`openclaw message`

Single outbound command for sending messages and channel actions across Discord, Google Chat, iMessage, Matrix, Mattermost (plugin), Microsoft Teams, Signal, Slack, Telegram, and WhatsApp.

bash

openclaw message <subcommand> [flags]

Channel selection

--channel <name> is required if more than one channel is configured; with exactly one channel configured, that channel is the default.
Values: discord|googlechat|imessage|matrix|mattermost|msteams|signal|slack|telegram|whatsapp (Mattermost requires the plugin).
Channel-prefixed targets (for example discord:channel:123) resolve the owning plugin without an explicit --channel.

Target formats (`-t, --target`)

Channel	Format
Discord	`channel:<id>`, `user:<id>`, `<@id>` mention, or a bare numeric id (treated as a channel id)
Google Chat	`spaces/<spaceId>` or `users/<userId>`
iMessage	handle, `chat_id:<id>`, `chat_guid:<guid>`, or `chat_identifier:<id>`
Mattermost (plugin)	`channel:<id>`, `user:<id>`, `@username`, or a bare id (treated as a channel)
Matrix	`@user:server`, `!room:server`, or `#alias:server`
Microsoft Teams	`conversation:<id>` (`19:[email protected]`), a bare conversation id, or `user:<aad-object-id>`
Signal	`+E.164`, `group:<id>`, `uuid:<id>`, `username:<name>`/`u:<name>`, or any of these prefixed with `signal:`
Slack	`channel:<id>` or `user:<id>` (a bare id is treated as a channel)
Telegram	chat id, `@username`, or a forum topic target: `<chatId>:topic:<topicId>` (or `--thread-id <topicId>`)
WhatsApp	E.164, group JID (`[email protected]`), or Channel/Newsletter JID (`...@newsletter`)

Channel name lookup: for providers with a directory (Discord/Slack/etc), names like Help or #help resolve via the directory cache, falling back to a live directory lookup on a cache miss where the provider supports it.

Common flags

Every action accepts: --channel <name>, --account <id>, --json, --dry-run, --verbose. Actions that take a destination also accept -t, --target <dest>.

SecretRef resolution

openclaw message resolves channel SecretRefs before running the action, scoped as narrowly as possible:

channel-scoped when --channel is set (or inferred from a prefixed target)
account-scoped when --account is also set
all configured channels when neither is set

Unresolved SecretRefs on unrelated channels never block a targeted action; an unresolved SecretRef on the selected channel/account fails the action closed.

Actions

Core

Action	Channels	Required	Notes
`send`	Discord, Google Chat, iMessage, Matrix, Mattermost (plugin), Microsoft Teams, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp	`--target`, plus one of `--message`/`--media`/`--presentation`	See Send below.
`poll`	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, WhatsApp	`--target`, `--poll-question`, `--poll-option` (repeat)	See Poll below.
`react`	Discord, Google Chat, Matrix, Nextcloud Talk, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp	`--message-id`, `--target`	`--emoji`, `--remove` (needs `--emoji`; omit it to clear own reactions where supported, see Reactions). WhatsApp: `--participant`, `--from-me`. Signal group reactions require `--target-author` or `--target-author-uuid`. Nextcloud Talk only adds reactions; `--remove` errors.
`reactions`	Discord, Google Chat, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack	`--message-id`, `--target`	`--limit`.
`read`	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack	`--target`	`--limit`, `--message-id`, `--before`, `--after`. Discord: `--around`, `--include-thread`. Slack: `--message-id` reads a specific timestamp, combine with `--thread-id` for an exact thread reply.
`edit`	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Telegram	`--message-id`, `--message`, `--target`	Telegram forum threads use `--thread-id`.
`delete`	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Telegram	`--message-id`, `--target`
`pin` / `unpin`	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack	`--message-id`, `--target`	`unpin` also accepts `--pinned-message-id` (Microsoft Teams: the pin/list-pins resource id, not the chat message id).
`pins` (list)	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack	`--target`	`--limit`.
`permissions`	Discord, Matrix	`--target`	Matrix: available only when encryption is enabled and verification actions are allowed.
`search`	Discord	`--guild-id`, `--query`	`--channel-id`, `--channel-ids` (repeat), `--author-id`, `--author-ids` (repeat), `--limit`.
`member info`	Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams, Slack	`--user-id`	`--guild-id` (Discord).

