How to Connect OpenClaw to Email

Prerequisites

• ✓An existing OpenClaw installation with the Gateway running, as described in the main OpenClaw install docs.
• ✓Access to at least one supported messaging platform account such as Telegram, Slack, WhatsApp, or Discord.
• ✓Network access from your OpenClaw Gateway to the chosen messaging platform’s APIs or webhooks.

Steps

1. 1

   Review the supported messaging channels

   Start by deciding which chat channel will stand in for email-style communication for your users. OpenClaw supports many platforms, and each one has different setup complexity and capabilities, so picking the right one up front saves you time.

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   *   [BlueBubbles](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/bluebubbles) — **Recommended for iMessage**; uses the BlueBubbles macOS server REST API with full feature support (bundled plugin; edit, unsend, effects, reactions, group management — edit currently broken on macOS 26 Tahoe).
   *   [Discord](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/discord) — Discord Bot API + Gateway; supports servers, channels, and DMs.
   *   [Feishu](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/feishu) — Feishu/Lark bot via WebSocket (bundled plugin).
   *   [Google Chat](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/googlechat) — Google Chat API app via HTTP webhook.
   *   [iMessage (legacy)](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/imessage) — Legacy macOS integration via imsg CLI (deprecated, use BlueBubbles for new setups).
   *   [IRC](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/irc) — Classic IRC servers; channels + DMs with pairing/allowlist controls.
   *   [LINE](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/line) — LINE Messaging API bot (bundled plugin).
   *   [Matrix](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/matrix) — Matrix protocol (bundled plugin).
   *   [Mattermost](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/mattermost) — Bot API + WebSocket; channels, groups, DMs (bundled plugin).
   *   [Microsoft Teams](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/msteams) — Bot Framework; enterprise support (bundled plugin).
   *   [Nextcloud Talk](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/nextcloud-talk) — Self-hosted chat via Nextcloud Talk (bundled plugin).
   *   [Nostr](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/nostr) — Decentralized DMs via NIP-04 (bundled plugin).
   *   [QQ Bot](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/qqbot) — QQ Bot API; private chat, group chat, and rich media (bundled plugin).
   *   [Signal](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/signal) — signal-cli; privacy-focused.
   *   [Slack](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/slack) — Bolt SDK; workspace apps.
   *   [Synology Chat](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/synology-chat) — Synology NAS Chat via outgoing+incoming webhooks (bundled plugin).
   *   [Telegram](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/telegram) — Bot API via grammY; supports groups.
   *   [Tlon](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/tlon) — Urbit-based messenger (bundled plugin).
   *   [Twitch](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/twitch) — Twitch chat via IRC connection (bundled plugin).
   *   [Voice Call](https://docs.openclaw.ai/plugins/voice-call) — Telephony via Plivo or Twilio (plugin, installed separately).
   *   [WebChat](https://docs.openclaw.ai/web/webchat) — Gateway WebChat UI over WebSocket.
   *   [WeChat](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@tencent-weixin/openclaw-weixin) — Tencent iLink Bot plugin via QR login; private chats only.
   *   [WhatsApp](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/whatsapp) — Most popular; uses Baileys and requires QR pairing.
   *   [Zalo](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/zalo) — Zalo Bot API; Vietnam’s popular messenger (bundled plugin).
   *   [Zalo Personal](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/zalouser) — Zalo personal account via QR login (bundled plugin).

2. 2

   Choose a channel with the fastest setup for testing

   For a quick email-like prototype, you want a channel that you can bring up in minutes. The docs call out Telegram as the fastest path, while WhatsApp needs QR pairing and more on-disk state, so start with Telegram unless your users are locked into another platform.

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   *   Fastest setup is usually **Telegram** (simple bot token). WhatsApp requires QR pairing and stores more state on disk.

3. 3

   Configure multiple channels if you need different email-style inboxes

   If you want separate "inboxes" for different teams or environments, configure more than one channel. OpenClaw can listen on all of them at once and route messages per chat, which maps well to multiple email addresses or aliases.

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   *   Channels can run simultaneously; configure multiple and OpenClaw will route per chat.

4. 4

   Plan group and DM behavior to match your email use case

   Email threads often map to group conversations, so you need to understand how your chosen channel handles groups and direct messages. Group behavior and pairing/allowlists vary by channel, and OpenClaw enforces pairing and allowlists for safety.

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   *   Group behavior varies by channel; see [Groups](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/groups).
   *   DM pairing and allowlists are enforced for safety; see [Security](https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/security).

5. 5

   Test and troubleshoot your channel connection

   Once your channel is wired to the Gateway, send a few messages that mimic email flows and watch how OpenClaw responds. If messages do not arrive or replies fail, use the channel troubleshooting guidance to narrow down whether the issue is with the channel, routing, or security settings.

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   *   Troubleshooting: [Channel troubleshooting](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/troubleshooting).

Troubleshooting

*   Troubleshooting: [Channel troubleshooting](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/troubleshooting).

*   DM pairing and allowlists are enforced for safety; see [Security](https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/security).

Frequently asked questions