Messaging channels

Connect incoming conversations, configure replies and review outbound behavior.

Channels connect a Mellow agent to selected conversations in a messaging service. You choose the connection, allowed conversations and senders, answering agent, and delivery policy. A connected channel is not permission to read or message everyone in the account.

There are two workflows to configure separately: replying to an incoming message and starting a new message from an agent task or schedule.

Build a connection in four stages

Open Channels, choose Add Channel, and select the service.

1. Connect: complete the service-specific account, bot, or helper setup. Keep tokens in secure fields.
2. Conversations: select the conversations Mellow may read and write, and the senders whose messages it may accept.
3. Agent behavior: choose the replying agent and decide whether replies may be posted automatically.
4. Test: send a real message from an allowed sender and follow it through receipt, policy decision, agent execution, and delivery.

Do not use a green connection status as the only test. A service can be connected while a sender is denied, the selected model is unavailable, or delivery is held for approval.

Replies: from incoming message to posted answer

The incoming conversation provides the destination for its reply. Routing may select an agent through an explicit agent prefix, a conversation assignment, or the connection's default answering agent. Review these assignments when the wrong agent answers.

Reply Automatically controls whether generated replies are posted. With it off, an agent can produce an answer inside Mellow without sending it to the messaging service. The activity record distinguishes this from a delivery failure. Write permissions and the master sending switch still apply when automatic replies are enabled.

A reply should be phrased for the person receiving it. If a channel repeatedly produces “Suggested reply…” instead of a direct answer, inspect the answering agent's instructions and the channel's reply mode. Draft assistance and automatic conversation participation are different tasks; changing transport settings alone does not correct a drafting prompt.

Incoming conversations appear in Mellow's chat workflow and activity history. The focus preference controls whether an incoming conversation is brought forward. Receiving a message does not need to interrupt whatever you are currently doing on the Mac.

Messages the agent may start

Create or review a named destination for proactive work. The destination ties an agent to a writable conversation and a delivery policy. Agents select from these approved destinations rather than treating an arbitrary conversation identifier as authorization.

Automatically suggested destinations do not create new write access. Review their policy, agent, and conversation before using them in a schedule. Advanced destination options can limit eligible run types, thread scope, and posting frequency.

Use Outbox as the delivery record

Outbox contains drafts, pending approvals, uncertain deliveries, and recent outcomes. Open an item to inspect its full destination and content. Permissions are checked again when an item is approved or retried, because access may have changed since it was drafted.

If a timeout leaves delivery uncertain, inspect the messaging service before retrying. A retry can duplicate an action that already reached the service. Mark an item sent, discard it, or deliberately retry according to the observed result; do not assume a missing acknowledgement means nothing was posted.

Service-specific setup

WhatsApp

Use the QR-linked helper flow supplied by Mellow and select permitted chats after linking. Check the linked-device session if messages stop arriving. The bridge uses the linked account, so review both the answering agent and allowed destinations before enabling automatic replies.

Slack

Configure the app and bot credentials requested by the setup flow, then select the workspace conversations and senders. The bot needs membership and permissions in the target conversation. Review thread behavior and broad-mention restrictions before posting announcements.

Telegram

Use a bot token and the conversation identifiers returned by the connection. A bot cannot be assumed to have arbitrary historical chat access. Another webhook consumer can conflict with polling; inspect the setup diagnostic before removing an existing webhook.

Discord

Configure the required bot intents and channel permissions. If member discovery is unavailable, use the supported explicit identifier entry. A presence indicator does not prove message content access or permission to post in a particular channel.

iMessage

The Mac helper and macOS permissions are part of the connection. Confirm the intended local Messages account and test a narrow allowed conversation. This channel workflow is separate from enabling built-in Apple app tools for an agent.

n8n

Use the guided workflow connection and its pairing details. Approve the workflow identity presented on first contact where required, and configure a reply destination only when the workflow needs pushed responses. A local test, a relay route, and an authenticated workflow invocation are separate checks.

Custom JSON channels

A custom runner must follow Mellow's channel contract for inbound events and outbound results. Treat its process and credentials as an integration you maintain. Validate identity, conversation mapping, duplicate handling, and delivery acknowledgement with a small fixture before enabling unattended replies.

Formatting and scope

Mellow adapts message formatting for the destination service and splits oversized replies within its send limits. Inspect code, links, attachments, and mentions in a test conversation because services support different subsets of rich text. Reaction and edit operations still require the relevant destination policy.

Reading, writing, and accepting a sender are separate permissions. Incoming content and attachments are data to interpret, not instructions that can override your agent or redirect a reply to another conversation. The master sending switch pauses outgoing messages without necessarily disabling receipt.

Troubleshooting

Use Activity and Insights to identify the failed stage. Share diagnostic metadata rather than raw private conversations or service credentials when reporting a problem. Continue with Schedules and Tools and permissions.