How to Setup OpenClaw with Telegram: Complete BotFather Guide
Setting up your AI assistant on Telegram is the fastest way to get a 24/7 digital employee. This guide walk you through the entire process of creating your bot and connecting it to OpenClawZero.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Telegram Bots
Telegram is one of the most powerful platforms for AI agents because of its rich API, support for files, and lightning-fast message delivery. By hosting your OpenClaw agent on Telegram, you gain access to your assistant from any device, anywhere in the world.
Step 1: Create Your Bot with BotFather
Every Telegram bot is created through a special bot called BotFather. He is the central authority for all bots on the platform.
Open Telegram and search for @BotFather. Make sure it has the blue checkmark. Send the command /newbot to start the creation process. BotFather will ask you for a name for your bot (e.g., "My AI Assistant") and a username (which must end in "bot", e.g., "MegaHelperBot").
Step 2: Securing Your API Token
Once you finish the naming process, BotFather will congratulate you and provide a HTTP API Token. This token is the "password" for your bot.
The token looks like a long string of numbers and letters, for example: 123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz. Copy this token immediately. Never share this token publicly, as anyone with it can control your bot.
Important: If you ever lose your token or feel it has been compromised, you can go back to BotFather and use the /token command to generate a new one.
Step 3: Finding Your Bot Username
You already chose the username in Step 1, but it's important to have it ready for the configuration step. Your username is how you and others will find the bot on Telegram.
In the same message where BotFather gave you the token, he will also list your bot's link (e.g., t.me/YourBotNameBot). Your username is simply YourBotNameBot (without the @ symbol). OpenClawZero uses this to identify which bot to listen to.
Step 4: Connecting to OpenClawZero
Now that you have your Token and Username, it's time to bring your agent to life on OpenClawZero.
Login to your OpenClawZero Dashboard. In your agent configuration, enter your TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN. To control who can talk to your bot, go to the Settings tab in your dashboard. Here, you can add the Telegram usernames of the people allowed to interact with your assistant. This ensures your agent only responds to you and your team.
Testing Your Setup
Once the deployment is complete (usually 30 seconds), go back to Telegram and find your bot. Click Start or send a simple message like "Hello".
If the bot responds, you are fully set up! Your agent is now running 24/7 in the cloud, ready to help you with research, coding, or managing your schedule.
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