Do I need Telegram or Slack to use this?
No. Built-In Chat works as a native dashboard conversation surface, so you can start there and add messaging channels later if you want them.
Feature
Use OpenClaw chat directly in the dashboard
Start chatting with your assistant in the dashboard as soon as provider setup is done, with no Telegram or Slack setup required.
Built-In Chat gives you a first-class conversation surface inside OpenClaw Setup. You can start chatting immediately after provider setup, inspect the exact runtime behavior, and avoid spending time on external messenger integration unless you actually need it.
What you can do
- Access any session directly from the dashboard, including ongoing and historical threads.
- Use streaming responses with lower latency than message-broker workflows.
- Read Markdown, code blocks, and structured answers cleanly in chat.
- Start using your assistant immediately while Telegram and Slack stay optional.
Real product screenshot
Why teams start here
Built-In Chat is the fastest way to confirm that an instance is working. Once provider auth is configured, you can start a conversation immediately from the dashboard.
That removes the wait time and setup friction that comes with wiring messaging channels before you have even validated the assistant behavior.
- Start chatting after provider setup
- Use the dashboard as the default conversation surface
- Keep Telegram and Slack optional
- Inspect real runtime behavior from the web UI
How it fits with the rest of the product
Built-In Chat is often the first place teams test new models, prompts, or agent roles before they wire those changes into Telegram or Slack.
It also pairs naturally with multi-agent routing because the dashboard picker gives you a quick way to switch agents and verify each one independently.
FAQ
What is the biggest benefit of starting with Built-In Chat?
That users can start using OpenClaw immediately in the dashboard without waiting on external messaging setup.