OpenClaw on iOS and Android: Mobile Setup Guide

OpenClaw does not have a native mobile app — and it does not need one. Because OpenClaw connects to messaging platforms you already use, your phone becomes the interface. This guide covers every way to use OpenClaw from iOS and Android.

Method 1: Messaging Channels (Recommended)

The most natural way to use OpenClaw on mobile is through a messaging app you already have installed. Your agent becomes a contact or bot that you text, and it responds just like a person would.

Telegram Setup

Telegram is the most popular channel for OpenClaw because of its excellent bot API and rich message formatting.

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose a name (e.g., "My OpenClaw Agent")
4. Choose a username (e.g., "my_openclaw_bot")
5. Copy the bot token

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

openclaw channels add telegram --token "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
openclaw channels config telegram --allowed-users "your_telegram_id"

Step 3: Start Chatting

Open Telegram on your phone, search for your bot, and send a message. Your OpenClaw agent responds instantly.

What works on Telegram:

• Text messages with full markdown formatting
• File sharing (send documents to the agent, receive files back)
• Inline keyboards for confirmations
• Voice messages (if speech-to-text skill is installed)
• Group chats (add the bot to a group for team use)

WhatsApp Setup

WhatsApp works well for users who prefer it over Telegram. Setup requires a dedicated phone number.

# Install the WhatsApp channel
openclaw channels add whatsapp

# Follow the QR code pairing process
openclaw channels auth whatsapp
# Scan the QR code with WhatsApp on your phone

Limitations: WhatsApp has stricter rate limits and formatting is more limited than Telegram. You cannot create a "bot" — you connect a phone number, and the agent responds from that number.

Signal Setup

For maximum privacy, use Signal. End-to-end encryption means even your server cannot read the messages in transit.

openclaw channels add signal --number "+1234567890"
openclaw channels auth signal
# Verify with the code sent to the number

Email (via Inbounter)

If you prefer not to install another messaging app, email works as a channel. Send an email to your agent's address, and it replies via email.

Using Inbounter for the email channel gives you:

• Webhook-based delivery (no SMTP server to maintain)
• Reliable delivery with SPF/DKIM
• Works with any email client on your phone

# config.yaml
channels:
  email:
    provider: "inbounter"
    api_key: "${INBOUNTER_API_KEY}"
    incoming_webhook: "https://your-server.com/webhook/email"
    from: "agent@yourdomain.com"
    allowed_senders:
      - "you@gmail.com"

Method 2: Mobile Browser Admin UI

OpenClaw's admin panel is a web application that works on mobile browsers. It is not optimized for mobile, but it is functional for monitoring and basic management.

Accessing the Admin UI

On your local network:

If your phone is on the same Wi-Fi network as your OpenClaw server:

http://192.168.1.x:3080

Remotely via Tailscale:

Install Tailscale on both your server and your phone:

1. Install Tailscale on your server: curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh && sudo tailscale up
2. Install Tailscale app on your phone (available on App Store and Google Play)
3. Log in to the same Tailscale account
4. Access OpenClaw via the Tailscale IP: http://100.x.y.z:3080

This is the most secure way to access the admin panel remotely. Traffic is encrypted and never exposed to the public internet.

Remotely via Cloudflare Tunnel:

# On your server
cloudflared tunnel create openclaw
cloudflared tunnel route dns openclaw agent.yourdomain.com
cloudflared tunnel run openclaw

Then access https://agent.yourdomain.com from any browser on your phone.

What You Can Do in the Mobile Admin UI

• View conversation history
• Check agent status and uptime
• View installed skills
• Read logs
• Modify basic configuration
• Send messages directly (bypassing channels)

What Is Awkward on Mobile

• Editing SOUL.md (use a code editor via SSH instead)
• Installing skills
• Viewing long log files
• Complex configuration changes

Method 3: SSH from Mobile

For full server management from your phone, use an SSH client.

Termius (iOS and Android)

Termius is the best mobile SSH client. It supports:

• Saved connections with key authentication
• Multiple terminal tabs
• Port forwarding
• SFTP file management

Setup:

1. Install Termius from App Store or Google Play
2. Add a new host with your server's IP and SSH credentials
3. Connect and run openclaw commands directly

# Common commands you'll run from mobile
openclaw status
openclaw logs --tail 20
openclaw channels status
openclaw restart

JuiceSSH (Android Only)

A free alternative to Termius for Android users. More basic but gets the job done.

