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How to Connect Communication Channels to Your OpenClaw Agent in Cloudways

Learn how to connect messaging channels such as WhatsApp to your OpenClaw agent in Cloudways, generate a QR code, pair your account, sync the connection, and test your agent.

Written by Syed Abuzar Mehdi

OpenClaw Managed AI Agents on Cloudways can be connected to different communication channels so you can interact with your agent from external messaging platforms.

These channels make it easier to reach your agent from the tools you already use, such as WhatsApp, Slack, and other supported platforms in the future.

This article explains how to connect channels to your OpenClaw agent from the Cloudways Platform.

It also covers the basic setup flow, connection confirmation, syncing the channel status, and testing the connection after setup.

How to Connect WhatsApp to Your OpenClaw Agent

OpenClaw Managed AI Agents on Cloudways can be connected to WhatsApp so you can chat with your agent directly from a WhatsApp number.

This makes it easier to access your agent from anywhere using a familiar messaging app.

WhatsApp connects to OpenClaw through a QR code pairing process.

This works similar to WhatsApp Web, where you scan a QR code from your phone to link the WhatsApp number with your OpenClaw agent.

The setup usually takes less than a minute.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

  • A paid Cloudways account with access to OpenClaw Managed AI Agents.

  • An existing OpenClaw agent deployed in your Cloudways Platform.

  • A WhatsApp account on your phone.

  • A stable internet connection on both your computer and phone.

  • Access to the phone number you want to connect with your OpenClaw agent.

Important:

A WhatsApp number can be linked to only one OpenClaw agent at a time. To use the same WhatsApp number with another agent, disconnect it from the current agent first.

Step #1 — Go to AI Agents:

  • Log in to your Cloudways Platform.

  • From the left-side navigation menu, click AI Agents.

  • This opens the AI Managed Agents area, where you can manage your existing OpenClaw agents or deploy a new one.

Step #2 — Open My Agents:

  • You will be redirected to the Managed AI Agents page. This page lists all OpenClaw agents available in your Cloudways account.

  • Click on the OpenClaw agent you want to connect with WhatsApp.

Step #3 — Go to the Channels Section:

  • On the agent details page, stay on the AI Agent tab.

  • Scroll down to the Channels section. Channels are messaging platforms that allow you to communicate with your OpenClaw agent from external apps.

  • In the Channels section, you will see available options such as WhatsApp and Slack.

  • Under the WhatsApp channel, click Connect WhatsApp.

  • A popup window will appear asking you to connect WhatsApp by scanning a QR code.

Step #4 — Generate the QR Code:

  • In the Connect WhatsApp popup, click Click To Generate QR Code.

  • OpenClaw will generate a QR code that you need to scan from your WhatsApp mobile app.

Step #5 — Scan the QR Code from WhatsApp:

  • Once the QR code appears on the screen, open WhatsApp on your phone.

  • On iPhone, tap Settings.

  • On Android, tap the three-dot menu.

  • Next, tap Linked Devices and then tap Link a Device.

  • Point your phone camera at the QR code shown in the OpenClaw popup.

Step #6 — Confirm the Connection

  • After the QR code is scanned, pairing usually takes a few seconds.

  • Once the scan is complete, close the QR code popup in the Cloudways Platform. The WhatsApp channel status should update to Connected.

  • If the status does not update automatically, click Sync in the Channels section. This refreshes the messaging channel status and confirms the latest connection state.

Step #7 — Test the WhatsApp Connection

  • To confirm that WhatsApp is connected successfully, send a WhatsApp message to the linked number.

  • Your OpenClaw agent should reply to the message. This confirms that the WhatsApp channel is working correctly.

Note:

  • A WhatsApp number can be connected to only one OpenClaw agent at a time.

  • The WhatsApp connection uses the phone number that was scanned during setup.

  • If you remove the linked device from WhatsApp, the OpenClaw WhatsApp connection will also stop working.

  • Keep the linked phone connected to the internet regularly so the session does not expire.

  • To disconnect WhatsApp from OpenClaw, use the disconnect option in the Channels section or remove the linked device from WhatsApp on your phone.

Troubleshooting For WhatsApp

The QR code is not appearing

Click Click To Generate QR Code again. Also make sure your browser session is active and your internet connection is stable.

The QR code expired

Close the popup and open Connect WhatsApp again. Generate a new QR code and scan it from your phone.

WhatsApp status is not updating

Click Sync in the Channels section. This refreshes the connection status.

The agent is not replying on WhatsApp

Make sure the WhatsApp number is still linked under Linked Devices on your phone. Also confirm that your OpenClaw agent is running and that the connected phone has internet access.

I want to connect the same WhatsApp number to another OpenClaw agent

Disconnect the WhatsApp number from the current OpenClaw agent first. After that, connect it to the other agent using the same QR code pairing process.

How to connect Slack to your OpenClaw agent

You can connect Slack to your OpenClaw agent so you can chat with your agent directly from your Slack workspace.

Unlike WhatsApp, Slack requires a few extra setup steps because you need to create a Slack app, add the required permissions, generate tokens, and then connect those tokens to OpenClaw.

