One of OpenClaw's most powerful features is native multi-channel support. A single bot instance can serve users on Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, and Signal simultaneously — using the same AI model, skills, and conversation logic. In this guide, we'll walk through each channel's setup process, capabilities, and limitations.
Telegram: The First-Class Channel
Telegram is OpenClaw's most mature integration and the easiest to set up. Create a bot via @BotFather, grab the token, and add it to your OpenClaw config. With dmPolicy set to "open" and allowFrom set to ["*"], anyone can message your bot — no pairing required.
- Open DM policy — anyone can message without approval
- Rich message formatting (Markdown, inline buttons)
- File and image sharing
- Group chat support
- Voice messages (with transcription skills)
- Setup time: ~2 minutes
WhatsApp: Business Messaging
WhatsApp integration requires the WhatsApp Business API and uses a pairing-based access model. Unlike Telegram, there's no open dmPolicy — each user must be approved through a pairing code before they can interact with your bot. This makes WhatsApp better suited for known customer bases rather than public-facing bots.
WhatsApp does not support open access (dmPolicy/allowFrom). Every user requires manual or automated pairing approval. ClawDock is working on automating this step.
Slack: Team Integration
Slack is ideal for internal team bots — think employee assistants, knowledge bases, and workflow automation. Setup requires creating a Slack app with a Bot Token (xoxb-) and App Token (xapp-), plus configuring the right OAuth scopes. Like WhatsApp, Slack requires pairing for each workspace.
- Create Slack App at api.slack.com/apps
- Enable Socket Mode with App Token
- Add Bot Token Scopes: chat:write, im:history, im:read, im:write
- Install to workspace and copy Bot Token
- Add tokens to OpenClaw config
Discord: Community Bots
Discord integration is perfect for community servers, gaming groups, and developer communities. You'll need a Discord application with a Bot Token, Application ID, and Gateway Intents enabled. Like Slack and WhatsApp, Discord requires pairing-based access.
Channel Comparison
| Feature | Telegram | Slack | Discord | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open access | Yes | No (pairing) | No (pairing) | No (pairing) |
| File sharing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rich formatting | Markdown | Limited | Full | Markdown |
| Group chats | Yes | Limited | Channels | Channels |
| Setup complexity | Easy | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Best for | Public bots | Customer comms | Team tools | Communities |
The Easy Way: Pre-Configured Channels
Self-hosting means manually editing JSON config files for each channel, managing token security, and debugging connection issues. On ClawDock, channel setup is handled through a dashboard — add your token, select the channel, and your bot is connected in seconds.
Connect Every Channel in Minutes
ClawDock pre-configures Telegram, Slack, Discord, and WhatsApp so you don't have to edit JSON files.
Deploy Free
