OpenClaw Telegram Setup: Streaming, Commands, and Troubleshooting

Telegram is the most popular way to use OpenClaw. It’s fast, works on all devices, and supports features like streaming responses.

This guide covers everything from initial setup to troubleshooting common issues.

Why Telegram?

• Works everywhere - Phone, tablet, desktop, web
• Real-time streaming - See responses as they’re generated
• Rich formatting - Code blocks, bold, lists render properly
• Bot API - Clean integration, no workarounds needed
• Privacy - End-to-end encryption available

Initial Setup

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose a name (e.g., “My OpenClaw”)
4. Choose a username (must end in bot, e.g., my_openclaw_bot)
5. Save the API token BotFather gives you

Important: Keep this token secret. Anyone with it can control your bot.

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

During openclaw onboard or in your config:

channels:
  telegram:
    enabled: true
    token: "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE"

Step 3: Start Chatting

1. Find your bot in Telegram (search for the username you chose)
2. Press “Start”
3. Send a message
4. Your OpenClaw should respond

Enabling Streaming

Streaming shows responses word-by-word as they’re generated. Much better UX than waiting for the full response.

Check If Streaming Is Enabled

Send /status to your bot. Look for:

Streaming: enabled

Enable Streaming

In your OpenClaw config:

channels:
  telegram:
    enabled: true
    token: "YOUR_TOKEN"
    streaming: true

Then restart the gateway:

openclaw gateway restart

Streaming Not Working?

Common causes:

1. Config not reloaded - Restart the gateway after config changes
2. Model doesn’t support streaming - Most do, but check your model settings
3. Network issues - Streaming requires stable connection

Useful Commands

Built-in commands you can send to your bot:

Command	What It Does
/status	Show bot status and settings
/clear	Clear conversation history
/model	Show or change current model
/help	List available commands

Common Issues and Fixes

Bot Not Responding

Check 1: Is the gateway running?

openclaw gateway status

Check 2: Is the bot token correct?

• Go to @BotFather
• Send /mybots
• Select your bot
• Check the token matches your config

Check 3: Did you start the bot?

• Open the bot in Telegram
• Press the “Start” button

Check 4: Check the logs

journalctl -u openclaw -n 50

Slow Responses

Cause 1: Model is slow

• Opus is slower than Sonnet
• Sonnet is slower than Haiku
• Consider using a faster model for simple queries

Cause 2: Long conversation history

• Each message includes the full history
• Use /clear to reset

Cause 3: Server performance

• Check CPU/memory usage
• Upgrade VPS if needed

Messages Cut Off

Telegram has a 4096 character limit per message. OpenClaw should split long messages automatically.

If messages are still cut off:

• Check your OpenClaw version (update if old)
• Report as a bug if persists

”Bot Stopped Working” After a While

Cause: Memory leak or crash

Check if gateway is still running:

openclaw gateway status

Set up auto-restart:

# If using systemd
sudo systemctl enable openclaw

Streaming Shows as Multiple Messages

This is normal for very long responses. Telegram edits messages in place, but there are limits.

For better UX with long responses:

• Ask for shorter summaries first
• Use “elaborate on point 2” follow-ups

Advanced Configuration

Private Bot (Restrict Access)

Only allow specific users:

channels:
  telegram:
    enabled: true
    token: "YOUR_TOKEN"
    allowedUsers:
      - 123456789  # Your Telegram user ID
      - 987654321  # Another allowed user

To find your user ID, send a message to @userinfobot.

Multiple Chats

You can use the same bot in:

• Direct messages
• Groups (add bot to group)
• Channels (as admin)

For groups, you may want to configure:

channels:
  telegram:
    groupBehavior: "mention"  # Only respond when @mentioned

Custom Personality

Set a system prompt for your Telegram bot:

persona:
  name: "Jarvis"
  prompt: |
    You are Jarvis, a helpful AI assistant.
    Be concise and professional.
    Always end responses with a helpful follow-up question.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Add quick-reply buttons:

channels:
  telegram:
    keyboard:
      - ["📧 Check Email", "📅 Today's Schedule"]
      - ["📝 New Note", "🔍 Search"]

Security Considerations

Keep Your Token Secret

• Never share your bot token
• Don’t commit it to git
• Use environment variables:

channels:
  telegram:
    token: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}

Restrict Access

Unless you want a public bot, always set allowedUsers.

Be Careful with Sensitive Data

Messages go through Telegram’s servers. For highly sensitive data:

• Use Secret Chats (if supported)
• Or use a different channel (local CLI)

Troubleshooting Checklist

[ ] Gateway is running (openclaw gateway status)
[ ] Bot token is correct (check @BotFather)
[ ] Bot is started (pressed Start button)
[ ] User ID is in allowedUsers (if restricted)
[ ] Config was reloaded after changes (restart gateway)
[ ] Streaming is enabled in config (if expected)
[ ] Logs show no errors (journalctl -u openclaw)
[ ] Internet connection is stable

Getting Help

Still stuck?

1. Check logs: journalctl -u openclaw -f (watch live)
2. OpenClaw Discord: discord.gg/clawd
3. GitHub Issues: For bugs
4. SetupMyClaw: We can help debug your setup

Book a troubleshooting call →

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Questions about Telegram setup? Email us.