Telegram is the easiest channel because it uses a simple bot token from BotFather — no QR scanning, no phone number pairing, no complex OAuth. Create a bot, paste the token, and you're connected in under a minute.
Open Telegram, search for @BotFather, send /newbot, choose a name and username, and copy the API token. Paste this token into your OpenClaw config under channels.telegram.token.
Yes, but you should configure DM pairing to control who can interact with your agent. Use openclaw pairing approve telegram code to approve specific users.
Common causes: gateway not running, telegram channel not enabled in config, bot token invalid or revoked, or the sender hasn't been approved via DM pairing. Check openclaw channels status --probe for diagnostics.
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Related: WhatsApp guide · Setup checklist · OpenClaw for beginners