OpenClaw on Signal: Setup Guide 2026

Running OpenClaw on Signal appeals to privacy-focused users who want an AI agent accessible on the most secure consumer messaging platform available. Signal doesn't offer an official bot API, but the open-source signal-cli project provides a command-line interface that OpenClaw can use to send and receive messages. This guide covers the 2026 setup process.

Important Caveats

Signal's Terms of Service don't explicitly support automated bots, and Signal occasionally changes their protocol in ways that break signal-cli. This integration is technically unofficial and requires a dedicated phone number. For production use, Telegram or Discord are more reliable. Signal is best for privacy-sensitive personal use.

Prerequisites

• Java 17+ installed on your server
• A dedicated phone number (virtual numbers from services like JMP.chat work)
• Your OpenClaw instance running on Linux

Step 1: Install signal-cli

# Download signal-cli
SIGNAL_CLI_VERSION=0.13.7
wget https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/releases/download/v${SIGNAL_CLI_VERSION}/signal-cli-${SIGNAL_CLI_VERSION}.tar.gz
tar xzf signal-cli-${SIGNAL_CLI_VERSION}.tar.gz
sudo mv signal-cli-${SIGNAL_CLI_VERSION} /opt/signal-cli
sudo ln -s /opt/signal-cli/bin/signal-cli /usr/local/bin/signal-cli

Step 2: Register Your Number

signal-cli -u +1YOURNUMBER register
# You'll receive a verification SMS
signal-cli -u +1YOURNUMBER verify VERIFICATION_CODE

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw

Add to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

{
  "channels": {
    "signal": {
      "enabled": true,
      "phone_number": "+1YOURNUMBER",
      "signal_cli_path": "/usr/local/bin/signal-cli",
      "allowed_numbers": ["+1YOURNUMBER"]
    }
  }
}

Add your personal number to allowed_numbers to restrict access.

Step 4: Start and Test

Restart OpenClaw. On Signal, send a message to your registered number. Your OpenClaw agent responds via signal-cli.

Performance Note

Signal via signal-cli has higher latency than Telegram or Discord (typically 2–5 seconds vs under 1 second). This is inherent to how signal-cli works and not an OpenClaw limitation.

Privacy Benefits

Messages are end-to-end encrypted by Signal's protocol. Even if your server is compromised, an attacker cannot read historical Signal messages. Combined with a self-hosted OpenClaw instance (or nacre.sh with BYOK), no messages pass through third-party servers in plaintext.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my personal Signal number for OpenClaw?

Technically yes, but not recommended. Using a dedicated number keeps your personal Signal identity separate from your AI agent and avoids the risk of losing your personal number if Signal flags the account.

Does OpenClaw's Signal integration support media messages?

OpenClaw can receive images and documents via Signal and pass them to vision-capable LLMs for processing. Sending images back is also supported via signal-cli.

Is there a simpler Signal integration?

Some community members use Signal's linked devices feature with unofficial bridges. These are even more fragile than signal-cli and are not recommended for production use.