Guide to Connecting OpenClaw with Slack

Introduction

Slack is one of the most widely used collaboration tools in enterprise teams. Connecting OpenClaw to Slack provides your team with an always-available AI assistant that can answer questions, generate content, and help with everyday tasks. This article walks through the entire process from creating a Slack App to completing the connection.

Prerequisites

• OpenClaw is installed and running
• You have admin permissions for the Slack workspace
• The workspace allows installation of custom apps

Choosing a Connection Method

OpenClaw supports two methods for connecting to Slack:

Socket Mode is recommended for beginners — it is simpler to configure and does not require a public IP or domain.

Step 1: Create a Slack App

1.1 Visit the Slack API Platform

Go to Slack API and click Create New App.

1.2 Choose the Creation Method

Select From scratch:

1. Enter the app name, e.g., "OpenClaw Assistant"
2. Select the workspace to install it in
3. Click Create App

1.3 Basic Information Setup

On the Basic Information page:

• Upload an app icon
• Fill in the app description
• Note down the Signing Secret — you will need it later

Step 2: Configure Permissions and Events

2.1 Set Bot Token Scopes

Click OAuth & Permissions in the left sidebar, scroll to Bot Token Scopes, and add the following permissions:

Required Bot Token Scopes:
├── app_mentions:read    - Read @mention messages
├── channels:history     - Read public channel message history
├── channels:read        - View public channel information
├── chat:write           - Send messages
├── groups:history       - Read private channel message history
├── groups:read          - View private channel information
├── im:history           - Read direct message history
├── im:read              - View direct message information
├── im:write             - Send direct messages
├── mpim:history         - Read group direct message history
├── reactions:write      - Add emoji reactions
├── users:read           - View user information
└── files:read           - Read files (optional, for processing uploaded files)

2.2 Configure Event Subscriptions

Click Event Subscriptions in the left sidebar and toggle Enable Events on.

Using Socket Mode (Recommended)

If you choose Socket Mode, no Request URL is needed. Click Socket Mode in the left sidebar and enable it:

1. Click Enable Socket Mode
2. Name the App-Level Token (e.g., "openclaw-socket")
3. Add the scope: connections:write
4. Click Generate and save the generated Token (starts with xapp-)

Using Event Subscriptions HTTP Method

If you choose the HTTP method, start OpenClaw first and ensure it is publicly accessible, then enter the Request URL:

https://your-domain.com/webhook/slack/events

2.3 Subscribe to Bot Events

In the Subscribe to bot events section of the Event Subscriptions page, add the following events:

Click Save Changes to save.

Step 3: Install the App to the Workspace

1. Go back to the OAuth & Permissions page
2. Click Install to Workspace
3. Review the permissions and click Allow
4. After installation, copy the Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-)

Step 4: Configure OpenClaw

4.1 Socket Mode Configuration

Edit ~/.config/openclaw/openclaw.json5:

{
  channels: {
    slack: {
      enabled: true,
      // Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-)
      botToken: "xoxb-1234567890-1234567890123-AbCdEfGhIjKlMnOpQrStUv",
      // App-Level Token (starts with xapp-; required for Socket Mode)
      appToken: "xapp-1-A1234567890-1234567890123-abcdef1234567890abcdef",
      // Signing Secret (from the Basic Information page)
      signingSecret: "abc123def456ghi789",

      // Connection mode
      mode: "socket",  // "socket" or "http"

      // Trigger configuration
      trigger: {
        // Whether @Bot is required for a reply
        mentionRequired: true,
        // Whether to respond to direct messages (no @ needed)
        dmEnabled: true,
        // Custom trigger keywords (optional)
        keywords: ["ask", "问"]
      }
    }
  }
}

4.2 HTTP Mode Configuration

If using HTTP mode:

{
  channels: {
    slack: {
      enabled: true,
      botToken: "xoxb-xxxx",
      signingSecret: "your-signing-secret",
      mode: "http",

