Basic Usage

Learn the fundamentals of using OpenClaw in your daily workflow. This guide covers conversations, the Web UI, and essential configurations.

Conversing with AI

Basic Interactions

OpenClaw responds naturally to your messages:

You: What's the weather like today?

OpenClaw: I don't have direct access to real-time weather data, but I can
help you check it! Would you like me to search for the current weather
in your location?

Context-Aware Conversations

OpenClaw maintains conversation context:

You: My name is Alice

OpenClaw: Nice to meet you, Alice! How can I help you today?

You: What's my name?

OpenClaw: You mentioned your name is Alice.

Using Tools

OpenClaw can use integrated tools:

You: Search for the latest news about AI

OpenClaw: [Uses browser tool]
I found several recent articles about AI:

1. "New Breakthrough in Language Models"
2. "AI Ethics: What You Need to Know"
3. "The Future of AI Assistants"

Would you like me to summarize any of these?

Managing Conversation History

# Clear current conversation
/reset

# View conversation stats
/stats

# Export conversation
/export --format markdown

Web Control UI

Access the Web UI at http://localhost:3000

Dashboard Overview

The main dashboard shows:

• Active Conversations: Current chat sessions
• Channel Status: Connected channels and their states
• System Metrics: CPU, memory, and storage usage
• Recent Activity: Last messages and actions

Conversation Management

Create and manage conversations:

1. New Conversation - Click the "+" button
2. Switch Conversations - Select from the sidebar
3. Search History - Use the search bar
4. Export - Download conversation as Markdown or JSON

Settings Panel

Configure OpenClaw through the UI:

Settings
├── General
│   ├── Language
│   ├── Timezone
│   └── Theme (Light/Dark)
├── AI Provider
│   ├── Model Selection
│   ├── Temperature
│   └── Max Tokens
├── Channels
│   ├── Add/Remove Channels
│   └── Channel Settings
└── Security
    ├── Allowlist
    ├── Pairing Codes
    └── Rate Limiting

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + K	Open command palette
Ctrl + N	New conversation
Ctrl + /	Toggle sidebar
Esc	Close modal

Basic Configuration

Configuration File

Main config located at ~/.openclaw/config.json:

{
  "ai": {
    "provider": "anthropic",
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
    "temperature": 0.7,
    "maxTokens": 4096
  },
  "server": {
    "port": 3000,
    "host": "localhost"
  },
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "your-bot-token"
    }
  },
  "security": {
    "allowlist": [],
    "requirePairing": false
  }
}

Common Settings

AI Behavior:

# Set model
openclaw config set ai.model claude-sonnet-4-20250514

# Adjust creativity (0.0 - 1.0)
openclaw config set ai.temperature 0.7

# Max response length
openclaw config set ai.maxTokens 4096

Server Settings:

# Change port
openclaw config set server.port 8080

# Allow external access
openclaw config set server.host 0.0.0.0

Logging:

# Set log level
openclaw config set logging.level debug

# Enable file logging
openclaw config set logging.file true

Reloading Configuration

After changing settings:

# Restart OpenClaw
openclaw restart

# Or reload config without restart
openclaw reload

Daily Operations

Starting and Stopping

# Start OpenClaw
openclaw start

# Stop gracefully
openclaw stop

# Restart
openclaw restart

# Check status
openclaw status

Viewing Logs

# View recent logs
openclaw logs

# Follow logs in real-time
openclaw logs --follow

# Filter by level
openclaw logs --level error

# Export logs
openclaw logs --export > openclaw.log

Health Checks

# Quick health check
openclaw health

# Detailed diagnostics
openclaw doctor --verbose

Backup and Restore

# Create backup
openclaw backup create

# List backups
openclaw backup list

# Restore from backup
openclaw backup restore <backup-id>

Tips for Daily Use

Efficiency Tips

1. Use Shortcuts: Learn keyboard shortcuts in the Web UI
2. Templates: Create message templates for common tasks
3. Batch Operations: Process multiple items at once
4. Schedule Tasks: Use cron for recurring actions

Best Practices

1. Regular Backups: Schedule automatic backups
2. Monitor Logs: Check for errors periodically
3. Update Regularly: Keep OpenClaw updated
4. Review Security: Audit your security settings

Next Steps

Now that you're familiar with basic usage, explore:

• Channel Configuration - Connect more messaging platforms
• Session Management - Understand session handling
• Tools System - Discover available tools
• Security - Secure your installation

Web UI Access

The Web UI is available at http://localhost:3000 by default. You can change this in the configuration.