Method 4: iOS Shortcuts and Android Automation

iOS Shortcuts

Create Siri Shortcuts that interact with your OpenClaw agent:

1. Open the Shortcuts app
2. Create a new shortcut
3. Add a "Get Contents of URL" action pointing to your OpenClaw API endpoint
4. Add the message as a POST body
5. Add a "Show Result" action for the response

Example shortcut that sends a message:

URL: https://your-server/api/message
Method: POST
Headers: Authorization: Bearer your-token
Body: {"message": "What's on my schedule today?", "channel": "api"}

You can trigger this from Siri: "Hey Siri, ask my agent about my schedule."

Android Tasker

Tasker can automate interactions with OpenClaw:

• Send a morning briefing request at 7 AM
• Forward notifications to OpenClaw for processing
• Trigger agent tasks based on location (arriving at office, leaving home)

Setting Up Push Notifications

Get notified on your phone when your agent needs attention or completes a task.

Using Telegram

If Telegram is your primary channel, you already get push notifications for every agent response.

Using Inbounter for Email Notifications

For important alerts, configure your agent to send email via Inbounter:

notifications:
  provider: "inbounter"
  api_key: "${INBOUNTER_API_KEY}"
  events:
    - type: "task_complete"
      email: "you@gmail.com"
    - type: "error"
      email: "you@gmail.com"
    - type: "security_alert"
      email: "you@gmail.com"
      sms: "+1234567890"

This ensures you get notifications even if you are not actively watching the messaging channel.

Using Ntfy (Free, Self-Hosted)

Ntfy is a free push notification service you can self-host:

# Install ntfy on your server
sudo apt install ntfy

# In your SOUL.md, instruct the agent:
# "Send important notifications to ntfy topic 'openclaw-alerts'"

Install the ntfy app on your phone to receive push notifications.

Best Practices for Mobile Use

1. Keep Messages Concise

Mobile typing is slower. Train your SOUL.md to accept short instructions:

## Communication Style
- Accept brief instructions without asking for clarification
- "weather" means "What's the weather forecast for my location?"
- "news" means "Give me a summary of today's top news"
- "todo" means "Show my current task list"

2. Set Up Quick Commands

Most messaging apps support slash commands. Configure shortcuts for common tasks:

shortcuts:
  "/w": "What's the weather today?"
  "/n": "Summarize today's news"
  "/t": "Show my todo list"
  "/s": "Agent status report"

3. Enable Offline Queuing

When your phone loses connectivity, messages should queue and send when back online. Telegram and WhatsApp handle this natively. For email, Inbounter queues and retries delivery automatically.

4. Restrict Dangerous Commands from Mobile

Since you might send messages accidentally from your phone:

mobile_safety:
  require_confirmation:
    - "delete"
    - "deploy"
    - "restart"
  block_from_mobile:
    - "rm -rf"
    - "sudo"

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an official OpenClaw mobile app?

No, and there likely will not be. The messaging channel approach is more flexible and does not require maintaining a separate app for iOS and Android.

Which messaging app is best for OpenClaw?

Telegram. It has the best bot API, richest formatting, file sharing, and group support. WhatsApp is second if you prefer it. Signal is third for privacy-focused users.

Can I use OpenClaw offline on my phone?

No. OpenClaw runs on a server. Your phone is just the interface. You need internet connectivity to reach the server.

How do I transfer files to/from OpenClaw on mobile?

Send files directly in Telegram or WhatsApp. The agent can process them and send files back. For larger files, use the admin panel's file browser via mobile web.

Does OpenClaw work on tablets?

Yes. The admin panel works well on tablet browsers due to the larger screen. Messaging channels work identically to phones.

Can I use multiple phones with the same OpenClaw agent?

Yes. Messaging channels support multiple devices. Telegram bots work on any device logged into your Telegram account. The admin panel can be accessed from any device with the URL and credentials.

Want your OpenClaw agent to reach you anywhere? Inbounter provides email and SMS APIs that work perfectly on mobile. Get agent notifications delivered to your phone instantly.