1. Gateway
The gateway is the core daemon. Start here.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw gateway start | Start the gateway service. |
openclaw gateway stop | Stop the gateway service. |
openclaw gateway restart | Restart. Required after most config changes. |
openclaw gateway status | Service status + probe the running gateway. |
openclaw gateway run | Run in foreground (useful for debugging). |
openclaw gateway health | Fetch health from the running gateway. |
openclaw gateway probe | Full reachability + discovery + health + auth check. |
openclaw gateway discover | Find gateways via Bonjour (local + wide-area). |
openclaw gateway install | Install the gateway as a system service. |
openclaw gateway uninstall | Uninstall the gateway service. |
openclaw gateway usage-cost | Fetch usage cost summary from session logs. |
2. Models & Auth
Configure which LLM models your agents use and how they authenticate.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw models list | List configured models. |
openclaw models list --all | Show full model catalog (all providers). |
openclaw models status | Show configured model state. |
openclaw models status --probe | Live-check provider auth (sends real probes). |
openclaw models set <model> | Set the default model. Example: openclaw models set anthropic/claude-sonnet-4 |
openclaw models set-image <model> | Set the image model. |
openclaw models scan | Scan OpenRouter free models for tools + images. |
Fallbacks
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw models fallbacks list | Show current fallback chain. |
openclaw models fallbacks add <model> | Add a fallback (order matters). |
openclaw models fallbacks remove <model> | Remove a fallback. |
openclaw models fallbacks clear | Clear all fallbacks. |
openclaw models image-fallbacks list | Show image model fallback chain. |
openclaw models image-fallbacks add <model> | Add an image model fallback. |
Aliases
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw models aliases list | List model aliases. |
openclaw models aliases add <alias> <model> | Create a shortcut name for a model. |
openclaw models aliases remove <alias> | Remove an alias. |
Auth Profiles
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw models auth add | Interactive auth helper (setup-token or paste). |
openclaw models auth login --provider <id> | Run a provider OAuth/API key flow. |
openclaw models auth setup-token | Create/sync an Anthropic setup-token (TTY required). |
openclaw models auth paste-token --provider <id> | Paste a token into auth profiles. |
openclaw models auth order get --provider <id> | Show credential priority for a provider. |
openclaw models auth order set --provider <id> <profiles...> | Set credential priority order. |
openclaw models auth order clear --provider <id> | Clear credential priority override. |
3. Agents
Manage isolated agents with their own workspaces and routing.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw agents list | List configured agents. |
openclaw agents add | Add a new isolated agent. |
openclaw agents delete <id> | Delete an agent and prune workspace/state. |
openclaw agents set-identity <id> | Update agent name/theme/emoji/avatar. |
openclaw agents bind <id> | Add routing bindings for an agent. |
openclaw agents unbind <id> | Remove routing bindings. |
openclaw agents bindings | List all routing bindings. |
openclaw agent --message "text" | Run one agent turn via the gateway. |
4. Configuration
Read and write openclaw.json without editing by hand.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw config get <key> | Get a value by dot path. Example: openclaw config get agents.defaults.model |
openclaw config set <key> <value> | Set a config value. |
openclaw config unset <key> | Remove a config value. |
openclaw config file | Print the active config file path. |
openclaw config validate | Validate config against the schema (no restart). |
openclaw configure | Interactive setup for credentials, channels, gateway, defaults. |
openclaw onboard | Full interactive onboarding wizard. |
5. Plugins
Install, manage, and debug plugins and extensions.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw plugins list | List discovered plugins. |
openclaw plugins install <source> | Install a plugin (path, archive, npm, or GitHub URL). |
openclaw plugins uninstall <id> | Uninstall a plugin. |
openclaw plugins update | Update installed plugins and hook packs. |
openclaw plugins enable <id> | Enable a plugin. |
openclaw plugins disable <id> | Disable a plugin. |
openclaw plugins inspect <id> | Show plugin details. |
openclaw plugins doctor | Report plugin load issues. |
openclaw plugins marketplace | Browse compatible plugin marketplaces. |
6. Cron / Scheduling
Manage scheduled agent jobs.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw cron list | List all cron jobs. |
openclaw cron add | Add a new cron job. |
openclaw cron edit <id> | Edit a cron job (patch fields). |
openclaw cron run <id> | Trigger a job immediately (debug). |
openclaw cron runs <id> | Show run history for a job. |
openclaw cron enable <id> | Enable a disabled job. |
openclaw cron disable <id> | Disable a job without deleting it. |
openclaw cron rm <id> | Remove a job permanently. |
openclaw cron status | Show cron scheduler status. |
7. Sessions
List and manage conversation sessions.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw sessions | List recent sessions. |
openclaw sessions --agent <id> | Filter sessions by agent. |
openclaw sessions --all-agents | Show sessions across all agents. |
openclaw sessions --active 120 | Show sessions active in last 120 minutes. |
openclaw sessions --json | Output as JSON. |
openclaw sessions cleanup | Run session-store maintenance now. |
8. Memory
Search and manage the agent memory index (MEMORY.md + memory/*.md files).
