Signal prioritizes privacy and encryption, which makes integration more complex than other messaging platforms. This advanced guide walks you through installing signal-cli, registering or linking a phone number, configuring OpenClaw's Signal adapter, handling encrypted messages, and setting up group support.
Why This Is Hard to Do Yourself
These are the common pitfalls that trip people up.
Phone number requirement
Signal requires a phone number for registration. You need a dedicated number for the bot (can't share with personal Signal).
End-to-end encryption
All Signal messages are encrypted. OpenClaw must handle cryptographic keys, device linking, and session management.
signal-cli dependency
Signal has no official API. OpenClaw uses signal-cli (unofficial Java-based CLI), which requires JRE and careful configuration.
Group permission complexity
Signal groups have admin controls, link permissions, and member verification. Bot behavior in groups requires explicit configuration.
Step-by-Step Guide
Install signal-cli
# On macOS:
brew install signal-cli
# On Linux:
wget https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/releases/download/v0.12.3/signal-cli-0.12.3-Linux.tar.gz
tar xf signal-cli-0.12.3-Linux.tar.gz -C /opt
ln -s /opt/signal-cli-0.12.3/bin/signal-cli /usr/local/bin/
# Verify installation:
signal-cli --versionWarning: signal-cli requires Java 17+. Install OpenJDK if not already present: `brew install openjdk@17` or `apt install openjdk-17-jre`
Register or link phone number
# Option 1: Register a new number (requires SMS verification):
signal-cli -a +15551234567 register
# Enter the SMS verification code:
signal-cli -a +15551234567 verify CODE
# Option 2: Link to existing Signal account (QR code):
signal-cli -a +15551234567 link -n "OpenClaw Bot"
# Scan the QR code with Signal on your phone (Settings → Linked Devices)Configure OpenClaw Signal adapter
# config/channels/signal.yaml:
signal:
enabled: true
phone_number: "+15551234567"
signal_cli_path: "/usr/local/bin/signal-cli"
data_dir: "~/.local/share/signal-cli" # Default signal-cli data location
mode: daemon # or "polling"
allowed_numbers: [] # Empty = all, or list allowed numbersHandle message encryption
# signal-cli handles encryption automatically
# OpenClaw receives decrypted messages via signal-cli's daemon mode:
# Start signal-cli in daemon mode:
signal-cli -a +15551234567 daemon --json
# OpenClaw connects to the daemon socket:
# In config/channels/signal.yaml (continued):
daemon:
socket: "/var/run/signal-cli/socket"
auto_trust: true # Auto-trust new safety numbers (use with caution)Set up group support
# Configure group behavior:
# In config/channels/signal.yaml (continued):
groups:
enabled: true
require_mention: true # Only respond when @mentioned in groups
admin_only: false # Allow all members to interact
allowed_groups: [] # Empty = all groups, or list group IDsWarning: Group IDs in Signal are base64-encoded strings. Use `signal-cli -a +15551234567 listGroups` to find group IDs.
Test the integration
# Start OpenClaw:
openclaw start --channel signal
# Send a Signal message to +15551234567
# Check logs:
tail -f ~/.openclaw/logs/channels.log | grep signal
# Test group functionality by adding the bot to a Signal groupSignal Integration Requires Cryptographic Expertise
Phone number registration, signal-cli configuration, end-to-end encryption, group permissions, safety number management — our Signal integration experts handle the full setup with proper security practices.
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