# Channels

Let people reach a bot from outside Machine, on Slack, by text, email or phone with Inkbox, and by live voice with Glyph. Connect, manage, and disconnect a channel.

Canonical page: https://themachine.myapps.ai/docs/desktop/integrations/channels

**Channels** let people reach a bot from somewhere other than the Machine
app. Each bot has its own channels.

| Channel | Lets people… | Set up |
|---|---|---|
| **Slack** | Mention or DM the bot in your Slack workspace. | Connects on the web. |
| **Inkbox** | Text it on iMessage, email it, or call it, from the phone numbers and email addresses you allow. SMS needs a phone number of the bot's own. | Connects on the web. See [Inkbox](/docs/desktop/inkbox). |
| **Glyph** | Talk to the bot live by voice from any thread. | Connects right here, with a key. See [Live](/docs/desktop/live). |

## Open a bot's channels

Open the bot's settings (click the bot's name at the top of the chat) and go
to **Channels**.

![A bot's Channels: Slack connected, Inkbox not connected, and Glyph's key box](/images/docs/desktop/channels.webp)

Click the **refresh** icon at the top right after you change something on the
web.

## Status

| Status | Means |
|---|---|
| **Connected** | The channel works. The second line shows its details: the Slack workspace, the bot's Inkbox handle, number and email, or the Glyph account. |
| **Not connected** | Set it up: **Connect ↗** for Slack and Inkbox, or paste a key for Glyph. |
| **Unavailable** | This channel can't be used for your account right now. The second line says why. |

## Connect Slack

### Click Connect

Next to **Slack**, click **Connect ↗**. Your browser opens the Slack install
page.
### Approve in Slack

Choose your Slack workspace and approve. You may need a Slack admin to
approve it for your workspace.
### Check it's connected

Back in Machine Desktop, click **refresh**. Slack shows **Connected** and your
workspace name.

Once connected, people message the bot in Slack, and it answers there. See
[Slack & channels](/docs/connect/slack) for how channel conversations work.

## Connect Inkbox

Click **Connect ↗** next to **Inkbox**. Your browser opens the bot's channel
settings on the Machine web app, where you add your Inkbox key and choose who
may reach the bot. The whole walk-through is in [Set up Inkbox](/docs/desktop/inkbox/set-up).

## Connect Glyph

Paste your Glyph API key into the box under **Glyph** and click **Connect**.
Once connected, the **Live calls** settings appear below it. See [Set up
Glyph](/docs/desktop/live/set-up-glyph).

![All three connected, with the Live calls settings under Glyph](/images/docs/desktop/channels-connected.webp)

## Manage a channel

Click **Manage ↗** to open the channel's settings on the Machine web app.
There you choose things like which Slack channels the bot answers in, who may
reach it by Inkbox, and which model it uses there.

## Disconnect

Click **Disconnect** next to the channel and confirm: *"Disconnect Slack
from Scout? People there will stop reaching this bot."* The bot stops
answering there. Past conversations stay as threads in the bot.