Integration Slack

OpenClaw Slack Integration: Complete Workspace Setup Guide

Complete guide to integrating OpenClaw with Slack. Learn how to create a Slack app, configure workspace permissions, set up channels, and use OpenClaw for team-wide AI assistance.

↻ Updated: February 1, 2026 9 min read

Quick Answer

Set up OpenClaw Slack integration: Create a Slack app, configure OAuth scopes and bot permissions, install to workspace, get bot token, run `openclaw integrations slack`, enter token, and start using in channels or DMs.

Introduction

Slack is the go-to platform for team communication in many organizations, and OpenClaw’s Slack integration brings powerful AI assistance directly into your workspace. Whether you need help with email management, calendar coordination, or quick information retrieval, OpenClaw can assist your entire team.

This guide covers everything you need to integrate OpenClaw with Slack, from creating a Slack app to configuring team-wide usage.

For other chat app integrations, see our guides:

Why Slack?

Slack offers excellent features for workplace AI bots:

  • Workspace Integration — Works across entire organization
  • Channel Support — Assist in team channels
  • Thread Support — Organize conversations
  • Rich Formatting — Beautiful formatted messages
  • File Sharing — Handle documents and media
  • Enterprise Features — SSO, compliance, audit logs

Prerequisites

Before setting up Slack integration:

  1. OpenClaw Installed — See installation guide
  2. OpenClaw Configured — Run openclaw onboard to set up your AI model
  3. Slack Workspace — Admin access or permission to install apps
  4. Slack App — You’ll create this in the next step

Step 1: Create a Slack App

Create Application

  1. Go to Slack API: api.slack.com/apps
  2. Click “Create New App”
  3. Select “From scratch”
  4. Enter App Name (e.g., “OpenClaw Assistant”)
  5. Select Workspace where you want to install
  6. Click “Create App”

Configure OAuth & Permissions

  1. Go to “OAuth & Permissions” in the left sidebar

  2. Scroll to “Scopes” → “Bot Token Scopes”

  3. Add the following scopes:

    • app_mentions:read — Listen for mentions
    • channels:history — Read channel messages
    • channels:read — View channel info
    • chat:write — Send messages
    • commands — Use slash commands
    • files:read — Read files shared with bot
    • files:write — Upload files
    • groups:history — Read private channel messages
    • groups:read — View private channel info
    • im:history — Read direct messages
    • im:read — View DM info
    • im:write — Send direct messages
    • mpim:history — Read group DMs
    • mpim:read — View group DM info
    • users:read — View user info
    • users:read.email — View user emails

  4. Scroll to “User Token Scopes” (usually not needed for bots)

Install to Workspace

  1. Scroll to top of OAuth & Permissions page
  2. Click “Install to Workspace”
  3. Review permissions and click “Allow”
  4. Copy “Bot User OAuth Token” — Starts with xoxb-: 
    xoxb-1234567890-1234567890123-AbCdEfGhIjKlMnOpQrStUvWx

Important: Keep your bot token secret! Never share it publicly.

Configure App Settings

  1. Go to “Basic Information”
  2. Set Display Name — How bot appears in Slack
  3. Set Default Username — Bot username
  4. Upload Icon — Bot avatar
  5. Set Description — What your bot does

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

Run Integration Setup

Start the Slack integration:

openclaw integrations slack

Or use the general integrations command:

openclaw integrations
# Select Slack from the menu

Enter Bot Token

When prompted, paste your bot token:

Enter your Slack bot token: xoxb-1234567890-1234567890123-AbCdEfGhIjKlMnOpQrStUvWx

OpenClaw will verify the token and connect to Slack.

Verify Connection

You should see:

✓ Slack bot connected successfully!
  Workspace: Your Workspace Name
  Bot user: @openclaw

Check your Slack workspace—the bot should now be available.

Step 3: Start Using the Bot

Direct Messages

DM the bot directly:

  1. Search for “@OpenClaw” in Slack
  2. Click to open DM
  3. Send a message like “Hello, can you help me?”

Channel Mentions

Mention the bot in any channel:

@OpenClaw can you check my email?

Slash Commands

Configure slash commands:

  1. Go to “Slash Commands” in Slack app settings
  2. Click “Create New Command”
  3. Configure:
    • Command: /openclaw
    • Request URL: https://your-server.com/slack/commands
    • Short description: “Interact with OpenClaw AI assistant”
    • Usage hint: [your message]

Note: For local OpenClaw, you’ll need to expose it via ngrok or similar:

ngrok http 3000
# Use the ngrok URL in Slack command configuration

App Home

Configure App Home for a custom interface:

  1. Go to “App Home” in Slack app settings
  2. Enable “Home Tab”
  3. Configure home view (optional)

Advanced Features

Event Subscriptions

Enable real-time events:

  1. Go to “Event Subscriptions”
  2. Enable Events
  3. Set Request URL (requires public endpoint)
  4. Subscribe to bot events:
    • app_mention — Bot mentioned
    • message.channels — Channel messages
    • message.groups — Private channel messages
    • message.im — Direct messages
    • message.mpim — Group DMs

Thread Support

OpenClaw can reply in threads:

openclaw config set slack.threads.enabled true
openclaw config set slack.threads.autoReply true

Keeps conversations organized in busy channels.

