OpenClaw Telegram Setup: Full Tutorial (2026)

Why Telegram Is the Best Channel for OpenClaw

Telegram isn't just a messaging app — it has a robust, free bot API that makes it the perfect interface for your AI agent.

Step 1: Create Your Telegram Bot via BotFather

Every Telegram bot needs to be registered with @BotFather, Telegram's official bot creation service. This takes about 2 minutes.

Optional: Customize Your Bot

# Set a description
/setdescription → select your bot → enter description

# Set a profile picture
/setuserpic → select your bot → send a photo

# Set commands (shows up as "/" menu in Telegram)
/setcommands → select your bot → paste:
help - Show available commands
status - Check agent status
cancel - Cancel current task

Step 2: Connect Your Bot to OpenClaw

Method A: Interactive Setup (Recommended)

openclaw channel add telegram

OpenClaw will prompt you for your bot token. Paste it and press Enter. That's it.

Method B: Direct Config Edit

{
  "plugins": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "1234567890:AAFqV1WAoDxZP9dAt8wMp4BWaWi5s-MUrIs",
      "allowedUserIds": [],
      "adminUserIds": [],
      "reactions": "minimal",
      "parseMode": "Markdown"
    }
  }
}

Finding Your Telegram User ID

# Method 1: Message @userinfobot on Telegram
# It replies with your user ID instantly

# Method 2: Message @RawDataBot
# Look for "id" field in the "from" object

Restart the Gateway

openclaw gateway restart

Step 3: Test the Connection

Open Telegram, find your bot by username, and start a chat. Send: /start

You should receive a welcome message from your agent. Then try a real message:

"What's today's date?"
"What's the weather in London?"
"Summarize this URL: https://example.com"

# Watch live logs
openclaw logs --follow --channel telegram

# Check overall status
openclaw status

Step 4: Secure Your Bot

A Telegram bot connected to your AI agent is a powerful interface. Lock it down properly.

{
  "plugins": {
    "telegram": {
      "token": "YOUR_TOKEN",
      "allowedUserIds": [YOUR_TELEGRAM_ID],
      "adminUserIds": [YOUR_TELEGRAM_ID],
      "rejectUnauthorized": true,
      "silentReject": true
    }
  }
}

silentReject: true means unauthorized users don't even get a "you're not allowed" message — the bot simply ignores them. This prevents bot enumeration.

Advanced: Multiple Bots & Notification Setup

Running Two Bots (Personal + Notifications)

A common pattern: one bot for conversation, one for push notifications.

{
  "plugins": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "MAIN_BOT_TOKEN",
      "allowedUserIds": [YOUR_ID]
    },
    "telegram-notify": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "NOTIFICATION_BOT_TOKEN",
      "defaultChatId": YOUR_CHAT_ID,
      "notificationsOnly": true
    }
  }
}

Scheduled Telegram Notifications

{
  "schedule": "0 9 * * *",
  "message": "Send me a daily briefing via Telegram: check my calendar for today's events, summarize the top 3 tech news stories, and remind me of any tasks from MEMORY.md due today.",
  "channel": "telegram"
}

Troubleshooting