Telegram Bot Setup

Overview

OpenClaw integrates with Telegram via the Bot API using the grammY library. It supports both direct messages and group chats.

Quick Setup

1. Create a Bot Token

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts
3. Copy the bot token (format: 123:abc...)

2. Configure OpenClaw

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "botToken": "123:abc...",
      "dmPolicy": "pairing",
      "groups": {
        "*": {
          "requireMention": true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Or use an environment variable:

export TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN="123:abc..."

3. Login and Start

openclaw channels login telegram
openclaw gateway

4. Approve First DM

openclaw pairing list telegram
openclaw pairing approve telegram <CODE>

DM Access Control

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "dmPolicy": "allowlist",
      "allowFrom": ["tg:123456789"]
    }
  }
}

Group Chat Setup

1. Add the bot to a Telegram group
2. Disable privacy mode: send /setprivacy to @BotFather
3. Or make the bot a group admin

BotFather Settings

• /setjoingroups — Allow/deny group membership
• /setprivacy — Control group message visibility

Features

• ✅ Direct messages with pairing
• ✅ Group chats with mention activation
• ✅ Image and media support
• ✅ Audio/voice messages
• ✅ Sticker handling
• ✅ Video messages

Troubleshooting

Bot not responding

• Verify botToken is correct
• Check openclaw gateway status
• Run openclaw doctor --fix

Messages not received in groups

• Disable privacy mode via /setprivacy
• Or make the bot a group admin

Next Steps

• WhatsApp Deployment — WhatsApp setup
• AI Agent — Configure agent behavior
• Clawdbot — Bot configuration