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 WhatsApp runtime only when the channel is actually active.

# Supported channels

• BlueBubbles - Legacy iMessage bridge via the BlueBubbles macOS server REST API; deprecated for new OpenClaw setups but still supported for existing configs and richer private-API actions.
• 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 CLI; 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.