# Chat Channels

## Overview

OpenClaw integrates with numerous messaging platforms through its Gateway infrastructure. The documentation lists 20+ supported channels, with text support available universally while media and reaction capabilities vary by platform.

## Supported Platforms

The primary channels include established services like:

- **WhatsApp** - Using Baileys with QR pairing
- **Telegram** - Via grammY bot API
- **Discord** - With server and DM support
- **Slack** - Through Bolt SDK
- **Signal** - For privacy-conscious users
- **iMessage** - BlueBubbles recommended for integration

## Key Features

Channels can run simultaneously; configure multiple and OpenClaw will route per chat. This enables users to maintain presence across multiple messaging services with a single bot instance.

### Platform Differences

- **WhatsApp** setup requires QR pairing and maintains more local state
- **Telegram** offers the quickest configuration path using only a bot token
- **BlueBubbles** supports advanced iMessage features including message editing, unsending, and reaction handling (though edit functionality is currently broken on macOS 26 Tahoe)

## Plugin-Based Extensions

Several channels require separate plugin installation rather than core integration:

- Feishu
- Mattermost
- Microsoft Teams
- Matrix
- LINE
- Zalo

## Security

DM pairing and allowlists provide security controls. See the individual channel documentation for specific configuration options.

## Related Documentation

- [Location Parsing](location.md)
- [Troubleshooting](troubleshooting.md)