# Telegram

Talk to OpenClaw through a Telegram bot in direct messages, groups, channels, and
topics. The plugin supports media, voice notes, reactions, polls, and native
commands.

## Get started

Create a bot with **@BotFather**, then add Telegram using `openclaw channels add`
and provide the bot token. Verify the connection with
`openclaw channels status --probe`.

Send your bot a message, then approve the resulting pairing request. Group
access uses separate allowlists and mention settings; configure these before
using the bot in a group.

Follow the [Telegram setup guide](https://docs.openclaw.ai/channels/telegram/setup)
for bot creation, pairing, and group permissions.