OpenClaw Slack Integration
Bring enterprise AI to your Slack workspace with OpenClaw
Slack is widely used for team communication and workflow automation. With its app ecosystem and thread-first collaboration model, Slack is more than a messaging platform - it is a shared workspace. OpenClaw turns Slack into an intelligent workspace where AI assists with tasks, answers questions, and automates workflows.
OpenClaw works well for internal support, incident response, knowledge search, and day-to-day operational tasks. Because it runs on infrastructure you control, you can keep prompts, conversation logs, and model routing aligned with your team's security posture.
Slack is especially strong when your assistant needs to work across channels, DMs, threads, and workflow-style notifications. That makes it a practical choice for engineering, support, and operations teams that already live inside Slack.
Key Features
Thread-Aware Responses
Automatically reply in threads to keep channels organized and maintain conversation context.
Slash Command Support
Create custom Slack slash commands like /ask, /summarize, or /create-task for quick AI actions.
Interactive Components
Use buttons, dropdowns, and modals for rich, interactive workflows within Slack.
Workspace Search
Search across your Slack workspace's messages and files to answer questions with historical context.
App Home Tab
Provide a dedicated home tab in Slack where users can manage preferences and view bot status.
Workflow Integration
Trigger and respond to Slack Workflow Builder automations for end-to-end task orchestration.
Setup Guide
Create Slack app at api.slack.com/apps
Click 'Create New App' → Choose 'From scratch' → Name your app and select workspace
Configure OAuth scopes
Go to OAuth & Permissions → Add Bot Token Scopes: chat:write, channels:history, users:read
Install app to workspace
Click 'Install to Workspace' → Authorize → Copy the Bot User OAuth Token
Enable Event Subscriptions
Go to Event Subscriptions → Enable → Add bot events: message.channels, app_mention
Install OpenClaw and configure Slack
openclaw channels add --channel slackUse the wizard or config/env vars to provide your bot token, app token, and signing secret.
Set up ngrok for local development (optional)
If running locally, use ngrok to expose your webhook endpoint for Slack events
Start the gateway
openclaw gatewayConfiguration Options
| Option | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| slack.token | string | "" | Bot User OAuth Token from Slack app settings |
| slack.signingSecret | string | "" | Signing secret for webhook verification |
| slack.respondInThreads | boolean | true | Automatically reply in threads instead of main channel |
| slack.allowedChannels | array | [] | Channel IDs where bot can respond (empty = all channels) |
Use Cases
Team Knowledge Assistant
Answer questions by searching Slack history, documentation, and connected knowledge bases like Notion or Confluence.
Meeting Summarizer
Generate summaries of lengthy Slack threads and post them to designated channels for quick catchup.
Issue Tracker Bridge
Create GitHub issues or Linear tasks directly from Slack messages without leaving your workspace.
Onboarding Buddy
Help new employees navigate the workspace, answer common questions, and find resources automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a paid Slack plan?
No. OpenClaw works with free Slack workspaces. However, some features like unlimited message history search require a paid Slack plan. The bot functionality itself works on all Slack tiers.
Can multiple workspaces use the same OpenClaw instance?
Yes. One OpenClaw instance can serve multiple Slack workspaces. Each workspace needs its own Slack app and OAuth token, which you configure separately in OpenClaw.
How do I set up the webhook URL for events?
If running OpenClaw on a server with a public IP, use https://your-domain.com/webhooks/slack. If running locally, use ngrok or a similar tunneling service to create a public URL that forwards to your local OpenClaw instance.
Is this GDPR compliant?
Yes. OpenClaw processes messages locally and doesn't store them unless you configure logging. However, you're responsible for compliance with Slack's data policies and your organization's security requirements. Consult your legal team for enterprise deployments.
Can the bot access private channels?
Only if invited. Your bot must be explicitly added to private channels to read and respond to messages there. This is a Slack security feature that OpenClaw respects.
Related Guides
Ready to Get Started?
Install OpenClaw, review the current Slack setup flow, and connect the channel on infrastructure you control.