iMessage

With iMessage support, you can talk to your Selu agents right from the Messages app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This works through BlueBubbles, an open-source bridge that connects iMessage to external services.

What you’ll need

A Mac

BlueBubbles requires a Mac that stays on and connected to the internet. A Mac Mini works great for this.

An Apple ID

The Mac needs to be signed into iMessage with the Apple ID you want your agent to use.

BlueBubbles server

Install the BlueBubbles server app on your Mac. Download it from bluebubbles.app.

Setting up BlueBubbles

1. Install BlueBubbles on your Mac and follow its setup wizard. You’ll create a server password and configure a connection method (Firebase is recommended for reliability).
2. Enable the API in BlueBubbles under Settings → API/Developer. Note the server URL and password.
3. Keep the Mac awake — Disable sleep in System Settings so BlueBubbles stays connected.

Connecting to Selu

Once BlueBubbles is running:

1. Open the Selu dashboard and go to Settings → Channels → iMessage.
2. Enter your BlueBubbles server URL and password.
3. Click Test Connection to verify everything is working.
4. Choose which agent should handle iMessage conversations.
5. Save your settings.

That’s it. Send an iMessage to the Apple ID on your Mac, and your Selu agent will reply.

Tips and limitations

• Group chats — Selu can participate in group chats. The agent responds when mentioned by name or when configured to listen to all messages.
• Media support — Your agent can receive images and files sent through iMessage. Support for sending media back depends on the agent’s capabilities.
• Latency — There may be a slight delay (1–3 seconds) compared to web chat, since messages pass through the BlueBubbles bridge.
• One Apple ID per channel — Each iMessage channel uses a single Apple ID. If you need multiple, set up additional BlueBubbles instances.

Troubleshooting

If messages aren’t getting through:

1. Confirm BlueBubbles shows a green “Connected” status.
2. Check that the server URL in Selu matches the one in BlueBubbles exactly.
3. Restart the BlueBubbles server if it’s been running for a long time.
4. Review the Selu logs for connection errors: docker logs selu-server.