---
summary: "Zalo bot support status, capabilities, and configuration"
read_when:
  - Working on Zalo features or webhooks
title: "Zalo"
---

# Zalo (Bot API)

Status: experimental. DMs are supported. The [Capabilities](#capabilities) section below reflects current Marketplace-bot behavior.

## Plugin required

Zalo ships as a plugin and is not bundled with the core install.

- Install via CLI: `openclaw plugins install @openclaw/zalo`
- Or select **Zalo** during setup and confirm the install prompt
- Details: [Plugins](/tools/plugin)

## Quick setup (beginner)

1. Install the Zalo plugin:
   - From a source checkout: `openclaw plugins install ./path/to/local/zalo-plugin`
   - From npm (if published): `openclaw plugins install @openclaw/zalo`
   - Or pick **Zalo** in setup and confirm the install prompt
2. Set the token:
   - Env: `ZALO_BOT_TOKEN=...`
   - Or config: `channels.zalo.accounts.default.botToken: "..."`.
3. Restart the gateway (or finish setup).
4. DM access is pairing by default; approve the pairing code on first contact.

Minimal config:

```json5
{
  channels: {
    zalo: {
      enabled: true,
      accounts: {
        default: {
          botToken: "12345689:abc-xyz",
          dmPolicy: "pairing",
        },
      },
    },
  },
}
```

## What it is

Zalo is a Vietnam-focused messaging app; its Bot API lets the Gateway run a bot for 1:1 conversations.
It is a good fit for support or notifications where you want deterministic routing back to Zalo.

This page reflects current OpenClaw behavior for **Zalo Bot Creator / Marketplace bots**.
**Zalo Official Account (OA) bots** are a different Zalo product surface and may behave differently.

- A Zalo Bot API channel owned by the Gateway.
- Deterministic routing: replies go back to Zalo; the model never chooses channels.
- DMs share the agent's main session.
- The [Capabilities](#capabilities) section below shows current Marketplace-bot support.

## Setup (fast path)

### 1) Create a bot token (Zalo Bot Platform)

1. Go to [https://bot.zaloplatforms.com](https://bot.zaloplatforms.com) and sign in.
2. Create a new bot and configure its settings.
3. Copy the full bot token (typically `numeric_id:secret`). For Marketplace bots, the usable runtime token may appear in the bot's welcome message after creation.

### 2) Configure the token (env or config)

Example:

```json5
{
  channels: {
    zalo: {
      enabled: true,
      accounts: {
        default: {
          botToken: "12345689:abc-xyz",
          dmPolicy: "pairing",
        },
      },
    },
  },
}
```

If you later move to a Zalo bot surface where groups are available, you can add group-specific config such as `groupPolicy` and `groupAllowFrom` explicitly. For current Marketplace-bot behavior, see [Capabilities](#capabilities).

Env option: `ZALO_BOT_TOKEN=...` (works for the default account only).

Multi-account support: use `channels.zalo.accounts` with per-account tokens and optional `name`.

3. Restart the gateway. Zalo starts when a token is resolved (env or config).
4. DM access defaults to pairing. Approve the code when the bot is first contacted.

## How it works (behavior)

- Inbound messages are normalized into the shared channel envelope with media placeholders.
- Replies always route back to the same Zalo chat.
- Long-polling by default; webhook mode available with `channels.zalo.webhookUrl`.

## Limits

- Outbound text is chunked to 2000 characters (Zalo API limit).
- Media downloads/uploads are capped by `channels.zalo.mediaMaxMb` (default 5).
- Streaming is blocked by default due to the 2000 char limit making streaming less useful.

## Access control (DMs)

### DM access

- Default: `channels.zalo.dmPolicy = "pairing"`. Unknown senders receive a pairing code; messages are ignored until approved (codes expire after 1 hour).
- Approve via:
  - `openclaw pairing list zalo`
  - `openclaw pairing approve zalo <CODE>`
- Pairing is the default token exchange. Details: [Pairing](/channels/pairing)
- `channels.zalo.allowFrom` accepts numeric user IDs (no username lookup available).

## Access control (Groups)

For **Zalo Bot Creator / Marketplace bots**, group support was not available in practice because the bot could not be added to a group at all.

That means the group-related config keys below exist in the schema, but were not usable for Marketplace bots:

- `channels.zalo.groupPolicy` controls group inbound handling: `open | allowlist | disabled`.
- `channels.zalo.groupAllowFrom` restricts which sender IDs can trigger the bot in groups.
- If `groupAllowFrom` is unset, Zalo falls back to `allowFrom` for sender checks.
- Runtime note: if `channels.zalo` is missing entirely, runtime still falls back to `groupPolicy="allowlist"` for safety.

The group policy values (when group access is available on your bot surface) are:

- `groupPolicy: "disabled"` — blocks all group messages.
- `groupPolicy: "open"` — allows any group member (mention-gated).
- `groupPolicy: "allowlist"` — fail-closed default; only allowed senders are accepted.

If you are using a different Zalo bot product surface and have verified working group behavior, document that separately rather than assuming it matches the Marketplace-bot flow.

## Long-polling vs webhook

- Default: long-polling (no public URL required).
- Webhook mode: set `channels.zalo.webhookUrl` and `channels.zalo.webhookSecret`.
  - The webhook secret must be 8-256 characters.
  - Webhook URL must use HTTPS.
  - Zalo sends events with `X-Bot-Api-Secret-Token` header for verification.
  - Gateway HTTP handles webhook requests at `channels.zalo.webhookPath` (defaults to the webhook URL path).
  - Requests must use `Content-Type: application/json` (or `+json` media types).
  - Duplicate events (`event_name + message_id`) are ignored for a short replay window.
  - Burst traffic is rate-limited per path/source and may return HTTP 429.

