OpenClaw Tutorial logoOpenClaw Tutorial Docs
OpenClaw Tutorial logoOpenClaw Tutorial Docs
Tutorial Home

Start Here

OpenClaw Tutorial Quick StartOpenClaw Tutorial OverviewInstallation and SetupGateway and Control UIChannels and PairingSkills and ClawHubTroubleshooting and Safety

Channels and Pairing

Understand supported channels, deterministic routing, and pairing rules before you connect a chat app.

Supported Channels

Official channel docs list WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, Google Chat, BlueBubbles for iMessage, and more through plugins such as Mattermost.

The key idea is simple: channels can run at the same time, but replies still route back deterministically to the chat where the message came from.

Why Pairing Exists

Official pairing docs explain that when a channel uses DM policy pairing, unknown senders are held until you approve them. That is a safety boundary, not a bug.

Pairing state is stored under ~/.openclaw/credentials/, so treat it as sensitive.

Practical Advice

In most cases, your learning order should be:

  1. get the Gateway and Control UI working,
  2. choose one channel,
  3. test direct messages,
  4. then add group behavior or additional channels.

That sequence keeps this openclaw tutorial practical. It is much easier to debug one channel than five.

Group And Thread Behavior

Official routing docs say direct messages usually collapse into a shared main session, while groups and channels stay isolated. That matters because many new users assume the model chooses where to reply. It does not. Routing is configured by the host and follows the incoming chat context.

Table of Contents

Supported Channels
Why Pairing Exists
Practical Advice
Group And Thread Behavior