Setting Up OpenClaw for Telegram: The Complete Guide

Connect OpenClaw to Telegram in under 10 minutes. Create a bot, configure polling vs webhooks, enable group chats, and unlock advanced features.

February 8, 2026

Note: OpenClaw was previously known as MoltBot and Clawdbot. All commands are interchangeable: openclaw, moltbot, clawdbot. Telegram is the most popular channel for OpenClaw — easy setup, powerful features, works everywhere.

What You’ll Get

  • âś… Your own AI assistant in Telegram
  • âś… Voice message support with text replies
  • âś… Group chat functionality (optional)
  • âś… Inline buttons and rich formatting
  • âś… File and image sharing

Step 1: Create a Bot with BotFather

Open @BotFather

Search for @BotFather in Telegram (it’s the official bot with the blue checkmark), then tap Start.

Create a new bot

/newbot

BotFather will ask for:

  • Bot name — how it appears in chats (e.g., “My AI Assistant”)
  • Username — must end in bot (e.g., my_ai_assistant_bot)

Grab your token

After creation, BotFather gives you an API token:

Done! Congratulations on your new bot.
...
Use this token to access the HTTP API:
7123456789:AAHxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

⚠️ Keep this token private. Anyone with it can take full control of your bot.

Step 2: Configure the Bot

Add a description and avatar

/setdescription

Choose your bot, then enter a description:

“Personal AI assistant powered by Claude. I help with tasks, answer questions, and automate your routine.”

/setuserpic

Upload a square image as the bot’s avatar.

Disable Privacy Mode for groups

If you want the bot to work in group chats:

/setprivacy

Select your bot → Disable

This allows the bot to read all messages in a group, not just commands directed at it.

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw

Add the token to your config

nano ~/.openclaw/openclaw.yaml
channels:
  telegram:
    enabled: true
    token: "7123456789:AAHxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

    # Message receiving mode
    polling: true  # Recommended — no open ports required

    # Webhook alternative (requires HTTPS and an open port)
    # webhook:
    #   url: "https://your-domain.com/webhook/telegram"
    #   port: 8443

Polling vs Webhook: Which Should You Use?

PollingWebhook
Open ports requiredNoneYes (HTTPS)
Latency~1 secInstant
ReliabilityHighDepends on server
Setup complexitySimpleMore involved

Recommendation: Use polling unless you have a specific need for sub-second response times.

Step 4: Launch and Test

Restart OpenClaw

sudo systemctl restart openclaw

Or if running manually:

openclaw gateway

Check the logs

journalctl -u openclaw -f

Look for:

[telegram] Connected — polling started
[telegram] Bot: @my_ai_assistant_bot

Send your first message

Open Telegram, find your bot, and send:

“Hey, are you there?”

The bot should respond within a second or two.

Advanced Configuration

Restrict access to specific users

gateway:
  security:
    allowedUsers:
      - 123456789   # Your Telegram user ID

Get your ID by messaging @userinfobot.

Enable group chat features

channels:
  telegram:
    groups:
      enabled: true
      respondToMentions: true    # Only respond when @mentioned
      respondToCommands: true    # Respond to /commands

Custom welcome message

channels:
  telegram:
    welcomeMessage: |
      đź‘‹ Hey! I'm your personal AI assistant.
      Type anything to get started, or send /help for available commands.

Common Issues

Bot not responding
Check that your token is correct and the bot isn’t paused. Run openclaw gateway manually and watch the output.

Group chat not working
Make sure Privacy Mode is disabled via BotFather /setprivacy.

“Unauthorized” error
The token may be revoked. Generate a new one with /token in BotFather.

What’s Next?

Back to OpenClaw Hub