For other channels, the terminal prompts you for the required tokens or credentials.

DM Policies

DM policies control who can message your agent. Each channel has its own policy.

PolicyBehavior
pairing (default)Unknown senders receive a one-time pairing code. You approve them via openclaw pairing approve.
allowlistOnly phone numbers or IDs in your allowFrom list can message.
openAnyone can message your agent. Requires allowFrom: ["*"] in the channel config.
disabledIgnore all inbound DMs on this channel.

To change a channel’s DM policy:

openclaw config set channels.whatsapp.dmPolicy "open"
openclaw config set channels.whatsapp.allowFrom '["*"]'

Group Policies

Group policies control how your agent participates in group chats.

PolicyBehavior
allowlist (default)Your agent only responds in approved groups.
openYour agent responds in all groups, but mention-gating still applies (it must be @mentioned).
disabledYour agent ignores all group messages.

Checking Channel Health

Run this in the Console to see which channels are connected and healthy:

openclaw channels status

Add --probe for a deeper connectivity check that actively tests each channel’s connection:

openclaw channels status --probe

If a channel shows as disconnected, try re-linking it with openclaw channels login <provider>. For persistent issues, see Connection Problems.