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📱 Channel Support Guide

Complete documentation for Smart Follow-ups across all OpenClaw channels

Overview

Smart Follow-ups works on every OpenClaw channel, with adaptive formatting:

Channel Mode Format Interaction
Telegram Interactive Inline buttons Tap to ask
Discord Interactive Inline buttons Click to ask
Slack Interactive Inline buttons Click to ask
Signal Text Numbered list Reply with 1-3
WhatsApp Text Numbered list Reply with 1-3
iMessage Text Numbered list Reply with 1-3
SMS Text Numbered list Reply with 1-3
Matrix Text Numbered list Reply with 1-3
Email Text Numbered list Reply with number

Interactive Mode (Buttons)

Telegram

Best experience — full inline button support with callbacks.

💡 What would you like to explore next?

[⚡ How do I install Docker?        ] ← tap
[🧠 Explain Docker's architecture   ] ← tap
[🔗 Compare Docker to Kubernetes    ] ← tap

Requirements:

  • capabilities: ["inlineButtons"] in channel config
  • Bot must have inline button permissions

Callback handling: When user taps a button, the question is sent as a new message automatically.

Discord

Full button component support.

💡 What would you like to explore next?

[⚡ How do I install Docker?]
[🧠 Explain Docker's architecture]
[🔗 Compare Docker to Kubernetes]

Requirements:

  • Bot must have Send Messages and Use Buttons permissions
  • Application commands enabled

Slack

Block Kit button support.

💡 What would you like to explore next?

[⚡ How do I install Docker?]
[🧠 Explain Docker's architecture]  
[🔗 Compare Docker to Kubernetes]

Requirements:

  • Slack app with chat:write scope
  • Interactive components enabled

Text Mode (Fallback)

For channels without button support, a numbered list is displayed:

Signal

💡 Smart Follow-up Suggestions

⚡ Quick
1. How do I install Docker?

🧠 Deep Dive
2. Explain Docker's architecture

🔗 Related
3. Compare Docker to Kubernetes

Reply with 1, 2, or 3 to ask that question.

How to use: Simply reply with the number (1, 2, or 3).

WhatsApp

💡 Smart Follow-up Suggestions

⚡ Quick
1. How do I install Docker?

🧠 Deep Dive
2. Explain Docker's architecture

🔗 Related
3. Compare Docker to Kubernetes

Reply 1, 2, or 3

How to use: Reply with the number.

Note: WhatsApp has limited button support for business accounts. The skill uses text mode for reliability.

iMessage

💡 Smart Follow-up Suggestions

⚡ Quick
1. How do I install Docker?

🧠 Deep Dive
2. Explain Docker's architecture

🔗 Related
3. Compare Docker to Kubernetes

Reply with 1, 2, or 3

How to use: Reply with the number.

SMS

Smart Follow-ups

1. How do I install Docker?
2. Explain Docker's architecture
3. Compare Docker to Kubernetes

Reply 1, 2, or 3

Note: Simplified formatting for SMS character limits. Emojis may be stripped depending on carrier.

Matrix

💡 Smart Follow-up Suggestions

⚡ Quick
1. How do I install Docker?

🧠 Deep Dive
2. Explain Docker's architecture

🔗 Related
3. Compare Docker to Kubernetes

Reply with 1, 2, or 3

Email

Subject: Re: Your conversation

💡 Smart Follow-up Suggestions

⚡ Quick
1. How do I install Docker?

🧠 Deep Dive
2. Explain Docker's architecture

🔗 Related
3. Compare Docker to Kubernetes

Reply with the number of your choice (1, 2, or 3).

Channel Detection Logic

The handler automatically detects the channel and formats appropriately:

// Channels with button support
const BUTTON_CHANNELS = ['telegram', 'discord', 'slack'];

// Check channel capability
function supportsButtons(channel, capabilities) {
  return BUTTON_CHANNELS.includes(channel) && 
         capabilities?.includes('inlineButtons');
}

Priority:

  1. Check if channel is in BUTTON_CHANNELS list
  2. Verify inlineButtons capability is enabled
  3. Fall back to text mode if either check fails

Configuration Per Channel

You can override settings per channel in openclaw.json:

{
  "skills": {
    "smart-followups": {
      "channels": {
        "telegram": {
          "mode": "buttons",
          "showCategory": true
        },
        "signal": {
          "mode": "text",
          "compact": false
        },
        "sms": {
          "mode": "text",
          "compact": true,
          "stripEmoji": true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
Option Default Description
mode auto buttons, text, or auto
compact false Use compact formatting
showCategory true Show category labels (⚡🧠🔗)
stripEmoji false Remove emojis (for SMS)

Reply Handling

Button Channels

When a user clicks a button:

  1. Button sends callback_data containing the question
  2. OpenClaw receives it as a new user message
  3. OpenClaw answers the question normally

Text Channels

When a user replies with a number:

  1. OpenClaw receives "1", "2", or "3"
  2. Handler maps number to the corresponding question
  3. OpenClaw processes as if user typed the full question

Implementation Note: The handler stores recent suggestions in session context to map numbers back to questions.

Troubleshooting

Buttons not appearing on Telegram

  1. Check channel config has capabilities: ["inlineButtons"]
  2. Verify bot has inline button permissions
  3. Try restarting OpenClaw

Numbers not working on Signal

  1. Make sure you're replying with just the number (1, 2, or 3)
  2. Don't include other text
  3. Check OpenClaw logs for errors

Wrong formatting on WhatsApp

WhatsApp formatting is limited. If buttons don't work:

  1. Check if you have a WhatsApp Business account
  2. The skill defaults to text mode for reliability

Emojis broken on SMS

Some carriers strip emojis. Enable stripEmoji: true in SMS channel config:

{
  "skills": {
    "smart-followups": {
      "channels": {
        "sms": {
          "stripEmoji": true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Adding New Channels

To add support for a new channel:

  1. Check button support — Does the platform support interactive buttons?
  2. Add to handler — Update BUTTON_CHANNELS array if supported
  3. Test formatting — Verify text/button output looks correct
  4. Document — Add section to this file

Pull requests welcome! See CONTRIBUTING.md.

Channel Feature Matrix

Feature Telegram Discord Slack Signal WhatsApp iMessage SMS
Inline buttons ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ⚠️ ❌ ❌
Emoji support ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ⚠️
Markdown ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Number replies ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Rich formatting ✅ ✅ ✅ ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ ❌

Legend: ✅ Full support | ⚠️ Partial/limited | ❌ Not supported

Last updated: January 20, 2026