Telegram Integration | OpenClaw Guide

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Easy⏱️ 5-10 minutes

The fastest way to your AI assistant

Why Telegram is the Best Channel for OpenClaw

Telegram is the recommended and most popular channel for OpenClaw users. If you're new to OpenClaw and wondering which messaging platform to start with, Telegram is the clear choice. It combines the easiest setup process with the most powerful bot features available on any platform.

The OpenClaw Telegram Integration Advantage

Unlike other messaging platforms that require complex API approvals, business accounts, or extensive configuration, Telegram offers a completely free, instant-setup experience. You can have your OpenClaw Telegram bot running in under 10 minutes, with full access to every feature from day one.

The OpenClaw Telegram setup guide you're reading will walk you through every step, from creating your first bot to advanced configurations like group chats and inline buttons. Whether you're a developer looking for a coding assistant or someone who wants AI help managing their daily life, this integration delivers.

What Makes Telegram Special for AI Assistants

Telegram's Bot API was designed from the ground up for exactly this use case. While other platforms have bolted on bot support as an afterthought, Telegram treats bots as first-class citizens. This means:

Rich Message Formatting: Your OpenClaw assistant can send beautifully formatted responses with bold text, code blocks, bullet points, and clickable links. Technical explanations look professional, and structured information is easy to read.

Inline Buttons for Actions: When your assistant offers you choices, they appear as tappable buttons right in the chat. Want to confirm an action, choose between options, or navigate a menu? Just tap. No typing required.

Seamless File Handling: Share documents, images, PDFs, spreadsheets, and even audio files up to 2GB. Your assistant can analyze images, extract text from PDFs, process data from spreadsheets, and respond to voice messages with transcription.

Threading and Context: Telegram maintains conversation context naturally. Your assistant remembers what you discussed, and you can reply to specific messages to provide context for complex requests.

How the OpenClaw Telegram Bot Works

When you set up OpenClaw with Telegram, here's what happens behind the scenes:

You create a bot through Telegram's @BotFather — this gives you a unique bot identity and an API token
OpenClaw connects to Telegram's servers using this token, establishing a secure connection
Messages flow from your Telegram app to OpenClaw, which processes them with your configured AI model
Responses return through the same channel, appearing in your chat within seconds

The entire flow happens in real-time. There's no polling, no delays, and no missed messages. Telegram's infrastructure handles millions of bots, so reliability is never a concern.

Security and Privacy Considerations

Your OpenClaw Telegram integration is private by default. The allowedUsers configuration ensures only you (and anyone you explicitly authorize) can interact with your bot. Random people who discover your bot's username won't be able to use it.

Messages between you and your bot are encrypted in transit by Telegram's MTProto protocol. Your OpenClaw instance processes messages locally or on your own server — nothing passes through third-party services beyond the AI model you've configured.

Group Chat Capabilities

One of Telegram's standout features for OpenClaw is group chat support. You can add your bot to any Telegram group, enabling:

Team assistants: Everyone in your work group can interact with the same AI, sharing context and getting consistent help
Family helpers: Set up a group with family members where everyone can ask questions or manage shared tasks
Community moderation: In larger groups, your assistant can help answer FAQs, summarize discussions, or provide information

In groups, the bot typically responds when mentioned (@yourbotname) or when messages are replies to its previous messages. This keeps conversations organized without the bot interrupting every discussion.

Voice Messages and Transcription

Telegram's voice message feature pairs perfectly with OpenClaw. You can:

Send voice notes that get automatically transcribed — great when you're walking, driving, or just prefer talking
Receive voice responses if you've configured text-to-speech in OpenClaw
Process audio files shared as attachments for transcription or analysis

This makes Telegram ideal for hands-free interaction. Speak your request, get a text response, and continue your day.

Reactions and Acknowledgments

OpenClaw supports Telegram's reaction feature. Your assistant can react to your messages with emoji to acknowledge receipt, express understanding, or add a touch of personality. You can react to assistant messages too — a quick thumbs-up is often easier than typing "thanks."

