OpenClaw Slack Integration: Workspace Setup With Bolt [2026]

Slack is the ideal OpenClaw channel for business teams. It offers granular permissions, enterprise-grade security, compliance features, and a familiar interface that your entire team already uses. The OpenClaw Slack integration uses Slack's Bolt.js framework for reliable, event-driven communication.

This guide covers everything from creating your Slack app to deploying it across your workspace with proper permissions and event handling.

What Does the OpenClaw Slack Integration Do?

The Slack integration turns your workspace into a command center for OpenClaw. Team members can interact with the AI agent through mentions, DMs, slash commands, and interactive message components.

• Channel mentions — @mention the bot to ask questions or assign tasks
• Direct messages — private 1-on-1 conversations with the agent
• Slash commands — /openclaw, /ask, /brief for quick actions
• Thread replies — contextual responses within conversation threads
• Interactive modals — form-based input for structured tasks
• File handling — upload and process documents, spreadsheets, and images

What Do You Need Before Starting?

• A running OpenClaw instance
• Admin access to your Slack workspace (or permission to install apps)
• Access to api.slack.com/apps
• For HTTP mode: a server with a public URL and SSL

How Do You Set Up OpenClaw With Slack?

Step 1 — Create a Slack app

Go to api.slack.com/apps and click Create New App → From scratch. Name it "OpenClaw" and select your workspace.

Step 2 — Configure OAuth scopes

Navigate to OAuth & Permissions and add these Bot Token Scopes:

chat:write
channels:history
channels:read
commands
app_mentions:read
im:history
im:read
im:write
files:read
files:write
users:read

Step 3 — Enable event subscriptions

Go to Event Subscriptions, toggle it on, and subscribe to these bot events: app_mention, message.channels, message.im. If using HTTP mode, enter your webhook URL. If using Socket Mode, enable it under Socket Mode in the sidebar.

Step 4 — Install and get tokens

Click Install to Workspace and authorize the permissions. Copy the Bot User OAuth Token (starts with xoxb-). If using Socket Mode, also copy the App-Level Token (starts with xapp-).

Step 5 — Configure OpenClaw

gateways:
  slack:
    enabled: true
    bot_token: "xoxb-your-token"
    app_token: "xapp-your-token"   # for socket mode
    signing_secret: "your-signing-secret"
    mode: "socket"                  # or "http"
    allowed_channels:
      - "C01ABC123"
    thread_replies: true
    typing_indicator: true

Step 6 — Start and test

openclaw start --gateway slack

Go to an allowed channel and type @OpenClaw what can you do? — you should receive a threaded response.

What Are the Best Slack Use Cases?

• Team knowledge base — ask the bot about company processes, documentation, and policies
• Standup automation — daily standup collection and summary in a team channel
• Incident response — trigger investigation workflows and pull relevant logs via slash command
• Customer support triage — route incoming support tickets and suggest responses
• Meeting prep — before a meeting, ask the bot to compile relevant documents and recent context
• Report generation — weekly or monthly reports compiled and posted to a designated channel

How Do You Fix Common Slack Issues?

• Bot does not respond to mentions: Ensure app_mentions:read is in your scopes and the app_mention event is subscribed. Reinstall the app after adding new scopes.
• Socket Mode disconnects: Check that your App-Level Token has the connections:write scope. Restart OpenClaw if the connection drops — Socket Mode uses a WebSocket that needs periodic reconnection.
• "not_in_channel" error: The bot must be invited to a channel before it can post. Type /invite @OpenClaw in the channel.
• Slash commands not working: Verify the command is registered under Slash Commands in the app settings. For Socket Mode, commands are routed automatically. For HTTP mode, the request URL must point to your server.
• Token expired or revoked: Tokens can be invalidated if the app is reinstalled or workspace settings change. Regenerate and update your config.

FAQ

Does the Slack integration work with Slack's free plan?

Yes. The OpenClaw Slack integration works on free, Pro, and Enterprise Slack plans. However, the free plan limits message history to 90 days, which affects the bot's ability to reference older conversations.

Can OpenClaw respond in Slack threads?

Yes. OpenClaw automatically responds in threads when replying to a threaded message. You can also configure it to always use threads to keep channels clean, using the thread_replies: true setting.

How do I deploy OpenClaw Slack for multiple workspaces?

For multi-workspace deployment, you need to use Slack's OAuth2 flow with distribution enabled. OpenClaw handles this through the Bolt.js framework. Each workspace gets its own token stored in the credentials database.

What Slack permissions does OpenClaw need?

At minimum: chat:write, channels:history, channels:read, commands, app_mentions:read, and im:history. For file operations add files:read and files:write. For user lookup add users:read. Only request the scopes your workflows actually need.

*Last updated: March 2026. Published by the Remote OpenClaw team at remoteopenclaw.com.*