Chat channels

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 external ClawHub/npm plugin 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 on a signed-in Mac (or SSH wrapper when the Gateway runs elsewhere), including private API actions for replies, tapbacks, effects, attachments, and group management. Preferred for new OpenClaw iMessage setups when host permissions and Messages access fit.
• 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.