Channel Linking & Companion Setup Guide
Step-by-step guidance for connecting personal and official channels: WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, LINE, Instagram Direct, and Facebook Messenger. No developer background needed.
WhatsApp (Personal Companion & Cloud API)
How Personal Multi-Device Pairing Works
WhatsApp allows up to 4 companion devices (like WhatsApp Web, Desktop, or Outpost) to connect to your account simultaneously. Your phone does not need to stay powered on or connected to Wi-Fi while Outpost responds to your contacts.
Step-by-Step Personal WhatsApp Pairing (30 seconds):
Open Linked Devices in WhatsApp
On your smartphone, open WhatsApp. Go to Settings (bottom right on iPhone) or tap the three dots ⋮ (top right on Android), then tap Linked Devices.
Tap 'Link a Device'
Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your phone passcode to activate the camera scanner.
Scan Outpost QR Code
Go to Outpost's Channels Tab and point your phone camera at the QR code. Linking completes in 2–3 seconds.
The 14-Day Inactivity Rule
Meta automatically unlinks companion devices if your primary phone stays offline for over 14 consecutive days. Outpost checks connection health every 60s and presents a 1-click re-link prompt if your session expires.
Humanized Delay Shaping (2–8s)
To keep your account completely safe from automated spam heuristics, Outpost introduces randomized 2 to 8-second typing delays before dispatching auto-responses.
Signal Messenger (Companion Device)
Signal protects privacy with end-to-end encryption. Outpost connects as an official linked secondary device (identical to Signal Desktop or iPad) via the standard Signal pairing protocol.
Linking Signal via Camera Scan (under 1 minute):
Open Signal Settings
Open the Signal app on your primary phone. Tap your Profile Icon in the top left, then select Linked Devices.
Tap 'Link New Device'
Tap the Link New Device button (or the + icon) to open your camera viewfinder.
Scan the Pairing QR Code in Outpost
In Outpost Channels, click Show pairing QR code. Scan the code with Signal and confirm device linking.
Self-Hosted Signal Daemon Bridge:
If you run your own signal-cli-rest-api container, provide your daemon URL in the Signal Advanced disclosure (e.g. http://10.0.0.5:8080). Outpost automatically verifies connectivity before launching the QR stream.
Telegram Bot (60-Second Setup)
Telegram is the simplest and most robust channel to connect. Official bots operate entirely in the cloud, require zero phone battery or pairing QR codes, and come with zero ban risk.
How to create your Telegram Bot with @BotFather:
Chat with @BotFather
Open Telegram, search for @BotFather ↗ (verified checkmark), and tap Start.
Send /newbot
Type /newbot. Follow the prompts to enter a friendly display name (e.g. Alex Off-Grid) and a unique bot username ending in bot (e.g. alex_travel_bot).
Copy the API Token & Link
BotFather will send you an HTTP API token (formatted like 123456789:ABCdefGhIJKlmNoPQRsTUVwxyZ). Copy and paste it into the Link Telegram Bot card.
Automated Webhook Registration:
You never have to configure server URLs or webhooks manually. As soon as you click 'Link Telegram Bot', Outpost directly calls the Telegram Bot API to register our high-speed webhook.
LINE Official Account (Messaging API)
LINE is East Asia's premier communication channel. Outpost uses the official LINE Messaging API for 100% reliable auto-replies with zero risk to personal LINE accounts.
Step-by-Step Setup Guide:
Open LINE Developers Console
Log in to LINE Developers Console ↗ using your LINE account. Create a Provider (e.g. your name or team).
Create a Messaging API Channel
Click Create a new channel and choose Messaging API. Fill in your Channel name and description, then accept the terms.
Copy Channel Access Token & Channel Secret
In the Messaging API tab, scroll down to Channel access token (long-lived), click Issue, and copy it. In the Basic settings tab, copy the Channel secret. Paste both into Outpost.
⚠️ Two Crucial Settings to Avoid Dropped or Duplicate Messages:
- Toggle 'Use Webhook' to ON: In LINE Developers Console → Messaging API tab, make sure the switch labeled 'Use Webhook' is toggled ON. Otherwise, LINE will not deliver incoming messages to Outpost.
- Disable Default Auto-Reply: In LINE Official Account Manager ↗ → Settings → Response mode, set Response Mode to Chat and disable Auto-reply messages to avoid sending duplicate canned replies.
Instagram Direct Messages (Meta Graph API)
Zero Technical Friction: What Do I Actually Need?
