Setting Up Your First Channel

OpenClaw supports multiple messaging platforms. For this tutorial, we'll use Telegram because:

• Easiest to set up (just create a bot)
• No phone number required
• Great for testing and learning
• Works on all platforms

For other channels: See the Channels Reference for WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, and more.

Telegram uses bots, which are special accounts that can be controlled programmatically. Here's how to create one:

Step 2.1: Open Telegram and Find BotFather

• Open the Telegram app on your phone or computer
• Search for @BotFather (official Telegram bot creator)
• Start a conversation with BotFather
• Send the command: /start

Step 2.2: Create Your Bot

• Send BotFather: /newbot
• BotFather will ask for a name for your bot (this is the display name, e.g., "My OpenClaw Assistant")
• BotFather will ask for a username (must end in 'bot', e.g., "myopenclawbot")
• BotFather will respond with a bot token - COPY THIS TOKEN (you'll need it in the next step)

Step 2.3: (Optional) Configure Your Bot

You can customize your bot with BotFather commands:

• /setdescription - Set what your bot does
• /setabouttext - Set bot bio
• /setuserpic - Set bot profile picture

These are optional - your bot will work without them.

Now we'll add your Telegram bot to OpenClaw's configuration.

Step 3.1: Open Configuration File

Your OpenClaw configuration is located at ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. Open it in your preferred text editor:

# On macOS/Linux:
nano ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
# or
code ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json  # VS Code
# or
open ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json  # Default editor

Step 3.2: Add Telegram Configuration

Add the Telegram channel configuration to your file. If you already have a configuration file, add the channels section:

{
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "model": { "primary": "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5" }
    }
  },
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE"
    }
  }
}

Replace YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE with the token you copied from BotFather.

Step 3.3: Save and Restart Gateway

After saving your configuration:

• Save the configuration file
• Restart your OpenClaw Gateway to load the new configuration

# If Gateway is running as a service:
openclaw gateway restart

# Or if running manually, stop and restart:
openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose

Now let's verify everything works!

Step 4.1: Find Your Bot on Telegram

• Open Telegram
• Search for your bot by its username (the one you created, e.g., "myopenclawbot")
• Start a conversation with your bot
• Send /start to initialize the bot

Step 4.2: Send a Test Message

Send a simple message to your bot, like:

• "Hello!"
• "What can you do?"
• "Introduce yourself"

Your OpenClaw assistant should respond! If it does, congratulations - your channel is working! 🎉

Bot Not Responding

If your bot doesn't respond:

• Check Gateway is running: openclaw gateway status
• Verify token is correct: Check for typos in the configuration file
• Check Gateway logs: Look for error messages about Telegram connection
• Restart Gateway: Sometimes a restart fixes connection issues

"Bot token is invalid" Error

This usually means:

• Token was copied incorrectly (check for extra spaces)
• Token was regenerated (get a new one from BotFather)
• Configuration file has syntax errors (check JSON formatting)

Bot Responds but Gateway Shows Errors

If bot works but you see errors:

• Check Gateway logs for specific error messages
• Verify your AI model is configured correctly
• Ensure you have API credits/quota available

For more troubleshooting help, see our Troubleshooting Guide.

Now that you have a channel connected, here's what to explore next:

Other Channels

Want to set up other channels? Here are quick links to their reference guides:

• WhatsApp Setup - QR code pairing with your WhatsApp account
• Discord Setup - Create a Discord bot and invite to servers
• All Channels - Complete list of supported messaging platforms

Each channel has its own setup process, but the general flow is similar: create/link account → get credentials → configure OpenClaw → test connection.