OpenClaw Commands

Your agent runs OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent framework. The openclaw CLI is available in your agent’s console and gives you direct control over configuration, channels, sessions, and more.

Open the Console page from the main dashboard sidebar to run any of these commands.

Diagnostics and Status

Command	Purpose
openclaw status	Show system health, running channels, and active sessions
openclaw status --deep	Run probes and detailed health checks
openclaw health	Query the gateway health endpoint
openclaw doctor	Diagnose config and state issues, show exact problems
openclaw doctor --fix	Auto-repair common config issues
openclaw doctor --yes	Auto-repair without confirmation prompts
openclaw logs	View gateway logs

If something seems off with your agent, openclaw doctor is the best starting point. It checks configuration files, channel connections, and process health in one pass.

Configuration

Command	Purpose
openclaw config get <path>	Read a config value
openclaw config set <path> <value>	Write a config value
openclaw config unset <path>	Remove a config value
openclaw configure	Launch interactive config editor (TUI)

Examples:

# Check the default model
openclaw config get agents.defaults.model

# Change the default model
openclaw config set agents.defaults.model "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6"

# Open WhatsApp DMs to everyone
openclaw config set channels.whatsapp.dmPolicy "open"

Config changes are hot-reloaded. No restart needed for most settings. See the Configuration Reference for the full list of config sections.

Channel Management

Command	Purpose
openclaw channels list	List all configured channels and their status
openclaw channels status	Check channel health (add --probe for deep check)
openclaw channels add	Interactive wizard to connect a new channel (WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage, Email)
openclaw channels login <provider>	Link a new channel directly. Shows QR code for WhatsApp/Signal.
openclaw pairing list <channel>	List pending DM pairing requests
openclaw pairing approve <channel> <code>	Approve a pairing request from a new contact

To connect a new channel, use openclaw channels add for an interactive wizard:

openclaw channels add

Or use openclaw channels login directly with a specific provider:

openclaw channels login whatsapp
openclaw channels login signal
openclaw channels login telegram
openclaw channels login discord
openclaw channels login slack

For WhatsApp and Signal, a QR code appears directly in the terminal. Scan it with your phone to link the device.

Sessions

Command	Purpose
openclaw sessions	List all sessions with timestamps
openclaw sessions --active 60	Show sessions active in the last 60 minutes

Sessions represent ongoing conversations between your agent and contacts across all channels.

Agent Execution

Command	Purpose
openclaw agent --message "..."	Run a single agent turn (one-shot, no conversation)
openclaw agent --message "..." --thinking high	One-shot with extended thinking
openclaw agents list	List configured agents

The --message flag is useful for quick one-off tasks without starting a full conversation:

openclaw agent --message "Summarize the last 5 emails in my inbox"

Skills and Memory

Command	Purpose
openclaw skills	List installed skills
npx clawhub install <skill-name>	Install a skill from ClawHub registry
openclaw memory search <query>	Vector search your agent’s workspace memory

Skills extend what your agent can do. See Installing Skills for a full walkthrough.

Not Available in BrainRoad Console

These commands exist in OpenClaw but are managed by BrainRoad on your behalf. You do not need to run them.

Command	Why Not Available
openclaw onboard	BrainRoad runs this automatically on first boot
openclaw gateway install/start/stop	BrainRoad manages the gateway lifecycle via the dashboard
openclaw dashboard	BrainRoad IS the dashboard — you are already using it
openclaw update	BrainRoad updates OpenClaw when deploying new gateway images

If you try to run any of these, they will either have no effect or produce an error. Use the dashboard controls instead.

Global Flags

These flags work with any openclaw command:

Flag	Purpose
--json	Output structured JSON (useful for scripting)
--verbose	Enable verbose logging
--no-color	Disable ANSI colors

For example, to get machine-readable channel status:

openclaw channels status --json

Related Docs

• Common Tasks — frequently used console commands
• Configuration Reference — view and edit openclaw.json
• What is OpenClaw? — background on the agent framework