Telegram
The fastest way to your AI assistant
Telegram is the recommended channel for Clawdbot. It's free, fast to set up, and has the best bot API of any messaging platform. Groups, inline buttons, file sharing, voice messages - everything just works.
Features
Instant setup
Create a bot with @BotFather in under 5 minutes. No approvals, no waiting.
Rich interactions
Inline buttons, reactions, reply threading, and formatted messages make conversations natural.
Group support
Add your bot to groups and channels. Great for team assistants or community bots.
Unlimited messages
No rate limits for reasonable usage. Send and receive as much as you need.
File handling
Share documents up to 2GB. Your assistant can process PDFs, images, spreadsheets, and more.
Voice messages
Send voice notes that get transcribed automatically. Reply by voice or text.
Use Cases
Personal assistant
Daily briefings, reminders, task management, and quick questions.
Team coordination
Shared assistant in a group chat for team task tracking and information lookup.
Development helper
Code questions, documentation lookup, and CLI commands while you work.
Research companion
Ask complex questions and get summarized, sourced answers.
Setup Guide
Requirements
- ✓Telegram account
- ✓Clawdbot running on a server or Mac
Create a bot with @BotFather
Open Telegram, search for @BotFather, send /newbot, and follow the prompts. Save the token it gives you.
Get your user ID
Message @userinfobot to get your numeric Telegram user ID. You'll need this for the allowlist.
Add to Clawdbot config
Add the telegram section to your config with botToken and allowedUsers.
Start Clawdbot
Run 'clawdbot gateway start' and message your bot. It should respond immediately.
Configuration Example
telegram:
botToken: \"123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrSTUvwxYZ\"
allowedUsers:
- 123456789 # Your user IDLimitations
- ⚠️Telegram is blocked in some countries (use VPN)
- ⚠️Bot messages appear differently than regular messages
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Telegram free?
Yes, completely free. No paid tiers, no message limits, no premium requirements.
Can multiple people use the same bot?
Yes! Add multiple user IDs to allowedUsers, or use group chats for shared access.
What's the difference between bots and regular accounts?
Bots have a 'bot' badge, can't initiate conversations (users must message first), and have special features like inline buttons. For an AI assistant, bots are perfect.
Can I use Telegram on multiple devices?
Yes, Telegram syncs across all your devices. Message your assistant from phone, tablet, or desktop.