Rich Formatting

OpenClaw sends formatted messages:

openclaw config set slack.format "mrkdwn"

Supports Slack’s markdown format.

File Handling

OpenClaw can handle files:

  • Download files shared with bot
  • Upload files as responses
  • Process images and documents

Workspace-Wide Usage

Configure for team use:

openclaw config set slack.workspace.enabled true
openclaw config set slack.workspace.channels ["general", "ai-assistant"]

Configuration Options

Channel Restrictions

Limit bot to specific channels:

openclaw config set slack.allowedChannels ["general", "ai-assistant"]

User Restrictions

Limit to specific users:

openclaw config set slack.allowedUsers ["U123456", "U789012"]

Get user IDs from Slack API or user profile URLs.

Response Formatting

Configure message formatting:

openclaw config set slack.format "mrkdwn"
openclaw config set slack.embeds true

Rate Limiting

Control message rate:

openclaw config set slack.rateLimit 30

Limits to 30 messages per minute per user.

Privacy Settings

Configure privacy:

openclaw config set slack.privacy.dmOnly false
openclaw config set slack.privacy.allowedChannels ["general"]

Notification Settings

Control notifications:

openclaw config set slack.notifications.enabled true
openclaw config set slack.notifications.quietHours "18:00-09:00"

Troubleshooting

Bot Not Responding

If your bot doesn’t respond:

  1. Check bot status:

    openclaw status

  2. Verify token:

    openclaw config get slack.token

  3. Check logs:

    openclaw logs

  4. Test connection:

    openclaw test slack

Token Invalid

If you see “token invalid” errors:

  1. Verify token — Check Slack API dashboard
  2. Regenerate token — Revoke and reinstall app
  3. Update token: 
    openclaw integrations slack

Bot Not Appearing

If bot doesn’t appear in workspace:

  1. Check installation — Ensure app is installed
  2. Check permissions — Verify bot has required scopes
  3. Reinstall app — Uninstall and reinstall

Events Not Working

If events aren’t being received:

  1. Check Event Subscriptions — Ensure enabled in Slack app
  2. Verify Request URL — Must be publicly accessible
  3. Check SSL — Slack requires HTTPS
  4. Use ngrok for local development: 
    ngrok http 3000

Permission Errors

If you see permission errors:

  1. Check scopes — Ensure all required scopes are added
  2. Reinstall app — Permissions updated on reinstall
  3. Check workspace settings — Some workspaces restrict apps

Security Best Practices

Bot Token Security

  • Keep token secret — Never share publicly

  • Use environment variables:

    export SLACK_BOT_TOKEN="xoxb-..."

  • Rotate token — Regenerate if compromised

Workspace Security

  • Limit permissions — Only grant necessary scopes
  • Restrict channels — Limit bot to specific channels
  • User whitelist — Restrict to specific users
  • Audit logs — Monitor bot usage

Data Privacy

  • Local processing — All messages processed locally
  • No cloud storage — Unless explicitly configured
  • Secure storage — Data stored in ~/.openclaw
  • Compliance — Consider workspace compliance requirements

Advanced Use Cases

Team Productivity

Use OpenClaw for team productivity:

  • Email management — Check and respond to team emails
  • Calendar coordination — Schedule team meetings
  • Task tracking — Manage team tasks
  • Information retrieval — Quick answers for team

Customer Support

Use for customer support:

  • FAQ bot — Answer common questions
  • Ticket management — Create and track tickets
  • Escalation — Escalate complex issues

Internal Tools

Use as internal tool:

  • Documentation — Answer questions about docs
  • Onboarding — Help new team members
  • Training — Assist with training

Comparison with Other Platforms

Slack vs Discord

  • Slack — Better for businesses, enterprise features
  • Discord — Better for communities, free

See our Discord guide for comparison.

Slack vs Telegram

  • Slack — Workspace integration, team features
  • Telegram — Simpler, personal use

See our Telegram guide for details.

Next Steps

Now that Slack is connected:

  1. Explore Other Integrations — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord
  2. Set Up Skills — Skills Library
  3. Configure Email — Gmail Integration
  4. Read FAQ — Common Questions

Conclusion

Slack integration brings powerful AI assistance to your workspace. With channel support, thread organization, and team-wide deployment, OpenClaw can help your entire team be more productive.

For more help, check our integrations page or FAQ. Happy automating with Slack!

Need help?

Join the OpenClaw community on Discord for support, tips, and shared skills.

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