Telegram Bot Setup

Overview

Telegram is the easiest channel to set up — just a bot token. OpenClaw uses the grammY library for the Telegram Bot API. It supports DMs, groups, media, and reactions.

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

• Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
• Send /newbot and follow the prompts
• Choose a name and username for your bot
• Copy the bot token (looks like 123456:ABC-DEF...)

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

Add the bot token to your OpenClaw config:

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "botToken": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE"
    }
  }
}

Or use the onboarding wizard: openclaw onboard and select Telegram when prompted.

Step 3: Restart the Gateway

openclaw gateway restart

The Gateway will connect to Telegram automatically. Send a message to your bot to test.

Group Chat Setup

To use your bot in Telegram groups:

• Add the bot to your group
• The bot responds when mentioned by default
• Configure mention patterns in openclaw.json:

{
  "messages": {
    "groupChat": {
      "mentionPatterns": ["@your_bot_username"]
    }
  }
}

Security

By default, DM pairing is enabled — unknown senders receive a pairing code. Approve with openclaw pairing approve. For public bots, set dmPolicy to "open".

What's Next?