### Changes

- Docs/iMessage: deprecate BlueBubbles for new OpenClaw setups, document the upstream server-release rationale, and point new iMessage deployments toward the native `imsg` path while keeping BlueBubbles as a supported legacy fallback.

- Plugins/install: add `npm-pack:<path.tgz>` installs so local npm pack artifacts run through the same managed npm-root install, lockfile verification, dependency scan, and install-record path as registry npm plugins.

- Plugin skills/Windows: publish plugin-provided skill directories as junctions on Windows so standard users without Developer Mode can register plugin skills without symlink EPERM failures. Fixes #77958. (#77971) Thanks @hclsys and @jarro.

- MS Teams: surface blocked Bot Framework egress by logging JWKS fetch network failures and adding a Bot Connector send hint for transport-level reply failures. Fixes #77674. (#78081) Thanks @Beandon13.

---

summary: "iMessage via BlueBubbles macOS server (REST send/receive, typing, reactions, pairing, advanced actions)."

summary: "Legacy iMessage support via the BlueBubbles macOS server (REST send/receive, typing, reactions, pairing, advanced actions)."

read_when:

- Setting up BlueBubbles channel

- Troubleshooting webhook pairing

sidebarTitle: "BlueBubbles"

---

Status: bundled plugin that talks to the BlueBubbles macOS server over HTTP. **Recommended for iMessage integration** due to its richer API and easier setup compared to the legacy imsg channel.

Status: bundled legacy plugin that talks to the BlueBubbles macOS server over HTTP. Existing BlueBubbles setups continue to work, but new OpenClaw iMessage deployments should prefer the native [iMessage](/channels/imessage) plugin when its requirements fit your host.

<Warning>

BlueBubbles is deprecated for new OpenClaw setups.

The upstream BlueBubbles ecosystem is still active, but OpenClaw depends on the BlueBubbles macOS server API. As of May 6, 2026, the official [`bluebubbles-server`](https://github.com/BlueBubblesApp/bluebubbles-server) development branch last changed on [January 22, 2026](https://github.com/BlueBubblesApp/bluebubbles-server/commit/88a4921bbd5a8111f1e9582b83715cf877171037), and the latest server release ([`v1.9.9`](https://github.com/BlueBubblesApp/bluebubbles-server/releases/tag/v1.9.9)) was published on May 16, 2025. The client app and helper repositories have newer activity, so this is not an abandonment claim; the deprecation is about reducing OpenClaw's dependency on an external HTTP server, webhooks, and private-API compatibility surface when the native `imsg` path keeps the integration on a local stdio contract.

</Warning>

<Note>

Current OpenClaw releases bundle BlueBubbles, so normal packaged builds do not need a separate `openclaw plugins install` step.

## Overview

- Runs on macOS via the BlueBubbles helper app ([bluebubbles.app](https://bluebubbles.app)).

- Legacy fallback for installations that already rely on BlueBubbles channel IDs, webhook state, group targets, cron delivery, or workspace routing.

- Recommended/tested: macOS Sequoia (15). macOS Tahoe (26) works; edit is currently broken on Tahoe, and group icon updates may report success but not sync.

- OpenClaw talks to it through its REST API (`GET /api/v1/ping`, `POST /message/text`, `POST /chat/:id/*`).

- Incoming messages arrive via webhooks; outgoing replies, typing indicators, read receipts, and tapbacks are REST calls.

---

summary: "Legacy iMessage support via imsg (JSON-RPC over stdio). New setups should use BlueBubbles."

summary: "Native iMessage support via imsg (JSON-RPC over stdio). Preferred for new OpenClaw iMessage setups when host requirements fit."

read_when:

- Setting up iMessage support

- Debugging iMessage send/receive

title: "iMessage"

---

<Warning>

For new iMessage deployments, use <a href="/channels/bluebubbles">BlueBubbles</a>.

<Note>

For new OpenClaw iMessage deployments, start here when you can run `imsg` on a signed-in macOS Messages host. BlueBubbles remains available as a legacy fallback for existing setups that depend on its HTTP server, webhooks, or richer private-API actions.

</Note>

The `imsg` integration is legacy and may be removed in a future release.

</Warning>

Status: legacy external CLI integration. Gateway spawns `imsg rpc` and communicates over JSON-RPC on stdio (no separate daemon/port).

Status: native external CLI integration. Gateway spawns `imsg rpc` and communicates over JSON-RPC on stdio (no separate daemon/port).

<CardGroup cols={3}>

<Card title="BlueBubbles (recommended)" icon="message-circle" href="/channels/bluebubbles">

Preferred iMessage path for new setups.

<Card title="BlueBubbles (legacy fallback)" icon="message-circle" href="/channels/bluebubbles">

Keep using it for existing BlueBubbles-backed routing; avoid it for new setups when imsg fits.

</Card>

<Card title="Pairing" icon="link" href="/channels/pairing">

iMessage DMs default to pairing mode.

## Supported channels

- [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles) - **Recommended for iMessage**; uses the BlueBubbles macOS server REST API with full feature support (bundled plugin; edit, unsend, effects, reactions, group management - edit currently broken on macOS 26 Tahoe).