Inline Buttons Explained

Inline buttons are one of Telegram's most powerful features, and OpenClaw uses them extensively. When your assistant presents options, you'll see clickable buttons below the message:

Confirmation buttons: "Yes, send email" or "No, cancel"
Menu options: Navigate through choices without typing
Action triggers: Start a workflow, run a command, or make a selection
Pagination: Browse through long lists of results

Buttons make interaction faster and reduce typing errors. They're especially useful on mobile where tapping beats typing.

Cross-Device Experience

Telegram syncs across all your devices instantly. This means you can:

Start a conversation on your phone while commuting
Continue on your desktop when you reach your office
Check in on your tablet from the couch
Use Telegram Desktop, Web, or mobile apps interchangeably

Your full conversation history is available everywhere, and OpenClaw maintains context across all your devices.

Performance and Reliability

Telegram's infrastructure is legendarily reliable. Messages deliver in milliseconds, the service rarely experiences downtime, and the bot API can handle thousands of requests per second. For your personal assistant, this means:

Instant message delivery, even with media attachments
No lost messages or failed deliveries
Consistent performance regardless of time or day
No rate limits that would interrupt normal usage

Getting Started: Your OpenClaw Telegram Setup

The setup process is straightforward and requires no technical expertise. You'll need:

A Telegram account (free, takes 2 minutes to create)
OpenClaw installed and running on your Mac or server
About 10 minutes for the complete setup

Follow the step-by-step guide in the Setup section below. Each step includes exactly what to do and what you should see. By the end, you'll have a fully functional AI assistant in your Telegram app.

Beyond Basic Chat: Advanced Features

Once your OpenClaw Telegram bot is running, you can explore advanced capabilities:

Scheduled messages: Ask your assistant to remind you about things
Workflow automation: Trigger complex multi-step processes with a single message
Integration chains: Combine Telegram with other OpenClaw integrations like Google Workspace or GitHub
Custom commands: Set up shortcuts for frequent requests

Comparing Telegram to Other Channels

How does Telegram stack up against alternatives?

Feature	Telegram	WhatsApp	Discord	Slack
Setup time	5-10 min	15-30 min	10-15 min	15-20 min
Cost	Free	Business API costs	Free	May need paid plan
Approval needed	No	Yes	No	Admin approval
Inline buttons	Yes	Limited	Limited	Yes
File size limit	2GB	100MB	25MB	Varies
Group support	Excellent	Good	Excellent	Good

For most users, Telegram offers the best balance of ease, features, and reliability.

Conclusion

The OpenClaw Telegram integration is where most users should start. It's free, fast to set up, feature-rich, and reliable. Whether you want a personal AI assistant, a team helper, or a development companion, Telegram provides the perfect foundation.

Follow the setup steps below to get started in minutes. Once you experience how seamlessly OpenClaw works with Telegram, you'll wonder how you managed without it.

Get Started View Docs

Features

Instant Bot Creation

Create a fully functional bot with @BotFather in under 5 minutes. No approvals, no waiting periods, no business accounts required. Just a quick conversation and you have your bot token.

Rich Interactive Messages

Inline buttons, emoji reactions, reply threading, and beautifully formatted messages with Markdown support. Conversations feel natural and responses are easy to read.

Powerful Group Support

Add your bot to groups and channels for team assistants, family helpers, or community bots. Control when the bot responds with mention-based or reply-based activation.

No Message Limits

Send and receive as many messages as you need. Telegram's generous rate limits mean your normal usage will never be throttled or restricted.

Large File Handling

Share documents, images, PDFs, and files up to 2GB. Your assistant can analyze images, extract text from documents, process spreadsheets, and handle any file type.

Voice Message Transcription

Send voice notes that get automatically transcribed. Perfect for hands-free interaction while walking, driving, or multitasking. Reply by voice or text.

Cross-Platform Sync

Seamless sync across phone, tablet, desktop, and web. Start a conversation on one device and continue on another with full history preserved.

Inline Button Actions

Interactive buttons appear below messages for quick actions. Confirm tasks, navigate menus, make choices, and trigger workflows with a single tap.

Message Reactions

React to messages with emoji. Your assistant can acknowledge requests, and you can give feedback without typing. Adds personality to interactions.

Privacy Controls

Allowlist-based access means only authorized users can interact with your bot. Messages are encrypted in transit, and processing happens on your infrastructure.

Use Cases

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Personal Daily Assistant

Morning briefings, calendar management, reminders, task lists, and quick questions throughout your day. Your AI is always one message away.

