How to Connect OpenClaw to iMessage — 2026 Setup Guide

iMessage integration with OpenClaw is the most Mac-specific setup you'll do. Apple doesn't offer a public API, so this relies on an AppleScript bridge running on macOS. That said — it works, and for people deep in the Apple ecosystem, it's genuinely useful.

What You Need

• A Mac (M-series or Intel, macOS 12+)
• Messages.app logged in with your Apple ID
• OpenClaw installed on the Mac (or a Mac node connected to your gateway)
• Node.js 18+ on the Mac

How the Bridge Works

There's no official plugin — the bridge uses AppleScript to poll Messages.app for new messages, then pipes them to OpenClaw's local API. Responses go back via AppleScript's send message command. It's a polling loop, typically every 5-15 seconds.

Install the iMessage Bridge

npm install -g openclaw-imessage-bridge
openclaw-imessage-bridge init \
  --gateway http://localhost:4000 \
  --poll-interval 10

Configure Which Contacts to Route

Edit ~/.openclaw-imessage/config.json to specify which contacts get routed to your agent:

{
  "gatewayUrl": "http://localhost:4000",
  "pollIntervalMs": 10000,
  "allowedContacts": [
    "your-own-number@icloud.com"
  ],
  "respondToGroups": false,
  "agentId": "main"
}

Keep allowedContacts tight — you don't want your agent reading every message thread on your Mac.

Start the Bridge

openclaw-imessage-bridge start

# Or install as a LaunchAgent for auto-start on login:
openclaw-imessage-bridge install-service

Grant Accessibility Permissions

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and add Terminal (or your Node runtime). macOS will likely prompt automatically when the bridge first runs.

Test the Connection

openclaw-imessage-bridge logs --follow
# You should see:
# [RECEIVE] from: you@icloud.com | text: "hello"
# [ROUTE] → openclaw gateway
# [REPLY] sent via iMessage

Add iMessage Details to TOOLS.md

### iMessage Bridge
- Bridge status: LaunchAgent on Rahul's iMac
- Allowed contacts: personal Apple ID only
- Poll interval: 10 seconds
- Use for: quick personal commands when Slack isn't open

Limitations

The Mac running the bridge must be awake and logged in. iMessage reactions don't parse cleanly. Group messages should be off unless you're deliberate about routing. For reliability, Telegram or Slack are better choices for always-on channels.

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