You only need 1 single input: a Page Access Token. You do NOT need to look up Account IDs, create webhook verify tokens, or calculate app secrets. Outpost's automated token inspector queries Meta Graph API to discover your Instagram Business Account ID, user handle, and registers the webhook automatically.
Important Privacy Notice for Personal Accounts
Meta requires all accounts using their official Graph API to be switched to a Professional (Creator or Business) account. In Instagram's platform design, Professional accounts cannot be private — switching will make your profile, posts, and followers visible to anyone. If you want your Instagram account to stay private, do not switch to Professional. Instead, leave an Instagram Note or Story (e.g. 'Off-grid until Sunday') and link your personal WhatsApp or Signal with Outpost instead.
3-Step Setup (Done in 2 minutes):
Switch Instagram to Professional (Free)
In the Instagram mobile app, tap your Profile → Settings & Activity → Account type and tools → Switch to professional account (choose either 'Creator' or 'Business'). This is completely free and takes 10 seconds.
Connect a Facebook Page & Enable Message Access
In Instagram: tap Edit Profile → Page and connect any Facebook Page you manage (even a blank personal page works!). Then, in Settings → Messages and story replies → Message controls, toggle Allow access to messages to ON.
Generate Your Page Access Token
Visit Meta Graph API Explorer ↗. Under 'User or Page', select your linked Page, ensure permissions instagram_manage_messages and pages_manage_metadata are checked, and click 'Generate Access Token'. Paste it into Outpost!
Facebook Messenger (Meta Graph API)
Official Messenger Platform · 100% Zero Ban Risk · Indefinite Phone-Off
Why Messenger for Outpost?
Meta's official Messenger Platform connects directly to your Facebook Page without requiring a phone number or companion device. Outpost listens 24/7 to page webhooks and replies instantly while you're offline.
Frictionless 1-Field Setup
Outpost automatically auto-subscribes webhooks and resolves your Page ID and name directly from your Page Access Token. You never need to configure webhook callback URLs or App Secrets manually.
m.me/yourpage link or put it in your profile bio).Step-by-Step Connection Guide
Create / Verify Your Published Facebook Page
Ensure you have full Admin access to a published Facebook Page. If you don't have one, create one in 30 seconds at facebook.com/pages/create ↗.
Register as a Meta Developer
Go to developers.facebook.com ↗, click 'Get Started', and complete onboarding (requires 2FA enabled on Facebook).
Create a Meta App (Type: Business)
Go to developers.facebook.com/apps ↗ and click 'Create App'. Select 'Other' → select Business as the app type (required for Page messaging permissions). Name your app (e.g. 'Outpost Responder').
Authorize & Generate Page Token in Graph API Explorer
Open Meta's Graph API Explorer ↗. Under 'Meta App', pick your Business app. In 'Add a Permission', add pages_show_list, pages_messaging, and pages_manage_metadata. Click 'Generate Access Token' and approve permissions. Crucial: Next, click the 'User or Page' dropdown and switch from User Token to your Facebook Page so the token field updates to your Page Token!
Paste Into Outpost & Done
Paste your token in Channels → Link Facebook Messenger. Outpost auto-detects your Page ID, verifies credentials, and enables auto-replies.
Multi-Channel Security & Architecture Comparison
Every channel in Outpost is built on zero-ban architecture and strict privacy guarantees.
| Channel | Connection Type | Setup Friction | Inputs Needed | Ban Risk Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp (Personal) | Multi-Device Web QR | 30 seconds (Camera Scan) | None (instant scan) | Safe Tier (Delay Shaped) |
| WhatsApp (Cloud API) | Official Meta Cloud | 3 minutes | Phone ID & Access Token | Zero Ban Risk (Official) |
| Signal Messenger | Secondary Device Protocol | 1 minute (Camera Scan) | None (Daemon optional) | Safe Tier (E2EE Native) |
| Telegram Bot | Official Bot API | 60 seconds (@BotFather) | Bot Token only | Zero Ban Risk (Official) |
| LINE Official | Messaging API | 2 minutes | Channel Token & Secret | Zero Ban Risk (Official) |
| Instagram Direct | Meta Graph API | 2 minutes (No App Secret) | Page Access Token only | Zero Ban Risk (Official) |
| Facebook Messenger | Meta Graph API | 2 minutes (No App Secret) | Page Access Token only | Zero Ban Risk (Official) |
The Outpost Ephemeral Memory Guarantee
Your messages belong to you. Outpost processes in-flight inbound and outbound messages strictly in memory to evaluate auto-response matching rules. We never persist message text in our database, and activity log previews are strictly limited to 40 characters for diagnostic inspection.