How to Configure OpenClaw Group Chat Behavior

By default, your OpenClaw bot responds to every message in a group chat. In busy groups where lots of other conversation happens, this can get noisy fast. OpenClaw's group behavior settings let you require an explicit mention before the bot responds.

This guide is managed ClawCloud-first: use bot chat instructions first. CLI commands are included only as a self-hosted/admin reference.

For model selection details, see Full AI Model Catalog. For deployment mode differences, compare Managed OpenClaw AI Intro.

OpenClaw supports requireMention on multiple channels (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Google Chat, iMessage). In ClawCloud, the dashboard only exposes it for Telegram instances — Discord instances use guild-level mention settings managed by OpenClaw directly.

Managed ClawCloud: bot-first workflow

If you use managed OpenClaw on ClawCloud, your normal workflow is to change behavior by messaging your bot directly in Telegram, Discord, or DM — not by editing config files.

Use this loop:

1. Tell the bot what you want in plain language.
2. Ask the bot to summarize its current group settings in plain language.
3. Verify in the ClawCloud dashboard Config tab (read-only live view).

Helpful bot-chat commands in managed flow:

/commands
/status
/whoami
/activation mention
/activation always
/stop

• /activation mention|always is the most relevant command for group reply behavior.
• /commands shows what is currently available on your channel/surface.
• /status gives a quick runtime snapshot while testing behavior changes.
• /stop aborts an in-flight response if the bot starts generating when you didn’t intend it to.

Examples:

• Telegram group (mention-only mode):

  "In Telegram groups, only reply when I mention you."

• Telegram group (custom triggers):

  "In Telegram groups, respond only to @helper or 'hey bot'."

• Discord group access behavior:

  "In Discord, keep group access open but ignore unrelated chatter."

For advanced/self-hosted workflows, the equivalent OpenClaw config keys are shown below.

Self-hosted CLI reference (official commands)

These are official OpenClaw CLI commands from docs. In managed ClawCloud, most users won’t need to run them directly, but they are the correct references for self-hosted/admin workflows:

openclaw onboard
openclaw configure
openclaw doctor
openclaw doctor --fix

• openclaw onboard — setup wizard
• openclaw configure — configuration wizard
• openclaw doctor — validate config/runtime and show issues
• openclaw doctor --fix — apply suggested config repairs

Require Mention

When requireMention is enabled, your bot stays quiet in group chats unless its name or a configured trigger word appears in the message. Direct messages (DMs) are never affected — the bot always responds there.

To turn on require-mention, tell your bot:

"Only respond in group chats when someone mentions you by name."

In OpenClaw config terms, this sets Telegram mention gating at:

channels.telegram.groups["*"].requireMention = true

To turn it off and have the bot respond to everything again:

channels.telegram.groups["*"].requireMention = false

The current setting is visible in your ClawCloud dashboard under the Config tab in the Group Behavior section.

Mention Patterns

Mention patterns are trigger words or phrases OpenClaw listens for when requireMention is on. By default, the bot can match its own name, and you can update the pattern list through bot settings.

To change patterns, tell your bot in plain language:

"Only respond in groups when I mention @helper or say 'hey bot'."

To check current patterns, ask the bot to list its current group mention triggers, then verify in the dashboard Config tab.

Patterns are matched case-insensitively. Keep them short and distinct to avoid accidental triggers.

Group Policy

Separately from mention behavior, the groupPolicy setting controls whether group chat access is open to all groups or only specific ones. OpenClaw's default is allowlist, but ClawCloud sets it to open during provisioning — meaning anyone that adds the bot to a group can use it.

To restrict which groups can use the bot, you can tell it:

"Only respond in the group called 'Team Alpha', ignore all other groups."

The bot will update its group policy accordingly.

Policy and Token Support Terms

This page covers requireMention and groupPolicy for group behavior. For DM access policy (dmPolicy / allowFrom allowlist), use How to Unlock DM Access on Your OpenClaw Bot.

If your group behavior issue is actually a bad channel token, use the setup guides:

• How to Create a Telegram Bot Token for OpenClaw
• How to Create a Discord Bot Token for OpenClaw

What shows in the dashboard

The ClawCloud dashboard Config tab shows:

• Require Mention — Yes or No
• Active trigger words shown as inline tags below the Require Mention field (when mention is enabled and patterns are configured)

These are read-only views pulled live from your running server. Changes made through the bot apply immediately and are reflected in the dashboard on next refresh.

For more on OpenClaw's configuration system and how agents handle instructions, see the OpenClaw documentation. For channel-specific configuration details, see the Telegram channel guide or Discord channel guide.