Channels & Integrations
- What channels are and why they matter
- Which messaging platforms AutoTalk supports
- How channels, API tokens, and webhooks work together
A channel represents a live connection between AutoTalk and an external messaging platform. When a customer sends a message through any connected channel, it arrives in your Inbox automatically. You reply from AutoTalk, and the response is delivered back through the same channel the customer used.
You manage all of your channels from the Channels page, located at Integrations > Channels in the sidebar. This is a list view with tools for filtering, mass-updating records from the Actions menu, and adding new channels.
Supported channel types
AutoTalk offers ten built-in channel types. The New channel page presents them as a set of tiles grouped by platform (WhatsApp, Meta, Bots & communities, Your website):
| Channel type | Tile label | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Web | WhatsApp Web | Quick WhatsApp setup by scanning a QR code, hosted by AutoTalk |
| WhatsApp Business API | WhatsApp API (Oficial) | Official Meta API integration with message templates and high-volume support |
| Evolution API | Evolution API | Self-hosted WhatsApp gateway for teams that want full infrastructure control |
| Instagram Business | Instagram Business | Managing Instagram Direct Messages from your business account |
| Meta | Meta | Connect your Meta account and bring Pages, WhatsApp, and Instagram in at once |
| Telegram | Telegram | Connecting a Telegram bot to handle customer conversations |
| Discord | Discord | Connecting a Discord bot to handle community messages |
| Twitch | Twitch | Receiving and replying to live Twitch chat through a broadcaster + bot account |
| IRC | IRC | Connecting to an IRC server for community chat |
| AutoChat Web Widget | AutoChat | Embedded live chat widget for your website |
Additional integration tools
Beyond messaging channels, AutoTalk provides these tools for connecting with external systems:
- API Tokens (under Integrations > API Tokens) — Generate public API tokens so external applications can authenticate with AutoTalk's API.
- Webhooks (under Integrations > Webhooks) — Configure outgoing HTTP notifications that fire when events happen inside AutoTalk, such as new messages or updated contacts.
- REST API — A full public API for managing contacts, conversations, messages, and dynamic data programmatically. See the API Reference for details and the live documentation.
If you are getting started, the WhatsApp Web channel is the fastest to set up since it only requires scanning a code with your phone. For a website presence, add an AutoChat widget. For live community chat, use Twitch.
Next steps
- Adding a new integration — Step-by-step walkthrough of the channel creation flow
- WhatsApp Business (Official API) — Set up the official WhatsApp Business API
- WhatsApp Web and Evolution API — QR code and self-hosted WhatsApp options
- Telegram — Connect a Telegram bot
- Discord — Connect a Discord bot to your server
- Twitch — Connect Twitch chat with broadcaster and bot OAuth
- IRC — Connect an IRC server, or Twitch chat via the IRC preset
- AutoChat Web Widget — Embed live chat on your website
- API Tokens — Create tokens for external integrations
- API Reference — Full REST API documentation and endpoints
- Webhooks — Send event notifications to other systems