Multi-channel Setup

Using Multiple Channels at Once

Your OpenClaw instance supports connecting multiple channels simultaneously. You can use the web UI, Telegram, and WhatsApp all at the same time, and they all talk to the same AI instance.

How Multi-channel Works

All channels connect to a single OpenClaw instance running inside your container. This means:

• Shared AI context -- The AI has the same skills, configuration, and capabilities regardless of which channel you use
• Separate conversations -- Each channel maintains its own conversation history. A Telegram conversation is separate from a WhatsApp conversation.
• Shared resources -- All channels share the same memory, CPU, and LLM tier allocation

There is no extra cost for connecting multiple channels. Your tier pricing covers the instance itself, not the number of channels.

Supported Channel Combinations

Channel	Can Run Alongside
Web UI	Always available, no pairing needed
Telegram	Can pair one Telegram bot per instance
WhatsApp	Can pair one WhatsApp number per instance

You can run all three channels at the same time. Each one connects to your instance independently.

Setting Up Multiple Channels

Step 1: Start with the web UI

The web UI works automatically once your instance is running. No setup needed. Use it to verify your instance is healthy before adding other channels.

Step 2: Add Telegram

Follow the Connecting Telegram guide to pair a Telegram bot. The web UI continues working while you set up Telegram.

Step 3: Add WhatsApp

Follow the Connecting WhatsApp guide to pair a WhatsApp number. Both the web UI and Telegram continue working while you add WhatsApp.

Things to Know

Conversations are isolated between channels. If you start a conversation in Telegram, you cannot continue it in WhatsApp or the web UI. Each channel has its own conversation thread.

All channels share memory. If your instance is on a Budget tier (1 GB), heavy usage from one channel affects the available resources for other channels. This rarely matters for chat conversations, but it can matter if you use features like file processing or web browsing.

Channel connections survive restarts. If your instance restarts (manually or due to memory pressure), channel connections resume automatically within 1-2 minutes. You do not need to re-pair.

Rebuilds require re-pairing. If you rebuild your instance, all channel connections are lost. You need to pair Telegram and WhatsApp again. The web UI works immediately with your gateway token.

When One Channel Stops Working

If one channel stops responding while others work fine:

1. Check the channel's pairing status in your dashboard
2. Wait 2 minutes -- The connection may be re-establishing after a restart
3. Re-pair if needed -- Generate a new pairing code from the dashboard

If all channels stop working simultaneously, the issue is likely with the instance itself. Check the dashboard for status changes.

Choosing Between Channels

Use Case	Recommended Channel
Full-featured interaction, file uploads	Web UI
Quick questions from your phone	Telegram
Integration with existing WhatsApp workflows	WhatsApp
Desktop work sessions	Web UI
On-the-go access with notifications	Telegram or WhatsApp

Many users keep the web UI as their primary channel for detailed work and use Telegram or WhatsApp for quick interactions on the go.

Related Docs

• Using the Web UI -- The built-in browser interface
• Connecting Telegram -- Telegram bot pairing
• Connecting WhatsApp -- WhatsApp number pairing
• Connection Issues -- Troubleshooting channel connectivity