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw memory status | Show memory search index status. |
openclaw memory status --deep | Detailed index diagnostics. |
openclaw memory search "query" | Search memory files. Example: openclaw memory search "meeting notes" |
openclaw memory search --max-results 20 | Search with result limit. |
openclaw memory index --force | Force reindex all memory files. |
9. Channels
Connect and manage chat channels (Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Signal, etc.).
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw channels list | List configured channels + auth profiles. |
openclaw channels status | Show gateway channel status. |
openclaw channels status --probe | Live-check channel connections. |
openclaw channels add --channel <type> | Add or update a channel account. |
openclaw channels login --channel <type> | Link a channel account (if supported). |
openclaw channels logout --channel <type> | Log out of a channel session. |
openclaw channels remove --channel <type> | Disable or delete a channel account. |
openclaw channels logs | Show recent channel logs. |
openclaw channels resolve <name> | Resolve channel/user names to IDs. |
openclaw channels capabilities | Show provider capabilities (intents, scopes, features). |
10. Messaging
Send, edit, delete messages and manage channels from the CLI.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw message send --target <id> --message "text" | Send a message to a user or group. |
openclaw message broadcast --message "text" | Broadcast to multiple targets. |
openclaw message edit <id> | Edit a sent message. |
openclaw message delete <id> | Delete a message. |
openclaw message channel | Channel-level actions. |
openclaw message member | Member management actions. |
openclaw message ban <id> | Ban a member. |
openclaw message kick <id> | Kick a member. |
openclaw message permissions | Fetch channel permissions. |
11. Nodes (Companion Devices)
Pair and control mobile/desktop companion apps.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw nodes list | List pending and paired nodes. |
openclaw nodes pending | List pending pairing requests. |
openclaw nodes approve <id> | Approve a pairing request. |
openclaw nodes describe <id> | Show node capabilities and details. |
openclaw nodes camera | Capture camera media from a paired node. |
openclaw nodes location | Fetch location from a paired node. |
openclaw nodes notify | Send a local notification on a node. |
openclaw nodes invoke <command> | Invoke a command on a paired node. |
openclaw qr | Generate iOS pairing QR/setup code. |
Device Token Management
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw devices list | List pending and paired devices. |
openclaw devices approve <id> | Approve a device pairing request. |
openclaw devices reject <id> | Reject a pairing request. |
openclaw devices remove <id> | Remove a paired device. |
openclaw devices rotate --role <role> | Rotate a device token. |
openclaw devices revoke --role <role> | Revoke a device token. |
openclaw devices clear | Clear all paired devices. |
12. Skills
Browse and install agent skills from ClawHub.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw skills list | List all available skills. |
openclaw skills info <name> | Show detailed skill info. |
openclaw skills search <query> | Search ClawHub for skills. |
openclaw skills install <name> | Install a skill from ClawHub. |
openclaw skills update | Update ClawHub-installed skills. |
openclaw skills check | Check which skills are ready vs missing requirements. |
13. Security & Backup
Audit your setup and create backups.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw security audit | Audit config + local state for security issues. |
openclaw security audit --deep | Deep audit (includes token/password probes). |
openclaw security audit --fix | Auto-fix detected issues where possible. |
openclaw security audit --json | Output audit results as JSON. |
openclaw backup create | Create a backup archive (config, credentials, sessions). |
openclaw backup verify <archive> | Validate a backup archive and its manifest. |
14. Updates
Keep OpenClaw current.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw update | Update OpenClaw (default channel). |
openclaw update status | Show update channel and version status. |
openclaw update wizard | Interactive update wizard. |
openclaw update --channel beta | Switch to beta channel. |
openclaw update --dry-run | Preview update actions without changing anything. |
openclaw update --no-restart | Update without restarting the service. |
15. Diagnostics & Utility
Troubleshooting and system tools.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw doctor | Run health checks + quick fixes for gateway and channels. |
openclaw status | Show channel health and recent session recipients. |
openclaw logs | Tail gateway file logs via RPC. |
openclaw dashboard | Open the Control UI with your current token. |
openclaw tui | Open a terminal UI connected to the gateway. |
openclaw docs | Search the live OpenClaw docs. |
openclaw help | Show all available commands. |
openclaw --version | Show version number. |
openclaw reset | Reset local config/state (keeps CLI installed). |
openclaw uninstall | Uninstall gateway service + local data. |
Hooks (Advanced)
| Command | What It Does |
|---|
openclaw hooks list | List all hooks. |
openclaw hooks info <id> | Show hook details. |
openclaw hooks enable <id> | Enable a hook. |
openclaw hooks disable <id> | Disable a hook. |
openclaw hooks check | Check hooks eligibility status. |
Tips
- Add
--help after any command for detailed options. - Add
--json to most commands for machine-readable output. - Run
openclaw doctor first when things break. - Most config changes require
openclaw gateway restart to take effect. - Use
openclaw gateway status before and after config changes.
True Webmaster — March 24, 2026
Verified against OpenClaw 2026.3.22 (openclaw help + subcommand --help output)