Remote Channels

Remote Channels Setup

Configure Claude Code for remote access via Telegram and/or Discord messaging platforms.

Prerequisites

• Claude Code latest version (channel support required)
• Telegram app installed (for Telegram setup)
• Discord account with server admin access (for Discord setup)

Phase 1: Telegram Setup

1. Open Telegram and message @BotFather
2. Send /newbot, provide a name and bot username
3. Copy the bot token provided by BotFather
4. Install the Telegram channel plugin in Claude Code:

   claude plugins install claude-plugins-official/telegram
   

5. Store the bot token in the environment file Claude Code creates
6. Restart terminal session so the plugin loads into context

Phase 2: Discord Setup

1. Go to https://discord.com/developers/applications and create a new application
2. Under OAuth2, add a redirect URL (any dummy URL works)
3. Under Bot, configure permissions:
   • View Channels
   • Send Messages
   • Send Messages in Threads
   • Read Message History
   • Attach Files
   • Add Reactions
4. Disable Requires OAuth2 Code Grant under Bot settings
5. Enable Message Content Intent under Bot settings
6. Generate an invite URL with the selected permissions and paste it in a browser to add the bot to your server
7. Install the Discord channel plugin in Claude Code:

   claude plugins install claude-plugins-official/discord
   

Phase 3: Launch Remote Session

Run from a standard terminal (not inside Claude Code):

# Telegram
claude --channel telegram --plugin claude-plugins-official/telegram

# Discord
claude --channel discord --plugin claude-plugins-official/discord

Phase 4: Security Lockdown

Lock access to your user ID only:

# Telegram - restrict to your Telegram user ID
/telegram access-policy allowlist

# Discord - restrict to your Discord user ID
/discord access-policy

Phase 5: Always-On (Optional)

For persistent availability, run as a background process:

# Using nohup
nohup claude --channel telegram --plugin claude-plugins-official/telegram &

# Or use pm2/systemd for process management
pm2 start "claude --channel telegram --plugin claude-plugins-official/telegram" --name claude-telegram

Gotchas

• Permissions mode: By default, runs in accept-edits mode (asks permission for every action). Override explicitly if needed, but be aware of security implications.
• File attachments: File sending may be blocked by default. Check terminal output if the bot starts typing then stops.
• Telegram limits: No message history API, 50MB file limit, no built-in conversation persistence.
• Discord advantage: Can fetch last 100 messages, providing better conversation continuity.
• Session lifecycle: Remote session only receives messages while Claude Code is running.

Verification

• Bot responds to messages in the chosen platform
• Access policy restricts to your user ID only
• File attachments send successfully (if enabled)
• Session persists across terminal reconnects (if always-on configured)

Source

Technique extracted from Mark Kashef, "Did Claude Code Just Make OpenClaw Obsolete?", March 20, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUyqEAXt2YQ