- [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles) - Legacy iMessage bridge via the BlueBubbles macOS server REST API; deprecated for new OpenClaw setups but still supported for existing configs and richer private-API actions.

- [Discord](/channels/discord) - Discord Bot API + Gateway; supports servers, channels, and DMs.

- [Feishu](/channels/feishu) - Feishu/Lark bot via WebSocket (bundled plugin).

- [Google Chat](/channels/googlechat) - Google Chat API app via HTTP webhook (downloadable plugin).

- [iMessage (legacy)](/channels/imessage) - Legacy macOS integration via imsg CLI (deprecated, use BlueBubbles for new setups).

- [iMessage](/channels/imessage) - Native macOS integration via the imsg CLI; preferred for new OpenClaw iMessage setups when host permissions and Messages access fit.

- [IRC](/channels/irc) - Classic IRC servers; channels + DMs with pairing/allowlist controls.

- [LINE](/channels/line) - LINE Messaging API bot (downloadable plugin).

- [Matrix](/channels/matrix) - Matrix protocol (downloadable plugin).

- Telegram: [Telegram](/channels/telegram)

- WhatsApp: [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp)

- Signal: [Signal](/channels/signal)

- BlueBubbles (iMessage): [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles)

- iMessage (legacy): [iMessage](/channels/imessage)

- iMessage: [iMessage](/channels/imessage)

- BlueBubbles (legacy iMessage bridge): [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles)

- Discord: [Discord](/channels/discord)

- Slack: [Slack](/channels/slack)

**Channels:**

- Built-in channels include Discord, Google Chat, iMessage (legacy), IRC, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WebChat, and WhatsApp

- Bundled plugin channels include BlueBubbles for iMessage, Feishu, LINE, Matrix, Mattermost, Microsoft Teams, Nextcloud Talk, Nostr, QQ Bot, Synology Chat, Tlon, Twitch, Zalo, and Zalo Personal

- Built-in channels include Discord, Google Chat, iMessage, IRC, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WebChat, and WhatsApp

- Bundled plugin channels include BlueBubbles as a legacy iMessage bridge, Feishu, LINE, Matrix, Mattermost, Microsoft Teams, Nextcloud Talk, Nostr, QQ Bot, Synology Chat, Tlon, Twitch, Zalo, and Zalo Personal

- Optional separately installed channel plugins include Voice Call and third-party packages such as WeChat

- Third-party channel plugins can extend the Gateway further, such as WeChat

- Group chat support with mention-based activation

### BlueBubbles

BlueBubbles is the recommended iMessage path (plugin-backed, configured under `channels.bluebubbles`).

BlueBubbles is the legacy iMessage bridge (plugin-backed, configured under `channels.bluebubbles`). Existing setups remain supported, but new OpenClaw iMessage deployments should prefer `channels.imessage` when `imsg` can run on the Messages host.

```json5

{

- Core key paths covered here: `channels.bluebubbles`, `channels.bluebubbles.dmPolicy`.

- Optional `channels.bluebubbles.defaultAccount` overrides default account selection when it matches a configured account id.

- Top-level `bindings[]` entries with `type: "acp"` can bind BlueBubbles conversations to persistent ACP sessions. Use a BlueBubbles handle or target string (`chat_id:*`, `chat_guid:*`, `chat_identifier:*`) in `match.peer.id`. Shared field semantics: [ACP Agents](/tools/acp-agents#persistent-channel-bindings).

- Full BlueBubbles channel configuration is documented in [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles).

- Full BlueBubbles channel configuration and deprecation rationale are documented in [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles).

### iMessage

OpenClaw spawns `imsg rpc` (JSON-RPC over stdio). No daemon or port required.

OpenClaw spawns `imsg rpc` (JSON-RPC over stdio). No daemon or port required. This is the preferred path for new OpenClaw iMessage setups when the host can grant Messages database and Automation permissions.

```json5

{

---

summary: "RPC adapters for external CLIs (signal-cli, legacy imsg) and gateway patterns"

summary: "RPC adapters for external CLIs (signal-cli, imsg) and gateway patterns"

read_when:

- Adding or changing external CLI integrations

- Debugging RPC adapters (signal-cli, imsg)

- [Telegram](/channels/telegram)

- [Discord](/channels/discord)

- [Mattermost](/channels/mattermost)

- [BlueBubbles (iMessage)](/channels/bluebubbles)

- [BlueBubbles (legacy iMessage bridge)](/channels/bluebubbles)

- [QQ Bot](/channels/qqbot)

- [iMessage (legacy)](/channels/imessage)

- [iMessage](/channels/imessage)

- [Groups](/channels/groups)

- [WhatsApp group messages](/channels/group-messages)

- [Media images](/nodes/images)

- [Discord](/channels/discord)

- [Mattermost](/channels/mattermost)

- [Signal](/channels/signal)

- [BlueBubbles (iMessage)](/channels/bluebubbles)

- [BlueBubbles (legacy iMessage bridge)](/channels/bluebubbles)

- [QQ Bot](/channels/qqbot)

- [iMessage (legacy)](/channels/imessage)

- [iMessage](/channels/imessage)

- [Location parsing](/channels/location)

- [WebChat](/web/webchat)

- [Webhooks](/automation/cron-jobs#webhooks)