Send

bash

openclaw message send --channel discord \
  --target channel:123 --message "hi" --reply-to 456

--media <path-or-url>: attach image/audio/video/document (local path or URL).
--presentation <json>: shared payload with text, context, divider, buttons, select blocks, rendered per channel capability. See Message Presentation.
--delivery <json>: generic delivery preferences, for example {"pin": true}. --pin is shorthand for pinned delivery when the channel supports it.
--reply-to <id>, --thread-id <id> (Telegram forum topic; Slack thread timestamp, same field as --reply-to).
--force-document (Telegram, WhatsApp): send images/GIFs/videos as documents to avoid channel compression.
--silent (Telegram, Discord): send without a notification.
--gif-playback (WhatsApp only): treat video media as GIF playback.

bash

openclaw message send --channel discord \
  --target channel:123 --message "Choose:" \
  --presentation '{"blocks":[{"type":"buttons","buttons":[{"label":"Approve","value":"approve","style":"success"},{"label":"Decline","value":"decline","style":"danger"}]}]}'

bash

openclaw message send --channel telegram --target @mychat --message "Choose:" \
  --presentation '{"blocks":[{"type":"buttons","buttons":[{"label":"Yes","value":"cmd:yes"},{"label":"No","value":"cmd:no"}]}]}'

Telegram Mini App buttons use webApp (web_app still parses for legacy JSON) and only render in private chats between a user and the bot:

bash

openclaw message send --channel telegram --target 123456789 --message "Open app:" \
  --presentation '{"blocks":[{"type":"buttons","buttons":[{"label":"Launch","webApp":{"url":"https://example.com/app"}}]}]}'

bash

openclaw message send --channel telegram --target @mychat \
  --media ./diagram.png --force-document

bash

openclaw message send --channel msteams \
  --target conversation:19:[email protected] \
  --presentation '{"title":"Status update","blocks":[{"type":"text","text":"Build completed"}]}'

Poll

bash

openclaw message poll --channel discord \
  --target channel:123 \
  --poll-question "Snack?" \
  --poll-option Pizza --poll-option Sushi \
  --poll-multi --poll-duration-hours 48

--poll-option <choice>: repeat 2-12 times.
--poll-multi: allow multiple selections.
Discord: --poll-duration-hours, --silent, --message.
Telegram: --poll-duration-seconds <n> (5-600), --silent, --poll-anonymous / --poll-public, --thread-id.

bash

openclaw message poll --channel telegram \
  --target @mychat \
  --poll-question "Lunch?" \
  --poll-option Pizza --poll-option Sushi \
  --poll-duration-seconds 120 --silent

bash

openclaw message poll --channel msteams \
  --target conversation:19:[email protected] \
  --poll-question "Lunch?" \
  --poll-option Pizza --poll-option Sushi

Threads

thread create: channels Discord. Required: --thread-name, --target (channel id). Optional: --message-id, --message, --auto-archive-min.
thread list: channels Discord. Required: --guild-id. Optional: --channel-id, --include-archived, --before, --limit.
thread reply: channels Discord. Required: --target (thread id), --message. Optional: --media, --reply-to.

Emojis

emoji list: Discord (--guild-id), Slack (no extra flags).
emoji upload: Discord. Required: --guild-id, --emoji-name, --media. Optional: --role-ids (repeat).

Stickers

sticker send: Discord. Required: --target, --sticker-id (repeat). Optional: --message.
sticker upload: Discord. Required: --guild-id, --sticker-name, --sticker-desc, --sticker-tags, --media.

Roles, channels, voice, events (Discord)

role info: --guild-id.
role add / role remove: --guild-id, --user-id, --role-id.
channel info: --target.
channel list: --guild-id.
voice status: --guild-id, --user-id.
event list: --guild-id.
event create: required --guild-id, --event-name, --start-time; optional --end-time, --desc, --channel-id, --location, --event-type, --image <url-or-path>.

Moderation (Discord)

timeout: --guild-id, --user-id; optional --duration-min or --until (omit both to clear the timeout), --reason.
kick: --guild-id, --user-id, --reason.
ban: --guild-id, --user-id, --delete-days, --reason.

Broadcast

bash

openclaw message broadcast --targets <target...> [--channel all] [--message <text>] [--media <url>] [--dry-run]

Sends one payload to multiple targets. --targets takes a space-separated list. Use --channel all to target every configured provider.

Message

openclaw message

Channel selection

Target formats (-t, --target)

Common flags

SecretRef resolution

Actions

Core

Send

Poll

Threads

Emojis

Stickers

Roles, channels, voice, events (Discord)

Moderation (Discord)

Broadcast

Related

`openclaw message`

Target formats (`-t, --target`)