**Note:** getUpdates (polling) and webhook are mutually exclusive per Zalo API docs.

## Supported message types

For a quick support snapshot, see [Capabilities](#capabilities). The notes below add detail where the behavior needs extra context.

- **Text messages**: Full support with 2000 character chunking.
- **Plain URLs in text**: Behave like normal text input.
- **Link previews / rich link cards**: See the Marketplace-bot status in [Capabilities](#capabilities); they did not reliably trigger a reply.
- **Image messages**: See the Marketplace-bot status in [Capabilities](#capabilities); inbound image handling was unreliable (typing indicator without a final reply).
- **Stickers**: See the Marketplace-bot status in [Capabilities](#capabilities).
- **Voice notes / audio files / video / generic file attachments**: See the Marketplace-bot status in [Capabilities](#capabilities).
- **Unsupported types**: Logged (for example, messages from protected users).

## Capabilities

This table summarizes current **Zalo Bot Creator / Marketplace bot** behavior in OpenClaw.

| Feature                     | Status                                  |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Direct messages             | ✅ Supported                            |
| Groups                      | ❌ Not available for Marketplace bots   |
| Media (inbound images)      | ⚠️ Limited / verify in your environment |
| Media (outbound images)     | ⚠️ Not re-tested for Marketplace bots   |
| Plain URLs in text          | ✅ Supported                            |
| Link previews               | ⚠️ Unreliable for Marketplace bots      |
| Reactions                   | ❌ Not supported                        |
| Stickers                    | ⚠️ No agent reply for Marketplace bots  |
| Voice notes / audio / video | ⚠️ No agent reply for Marketplace bots  |
| File attachments            | ⚠️ No agent reply for Marketplace bots  |
| Threads                     | ❌ Not supported                        |
| Polls                       | ❌ Not supported                        |
| Native commands             | ❌ Not supported                        |
| Streaming                   | ⚠️ Blocked (2000 char limit)            |

## Delivery targets (CLI/cron)

- Use a chat id as the target.
- Example: `openclaw message send --channel zalo --target 123456789 --message "hi"`.

## Troubleshooting

**Bot doesn't respond:**

- Check that the token is valid: `openclaw channels status --probe`
- Verify the sender is approved (pairing or allowFrom)
- Check gateway logs: `openclaw logs --follow`

**Webhook not receiving events:**

- Ensure webhook URL uses HTTPS
- Verify secret token is 8-256 characters
- Confirm the gateway HTTP endpoint is reachable on the configured path
- Check that getUpdates polling is not running (they're mutually exclusive)

## Configuration reference (Zalo)

Full configuration: [Configuration](/gateway/configuration)

The flat top-level keys (`channels.zalo.botToken`, `channels.zalo.dmPolicy`, and similar) are a legacy single-account shorthand. Prefer `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.*` for new configs. Both forms are still documented here because they exist in the schema.

Provider options:

- `channels.zalo.enabled`: enable/disable channel startup.
- `channels.zalo.botToken`: bot token from Zalo Bot Platform.
- `channels.zalo.tokenFile`: read token from a regular file path. Symlinks are rejected.
- `channels.zalo.dmPolicy`: `pairing | allowlist | open | disabled` (default: pairing).
- `channels.zalo.allowFrom`: DM allowlist (user IDs). `open` requires `"*"`. The wizard will ask for numeric IDs.
- `channels.zalo.groupPolicy`: `open | allowlist | disabled` (default: allowlist). Present in config; see [Capabilities](#capabilities) and [Access control (Groups)](#access-control-groups) for current Marketplace-bot behavior.
- `channels.zalo.groupAllowFrom`: group sender allowlist (user IDs). Falls back to `allowFrom` when unset.
- `channels.zalo.mediaMaxMb`: inbound/outbound media cap (MB, default 5).
- `channels.zalo.webhookUrl`: enable webhook mode (HTTPS required).
- `channels.zalo.webhookSecret`: webhook secret (8-256 chars).
- `channels.zalo.webhookPath`: webhook path on the gateway HTTP server.
- `channels.zalo.proxy`: proxy URL for API requests.

Multi-account options:

- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.botToken`: per-account token.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.tokenFile`: per-account regular token file. Symlinks are rejected.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.name`: display name.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.enabled`: enable/disable account.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.dmPolicy`: per-account DM policy.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.allowFrom`: per-account allowlist.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.groupPolicy`: per-account group policy. Present in config; see [Capabilities](#capabilities) and [Access control (Groups)](#access-control-groups) for current Marketplace-bot behavior.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.groupAllowFrom`: per-account group sender allowlist.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.webhookUrl`: per-account webhook URL.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.webhookSecret`: per-account webhook secret.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.webhookPath`: per-account webhook path.
- `channels.zalo.accounts.<id>.proxy`: per-account proxy URL.

## Related

- [Channels Overview](/channels) — all supported channels
- [Pairing](/channels/pairing) — DM authentication and pairing flow
- [Groups](/channels/groups) — group chat behavior and mention gating
- [Channel Routing](/channels/channel-routing) — session routing for messages
- [Security](/gateway/security) — access model and hardening