Step #1 — Go to AI Agents in Cloudways:

  • Log in to your Cloudways Platform.

  • From the left-side menu, click AI Agents.

  • Next, click My Agents.

  • This will take you to the Managed AI Agents page, where you can view all OpenClaw agents available in your Cloudways account.

Step #2 — Open Your OpenClaw Agent:

  • On the Managed AI Agents page, find the OpenClaw agent you want to connect with Slack.

  • Click the agent name or the available setup option to open the agent details page.

Step #3 — Go to the Slack Channel Option:

  • On the agent details page, stay on the AI Agent tab.

  • Scroll down to the Channels section.

  • Under Slack, click Connect Slack.

  • You will need to enter Slack tokens here after creating and configuring your Slack app.

Step #4 — Create a Slack App

  • Open Slack’s app management page in your browser.

  • Go to api.slack.com/apps.

  • Click Create New App.

  • Select From scratch.

  • Enter a name for your app. For example, you can name it OpenClaw Agent.

  • Select the Slack workspace where you want to use the agent.

  • Click Create App.

Step #5 — Add Bot Token Scopes:

  • In the left sidebar of your Slack app settings, click OAuth and Permissions.

  • Scroll down to the Scopes section.

  • Under Bot Token Scopes, click Add an OAuth Scope.

  • Add the following scopes one by one:

  • chat:write — Allows the bot to send messages in Slack.

  • im:history — Allows the bot to read direct messages.

  • im:write — Allows the bot to send direct messages.

  • app_mentions:read — Allows the bot to detect when someone mentions it.

  • channels:history — Allows the bot to read channel messages.

  • channels:read — Allows the bot to list and access channels.

  • users:read — Allows the bot to read basic user information, such as names.

  • These permissions allow the Slack app to receive messages, understand mentions, and reply from your OpenClaw agent.

Step #6 — Enable App Home Messaging

  • In the left sidebar of the Slack app settings, click App Home.

  • Scroll down to Show Tabs.

  • Make sure the Messages Tab toggle is enabled.

  • Then, select the checkbox for Allow users to send Slash commands and messages from the messages tab.

  • This allows users to send messages to the app from the Slack app’s message tab.

Step #7 — Enable Socket Mode

  • In the left sidebar, click Settings.

  • Next, click Socket Mode.

  • Turn on Enable Socket Mode.

  • When Slack asks you to generate an app-level token, create a token with the connections:write scope.

  • You can name this token something simple, such as socket-mode.

  • Click Generate.

  • Copy the token that starts with xapp- and save it somewhere secure. You will need to paste this token into OpenClaw later.

Step #8 — Configure Event Subscriptions

  • In the left sidebar of your Slack app settings, click Event Subscriptions.

  • Turn on Enable Events.

  • Scroll down to Subscribe to bot events.

  • Click Add Bot User Event.

  • Add the following events:

  • message.im — Allows the bot to receive direct messages.

  • app_mention — Allows the bot to receive messages when someone mentions it in Slack.

  • Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

Step #9 — Install the Slack App in Your Workspace

  • Go back to OAuth and Permissions.

  • At the top of the page, click Install to Workspace.

  • On the permission screen, click Allow.

  • You need to be a Slack workspace admin to install the app. If you are not an admin, ask your workspace admin to approve the installation.

Step #10 — Copy the Required Slack Tokens

  • OpenClaw needs two Slack tokens to complete the connection.

  • Copy the Bot User OAuth Token. This token starts with xoxb-. You can find it at the top of the OAuth and Permissions page.

  • Copy the App Level Token. This token starts with xapp-. If you copied it during the Socket Mode setup, use the same token. If not, you can find it under Basic Information > App Level Tokens.

  • Important: Keep both tokens secure. Do not share them publicly or place them in public documents, tickets, or screenshots.

Step #11 — Add the Slack Tokens in OpenClaw

  • Return to the Cloudways Platform.

  • Open your OpenClaw agent details page.

  • Go to the Channels section.

  • Under Slack, click Connect Slack.

  • Paste the Bot User OAuth Token that starts with xoxb- into the Bot Token field.

  • Paste the App Level Token that starts with xapp- into the App Token field.

  • Click Save.

Step #12 — Test the Slack Connection

  • Open your Slack workspace.

  • Click the plus icon next to Direct Messages.

  • Search for the Slack app name you created, such as OpenClaw Agent.

  • Open the direct message with the app.

  • Send a test message.

  • Your OpenClaw agent should reply within a few seconds. This confirms that Slack is connected successfully.

Using the Agent in a Slack Channel

  • To use your OpenClaw agent inside a Slack channel, invite the Slack app to that channel first.

  • Open the Slack channel and run the following command:

  • /invite @yourappname

  • Replace yourappname with the name of your Slack app.

  • After the app is added to the channel, you can mention it in the channel and interact with your OpenClaw agent.

Important - Do Not Enable Token Rotation:

Do not enable Token Rotation on the Slack OAuth and Permissions page.

Token Rotation causes the xoxb- token to expire every 12 hours. If this happens, the OpenClaw Slack connection will stop working and you will need to reconnect it regularly.

That’s it! We hope this article was useful.

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