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Team Coordination Hub

Add the bot to your team's Telegram group. Everyone shares access to the same assistant for task tracking, information lookup, and project coordination.

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Development Companion

Ask code questions, get documentation lookups, debug errors, and run CLI commands. Perfect for developers who want AI help without leaving their workflow.

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Research Assistant

Complex research questions get summarized, sourced answers. Great for learning new topics, fact-checking, or deep dives into any subject.

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Content Creation Helper

Draft emails, write social posts, edit documents, and brainstorm ideas. Share files for the assistant to review and improve.

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Voice-First Interaction

Send voice messages when typing isn't convenient. Get transcribed responses or audio replies. Ideal for hands-free productivity.

Setup Guide

Requirements

✓Telegram account (free, available on iOS, Android, Desktop, and Web)
✓OpenClaw installed and running on macOS or a Linux server
✓Internet connection for your OpenClaw instance
✓5-10 minutes for initial setup

Install Telegram (if needed)

Download Telegram from telegram.org or your device's app store. Create an account using your phone number. Telegram is free and takes about 2 minutes to set up.

Open BotFather

In Telegram, tap the search icon and type @BotFather. Select the official BotFather account (it has a blue verified checkmark). This is Telegram's official bot for creating and managing bots.

Start a conversation with BotFather

Tap 'Start' or send /start to begin. BotFather will respond with a list of commands. You'll see options for creating bots, editing settings, and managing tokens.

Create your new bot

Send /newbot to BotFather. It will ask for a display name for your bot (this can be anything, like 'My AI Assistant'). Then it asks for a username, which must be unique and end in 'bot' (like 'myassistant_bot').

Save your bot token

BotFather will respond with a congratulations message containing your HTTP API token. This looks like '123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrSTUvwxYZ'. Copy this token and save it securely — you'll need it for OpenClaw configuration. Never share this token publicly.

Get your Telegram user ID

Search for @userinfobot in Telegram and start a conversation. Send any message, and it will reply with your user ID — a numeric value like 123456789. Save this number; you'll add it to the allowlist so the bot responds to you.

Optional: Customize your bot

Back in BotFather, you can set a profile picture (/setuserpic), description (/setdescription), and about text (/setabouttext) for your bot. This makes it look more professional but isn't required for functionality.

Open your OpenClaw config file

Navigate to your OpenClaw configuration directory. On macOS, this is typically ~/.config/openclaw/config.yaml. Open config.yaml in your preferred text editor. Create the file if it doesn't exist.

Add the Telegram configuration

Add the telegram section to your config.yaml file. Include your botToken from step 5 and your user ID from step 6 in the allowedUsers list. See the config example below for the exact format.

Configure optional settings

You can add additional settings like custom bot name display, reaction preferences, and group behavior. These are optional — the basic config works great for most users.

Start or restart OpenClaw

If OpenClaw isn't running, start it with 'openclaw gateway start'. If it's already running, restart with 'openclaw gateway restart' to load the new configuration. Check the logs for 'Telegram channel connected' to confirm success.

Test your bot

In Telegram, search for your bot by its username (the one ending in 'bot' that you created). Tap Start and send a message like 'Hello!' or 'What can you do?'. Your bot should respond within seconds.

Optional: Add to a group

To use your bot in a group, open the group settings, tap 'Add Members', and search for your bot's username. Add it to the group. In groups, mention the bot with @botusername or reply to its messages to get responses.

Explore features

Try sending a voice message, sharing a file, or asking for help with a task. Explore inline buttons when they appear. Your OpenClaw Telegram bot is now fully operational!

Configuration Example

# OpenClaw Telegram Configuration
# Add this to your ~/.config/openclaw/config.yaml

telegram:
  # Required: Your bot token from @BotFather
  botToken: "123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrSTUvwxYZ"
  
  # Required: List of Telegram user IDs allowed to use the bot
  allowedUsers:
    - 123456789  # Your user ID from @userinfobot
    - 987654321  # Optional: Add family/team member IDs
  
  # Optional: Allowed group IDs (if using in groups)
  allowedGroups:
    - -1001234567890  # Group IDs are negative numbers
  
  # Optional: Customize reactions (default: minimal)
  reactions:
    enabled: true
    mode: "minimal"  # minimal, normal, or expressive
  
  # Optional: Typing indicator while processing
  showTyping: true
  
  # Optional: Parse mode for responses
  parseMode: "Markdown"  # Markdown or HTML

Limitations

⚠️Telegram is blocked in some countries (VPN required for access)
⚠️Bots cannot initiate conversations — users must message the bot first
⚠️Bot messages show a 'bot' badge, distinguishing them from regular users
⚠️Some Telegram features like Stories are not available to bots

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Telegram completely free for this?

