| summary |
read_when |
title |
| Deepgram transcription for inbound voice notes |
| You want Deepgram speech-to-text for audio attachments |
| You want Deepgram streaming transcription for Voice Call |
| You need a quick Deepgram config example |
|
Deepgram |
Deepgram is a speech-to-text API. In OpenClaw it is used for inbound
audio/voice-note transcription through tools.media.audio and for Voice Call
streaming STT through plugins.entries.voice-call.config.streaming.
For batch transcription, OpenClaw uploads the complete audio file to Deepgram
and injects the transcript into the reply pipeline ({{Transcript}} +
[Audio] block). For Voice Call streaming, OpenClaw forwards live G.711
u-law frames over Deepgram's WebSocket listen endpoint and emits partial or
final transcripts as Deepgram returns them.
Getting started
Add your Deepgram API key to the environment:
```
DEEPGRAM_API_KEY=dg_...
```
```json5
{
tools: {
media: {
audio: {
enabled: true,
models: [{ provider: "deepgram", model: "nova-3" }],
},
},
},
}
```
Send an audio message through any connected channel. OpenClaw transcribes it
via Deepgram and injects the transcript into the reply pipeline.
Configuration options
| Option |
Path |
Description |
model |
tools.media.audio.models[].model |
Deepgram model id (default: nova-3) |
language |
tools.media.audio.models[].language |
Language hint (optional) |
detect_language |
tools.media.audio.providerOptions.deepgram.detect_language |
Enable language detection (optional) |
punctuate |
tools.media.audio.providerOptions.deepgram.punctuate |
Enable punctuation (optional) |
smart_format |
tools.media.audio.providerOptions.deepgram.smart_format |
Enable smart formatting (optional) |
```json5
{
tools: {
media: {
audio: {
enabled: true,
models: [{ provider: "deepgram", model: "nova-3", language: "en" }],
},
},
},
}
```
```json5
{
tools: {
media: {
audio: {
enabled: true,
providerOptions: {
deepgram: {
detect_language: true,
punctuate: true,
smart_format: true,
},
},
models: [{ provider: "deepgram", model: "nova-3" }],
},
},
},
}
```
Voice Call streaming STT
The bundled deepgram plugin also registers a realtime transcription provider
for the Voice Call plugin.
| Setting |
Config path |
Default |
| API key |
plugins.entries.voice-call.config.streaming.providers.deepgram.apiKey |
Falls back to DEEPGRAM_API_KEY |
| Model |
...deepgram.model |
nova-3 |
| Language |
...deepgram.language |
(unset) |
| Encoding |
...deepgram.encoding |
mulaw |
| Sample rate |
...deepgram.sampleRate |
8000 |
| Endpointing |
...deepgram.endpointingMs |
800 |
| Interim results |
...deepgram.interimResults |
true |
{
plugins: {
entries: {
"voice-call": {
config: {
streaming: {
enabled: true,
provider: "deepgram",
providers: {
deepgram: {
apiKey: "${DEEPGRAM_API_KEY}",
model: "nova-3",
endpointingMs: 800,
language: "en-US",
},
},
},
},
},
},
},
}
Voice Call receives telephony audio as 8 kHz G.711 u-law. The Deepgram
streaming provider defaults to `encoding: "mulaw"` and `sampleRate: 8000`, so
Twilio media frames can be forwarded directly.
Notes
Authentication follows the standard provider auth order. `DEEPGRAM_API_KEY` is
the simplest path.
Override endpoints or headers with `tools.media.audio.baseUrl` and
`tools.media.audio.headers` when using a proxy.
Output follows the same audio rules as other providers (size caps, timeouts,
transcript injection).
Related
Audio, image, and video processing pipeline overview.
Full config reference including media tool settings.
Common issues and debugging steps.
Frequently asked questions about OpenClaw setup.
