Channels: Control Claude from Telegram or Discord

Send commands to your Claude Code terminal from Telegram or Discord. Two-way communication via MCP plugins — no need to stay at the terminal.

Channels is a feature that bridges your Claude Code or Cowork session with messaging apps you already use. Instead of switching back to your terminal to check on a task or send a new command, you message Claude from Telegram or Discord — and Claude responds with progress updates, questions, and results.

Set up a Telegram channel for this Claude Code session.

1. Create a new Telegram bot via @BotFather
2. Save the bot token to ~/.config/claude-channels/telegram.json
3. Start listening for messages on the bot
4. When I send a message from Telegram, execute it as a command here
5. Send the output back to me in Telegram
6. If a task takes longer than 30 seconds, send a progress update

Test the connection by sending "Hello from Claude Code" to my Telegram.

What Channels Does

Channels creates a two-way communication bridge between your Claude session and a messaging app. This lets you:

Send commands remotely: Message Claude from your phone to start, stop, or modify tasks
Receive updates: Claude sends progress notifications, completion alerts, and error reports to your chat
Ask questions: Claude can ask you clarifying questions via chat when it needs input mid-task
Monitor long-running tasks: Step away from your computer and still keep an eye on what Claude is doing

Supported Channels

The most popular channel for Claude Code users. Setup takes about 5 minutes:

Create a bot via @BotFather
Save the bot token
Configure Claude Code to listen on that bot
Start messaging your bot

Best for: Personal use, quick commands, mobile notifications

Discord

Ideal for team workflows or if you already use Discord:

Create a Discord bot via the Developer Portal
Save the bot token and channel ID
Configure Claude Code to listen on that channel
Message the bot in your Discord server

Best for: Team collaboration, shared task monitoring, multi-user workflows

How to Set Up a Channel

Step 1: Create a Messaging Bot

For Telegram:

Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
Send /newbot and follow the prompts
Copy the bot token

For Discord:

Go to discord.com/developers/applications
Click "New Application" and name it
Go to Bot → Add Bot
Copy the bot token
Invite the bot to your server

Step 2: Configure Claude

Install the appropriate MCP plugin:

# For Telegram
claude mcp add telegram-mcp -- npx -y @anthropic/telegram-mcp

# For Discord
claude mcp add discord-mcp -- npx -y @anthropic/discord-mcp

Step 3: Authenticate

Provide your bot token:

{
  "telegram_bot_token": "your-bot-token-here",
  "allowed_users": ["your-telegram-user-id"]
}

Step 4: Start Messaging

Send a message to your bot. Claude will receive it, execute the command, and respond.

Use Cases

1. Remote Task Management

Start a long-running task before leaving work. From your phone, message Claude to check progress, add subtasks, or cancel if priorities change.

2. Team Task Delegation

In a shared Discord channel, team members can request tasks from Claude. Claude picks up the request, executes it, and posts results back to the channel.

3. Mobile Notifications

Configure Claude to send a message when a scheduled task completes or fails. You'll know the moment your morning briefing is ready, even if you're not at your desk.

4. Interactive Debugging

Claude hits an error and needs your input. Instead of waiting until you return to your computer, Claude messages you the error and asks how to proceed. You reply from your phone.

Safety Considerations

Restrict who can send commands: Use the allowed_users setting to whitelist specific user IDs. Without this, anyone who finds your bot can send commands to your computer.
Don't share bot tokens: Treat your bot token like a password. Anyone with the token can control the bot.
Review commands before execution: Consider having Claude confirm destructive commands (delete, overwrite, send email) before executing them.
Use a dedicated bot: Don't reuse an existing bot for Channels. Create a new one specifically for Claude.

Limitations

Message size limits: Telegram messages are limited to 4096 characters. Long outputs are truncated or split into multiple messages.
No file transfers via chat: Claude can't send files directly through Telegram/Discord. It saves files locally and sends you the path.
Latency: There's a 1-3 second delay between sending a message and Claude receiving it, depending on the messaging platform.
Requires internet: Both your computer and your phone need internet access for the channel to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Channels available in Cowork or only Claude Code?

Channels was originally built for Claude Code (the CLI tool). It works with Cowork sessions too, via MCP plugins. The setup is the same.

Can I use Channels with WhatsApp?

Not directly. WhatsApp's API has stricter access requirements. Use Telegram or Discord instead — both are free and take minutes to set up.

Can multiple people send commands to the same bot?

Yes, but you must add each person's user ID to the allowed_users list. This is a security measure to prevent unauthorized access.

Does Channels work when my computer is asleep?

No. Your computer must be awake and Claude Code / Claude Desktop must be running. Channels is a bridge, not a remote wakeup tool.

Share this article