      // Webhook path for HTTP mode
      webhookPath: "/webhook/slack/events"
    }
  }
}

4.3 Via Environment Variables

export SLACK_BOT_TOKEN="xoxb-1234567890-xxxxx"
export SLACK_APP_TOKEN="xapp-1-A1234567890-xxxxx"
export SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET="abc123def456"

4.4 Restart and Verify

openclaw restart

# View Slack channel connection logs
openclaw logs -f --component channel:slack

Logs upon successful connection:

[INFO] [channel:slack] Socket Mode connection established
[INFO] [channel:slack] Bot logged in as @OpenClaw Assistant
[INFO] [channel:slack] Listening on workspace: Your Workspace

Step 5: Using the Bot in Slack

Invite the Bot to a Channel

After installation, the Bot is not in any channel by default. You need to invite it manually:

1. Enter the target channel
2. Type /invite @OpenClaw Assistant
3. Or go to channel settings > Integrations > Add an app

Interaction Methods

# @mention the Bot in a channel to ask a question
@OpenClaw Assistant Please write a Python sorting algorithm

# Direct message the Bot (no @ needed)
Hello, please translate this English text

# Continue the conversation in a thread
(Simply send a message in the Bot's reply thread to continue with context)

Thread Reply Configuration

Slack threads are a great way to manage conversations. You can configure the Bot's reply behavior:

{
  channels: {
    slack: {
      reply: {
        // Whether to reply in a thread (avoids flooding the channel)
        threadReply: true,
        // Whether to broadcast thread replies to the channel
        broadcastReply: false,
        // Show "typing" indicator while processing
        showTyping: true,
        // Add a thinking emoji before sending
        thinkingEmoji: "thinking_face",
        // Add a confirmation emoji after replying
        doneEmoji: "white_check_mark"
      }
    }
  }
}

Channel and Permission Controls

Restrict Which Channels the Bot Operates In

{
  channels: {
    slack: {
      // Only respond in specified channels
      allowedChannels: ["C01234ABCDE", "C05678FGHIJ"],
      // Or use channel names
      allowedChannelNames: ["ai-assistant", "bot-testing"],
      // Ignored channels
      ignoredChannels: ["C09999XXXXX"]
    }
  }
}

Restrict Which Users Can Use the Bot

{
  channels: {
    slack: {
      // Allowed user ID list (empty array means everyone is allowed)
      allowedUsers: [],
      // Admin users (can execute admin commands)
      adminUsers: ["U01234ADMIN"]
    }
  }
}

Workspace Permission Approval

In enterprise Slack workspaces, installing apps may require admin approval:

1. The workspace admin navigates to the Manage Apps page
2. Finds OpenClaw Assistant in the pending approval list
3. Reviews the permission scope and clicks approve
4. The app will only work after approval

Troubleshooting

Bot Does Not Respond to Messages

# Check connection status
openclaw logs --level error --component channel:slack

# Common causes:
# 1. Bot has not been invited to the channel
# 2. Message Content events are not subscribed
# 3. Token is incorrect or expired

Socket Mode Connection Failure

# Confirm the App-Level Token is correct
# Confirm Socket Mode is enabled on the Slack API platform
# Check network connectivity (Socket Mode requires access to wss://wss-primary.slack.com)

HTTP Mode Verification Failure

# Confirm the Signing Secret is correct
# Confirm the Request URL is publicly accessible
# Confirm OpenClaw is running and the port is open

Summary

The core steps for connecting OpenClaw to Slack:

1. Create an app on the Slack API platform and configure permissions
2. Choose Socket Mode or HTTP mode
3. Obtain the Bot Token, App Token, and Signing Secret
4. Enter the credentials in the OpenClaw configuration file
5. Restart the service and invite the Bot to the target channel

Socket Mode is better suited for quick setup and internal network deployments, while HTTP mode is ideal for production environments with a public URL.