Yes, 100% free. There are no paid tiers, message limits, API fees, or premium requirements. Telegram's Bot API is free for everyone, from hobbyists to businesses. The only cost is running your OpenClaw instance.

Can multiple people use the same bot?

Absolutely! Add multiple user IDs to the allowedUsers list in your config. Each person needs to get their own user ID from @userinfobot. Alternatively, add the bot to a group chat where everyone can interact with it.

What's the difference between bots and regular Telegram accounts?

Bots have a 'bot' badge next to their name, can't initiate conversations (users must message first), and have access to special features like inline buttons and custom keyboards. They can be in unlimited groups and conversations. For an AI assistant, bots are perfect — they're designed exactly for this use case.

Can I use Telegram on multiple devices simultaneously?

Yes! Telegram syncs instantly across all your devices — phone, tablet, desktop app, and web browser. Your bot conversation is available everywhere with full history. You can switch devices mid-conversation seamlessly.

How do I add my bot to a Telegram group?

Open the group, go to group settings (tap the group name), select 'Add Members', search for your bot's username, and add it. In groups, the bot responds when mentioned with @botusername or when you reply to its messages. Add the group's ID to allowedGroups in your config.

What are inline buttons and how do they work?

Inline buttons are clickable options that appear below bot messages. When your assistant offers choices (like confirming an action or selecting from options), buttons let you respond with a single tap instead of typing. They're automatically generated based on the conversation context.

Can the bot send me voice messages?

Yes, if you've configured text-to-speech in OpenClaw. You can also send voice messages to the bot, which will be transcribed automatically. This enables fully voice-based interaction if you prefer speaking over typing.

Is my conversation with the bot private and secure?

Yes. Messages are encrypted in transit using Telegram's MTProto protocol. Your OpenClaw instance processes messages on your own computer or server — data doesn't pass through third-party services (except your configured AI model). The allowedUsers setting ensures only authorized people can interact with your bot.

Why isn't my bot responding?

Check these common issues: 1) Verify your bot token is correct in config.yaml, 2) Confirm your user ID is in allowedUsers, 3) Make sure OpenClaw is running (openclaw gateway status), 4) Check OpenClaw logs for errors, 5) Ensure you've messaged the correct bot (search by username). See the troubleshooting section for more details.

Can I have multiple bots for different purposes?

Yes! Create additional bots with @BotFather and run multiple OpenClaw instances with different configurations. For example, one personal assistant and one for work. Each bot needs its own token and can have different settings.

What happens if Telegram is blocked in my country?

Use a VPN to access Telegram. Once connected via VPN, the bot works normally. Alternatively, you can use Telegram through proxy servers — search Telegram's official proxy channels for current working proxies.

How do I update my bot's name or picture?

Message @BotFather and use these commands: /setname to change the display name, /setuserpic to set a profile picture, /setdescription for the description shown when users open the bot, and /setabouttext for the short bio. Changes appear immediately.

Can the bot read messages in groups where it's not mentioned?

By default, bots in groups only receive messages where they're mentioned or replied to (privacy mode). You can disable privacy mode in BotFather with /setprivacy if you need the bot to see all messages, but this isn't recommended for most uses.

What file types can I send to the bot?

Almost any file type up to 2GB: documents (PDF, Word, text), images (JPG, PNG, WebP), spreadsheets (Excel, CSV), code files, audio, video, and more. Your OpenClaw assistant can process, analyze, or extract content from most common formats.

How do I revoke bot access if needed?

To revoke the bot token (making the old one useless), message @BotFather and use /revoke. You'll get a new token that you'll need to update in your config. To remove someone's access, simply remove their user ID from allowedUsers and restart OpenClaw.

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