Connect OpenClaw to
Telegram — Complete Guide

Step-by-step guide to setting up OpenClaw with Telegram. Create AI bots, automate messages, and build powerful Telegram workflows.

Start Setup

5-Step Telegram Setup

Follow these steps to connect OpenClaw with Telegram

1

Create Telegram Bot with BotFather

3-5 minutes

Use Telegram's BotFather to create your OpenClaw bot

Actions:

  1. 1.Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
  2. 2.Send /start to begin interaction
  3. 3.Send /newbot to create a new bot
  4. 4.Choose a name for your bot (e.g., 'My OpenClaw Bot')
  5. 5.Choose a username ending in 'bot' (e.g., 'myopenclawbot')
  6. 6.Copy the bot token provided by BotFather

Commands/Messages:

/start
/newbot
My OpenClaw Assistant
myopenclawassistant_bot

💡 Keep your bot token secure - it's like a password for your bot

2

Install OpenClaw Telegram Plugin

1-2 minutes

Add Telegram capabilities to your OpenClaw installation

Commands/Messages:

# Install the OpenClaw Telegram plugin
openclaw plugin install telegram

# Verify plugin installation
openclaw plugin list

# Check Telegram plugin status
openclaw plugin status telegram

💡 The Telegram plugin handles message routing and bot management

3

Configure Bot Token

1 minute

Set up your bot token in OpenClaw configuration

Commands/Messages:

# Set your Telegram bot token
openclaw config set telegram.token YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE

# Verify configuration
openclaw config get telegram.token

# Set bot username (optional but recommended)
openclaw config set telegram.username myopenclawassistant_bot

💡 Replace YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE with the actual token from BotFather

4

Start Telegram Integration

1-2 minutes

Enable Telegram connection in OpenClaw gateway

Commands/Messages:

# Enable Telegram in gateway configuration
openclaw gateway config --enable telegram

# Restart gateway to apply changes
openclaw gateway restart

# Check Telegram connection status
openclaw gateway status telegram

💡 Gateway restart is required to activate Telegram integration

5

Test Bot Connection

2-3 minutes

Verify your Telegram bot is working with OpenClaw

Actions:

  1. 1.Find your bot in Telegram by searching its username
  2. 2.Send /start to your bot
  3. 3.Send a test message like 'Hello bot'
  4. 4.Verify bot responds with OpenClaw agent reply

Commands/Messages:

# Send test message to bot webhook
openclaw telegram test-connection

# Check bot activity logs
openclaw logs telegram --tail 10

💡 Successful response confirms integration is working correctly

Advanced Configuration

Custom Commands Setup

Create custom Telegram commands for your OpenClaw bot

# Set up custom commands
openclaw telegram command add /help "Show available commands"
openclaw telegram command add /status "Check agent status"
openclaw telegram command add /task "Create new task: /task [description]"

# Register commands with BotFather
# Send to @BotFather: /setcommands
# Select your bot and paste command list

BotFather Command List:

  • help - Show available commands
  • status - Check agent status
  • task - Create new task

Webhook Configuration

Set up webhook for real-time message processing

# Set webhook URL (for public deployments)
openclaw config set telegram.webhook.url https://your-domain.com/webhook

# Enable webhook mode
openclaw config set telegram.mode webhook

# For local development, use polling mode
openclaw config set telegram.mode polling

Agent Assignment

Assign specific agents to handle Telegram messages

# Create agent for Telegram interactions
openclaw agent create --name telegram-agent --channel telegram

# Set default agent for Telegram
openclaw config set telegram.default_agent telegram-agent

# Configure agent personality for Telegram
openclaw agent config telegram-agent --personality "Helpful assistant for Telegram"

Popular Use Cases

Personal Assistant Bot

AI assistant for personal task management

Key Features:

  • ✓Schedule reminders
  • ✓Answer questions
  • ✓Manage todo lists
  • ✓Weather updates

Setup Requirements:

Configure agent with personal assistant skills and calendar access

Business Support Bot

Customer support automation for businesses

Key Features:

  • ✓Answer FAQs
  • ✓Route inquiries
  • ✓Collect feedback
  • ✓Generate reports

Setup Requirements:

Set up agent with business knowledge base and CRM integration

Team Collaboration Bot

Enhance team communication and productivity

Key Features:

  • ✓Meeting summaries
  • ✓Project updates
  • ✓File management
  • ✓Task assignments

Setup Requirements:

Connect to project management tools and team databases

Content Creation Bot

Automate content creation and publishing

Key Features:

  • ✓Generate posts
  • ✓Schedule content
  • ✓Analyze engagement
  • ✓SEO suggestions

Setup Requirements:

Configure content generation skills and social media APIs

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Bot Not Responding to Messages

Symptoms:

  • •No replies from bot
  • •Messages not reaching OpenClaw

Solutions:

  • ✓Check bot token is correct: openclaw config get telegram.token
  • ✓Verify gateway is running: openclaw gateway status
  • ✓Check Telegram plugin status: openclaw plugin status telegram
  • ✓Review logs: openclaw logs telegram

Webhook Connection Failed

Symptoms:

  • •Webhook errors in logs
  • •Connection timeout

Solutions:

  • ✓Verify webhook URL is accessible from internet
  • ✓Check SSL certificate is valid
  • ✓Test webhook manually with curl
  • ✓Switch to polling mode for testing: openclaw config set telegram.mode polling

Agent Not Processing Telegram Messages

Symptoms:

  • •Bot responds but agent doesn't activate
  • •Generic responses only

Solutions:

  • ✓Check agent assignment: openclaw config get telegram.default_agent
  • ✓Verify agent is running: openclaw agent status [agent-name]
  • ✓Test agent directly: openclaw agent chat [agent-name] 'test message'
  • ✓Review agent logs for errors

Rate Limiting or API Errors

Symptoms:

  • •Too many requests error
  • •API quota exceeded

Solutions:

  • ✓Implement message throttling in agent configuration
  • ✓Monitor API usage: openclaw telegram stats
  • ✓Upgrade Telegram API limits if needed
  • ✓Add delay between bot responses

Security Best Practices

Bot Token Security

Protect your Telegram bot token

  • ▸Never share bot token in public repositories
  • ▸Use environment variables for token storage
  • ▸Regenerate token if compromised (via BotFather)
  • ▸Limit bot permissions to minimum required

User Authentication

Control who can access your bot

  • ▸Implement user whitelist for private bots
  • ▸Use Telegram user ID verification
  • ▸Set up admin-only commands
  • ▸Log all user interactions for audit

Data Protection

Secure user data and conversations

  • ▸Encrypt sensitive data in logs
  • ▸Implement data retention policies
  • ▸Regular backup of bot configuration
  • ▸Comply with privacy regulations (GDPR)

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Need Help with
Telegram Integration?

Get expert assistance setting up OpenClaw with Telegram. Custom bot development and advanced workflow automation.

  • ✓Custom Telegram bot development
  • ✓Advanced workflow automation
  • ✓Integration troubleshooting

Telegram Setup Support

Get your Telegram bot working with OpenClaw

Replies within one working day. Useful first messages include: “I want an agent to handle X”, “I already have OpenClaw installed”, or “I need help making this safe for a team.”