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Connected but not replying

Use this page when the channel looks healthy but messages still do nothing.

Core ideaTransport success, policy success, and visible reply behavior are different milestones.
Step 1

Start with the right split

The first question is whether this is a transport problem or a policy and visibility problem. If the channel itself is unhealthy, fix transport or auth first. If the channel is healthy, move straight into pairing, allowlists, mention gating, and context checks.

Step 2

Separate DMs from shared spaces

DM access and group, guild, room, or channel access are different layers. A working DM path does not prove the shared-space path is ready, and a failing shared-space path does not automatically mean DMs are broken.

Step 3

Check the most common blockers first

DM path

Pairing

If DMs are not replying, confirm the sender was actually approved.

Shared path

Mention gating

A healthy bot may still be intentionally quiet in a shared space until it is explicitly mentioned.

Policy path

Allowlists

Check sender, group, guild, room, or channel policy if mention testing still fails.

Step 4

Only then branch into channel-specific gotchas