Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about OpenClaw.

General

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI assistant that connects to your favorite messaging platforms (Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, etc.) and provides intelligent conversation capabilities with tool integration.

Is OpenClaw free?

Yes! OpenClaw is open source and free to use. You only pay for the AI provider you choose (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) based on their pricing.

What makes OpenClaw different from ChatGPT?

Feature	OpenClaw	ChatGPT
Hosting	Self-hosted	Cloud
Data Privacy	Full control	OpenAI controls
Messaging	Native multi-channel	Web/API only
Customization	Full access	Limited
Tools	Extensive	Limited

Which AI models are supported?

• Anthropic Claude (recommended)
• OpenAI GPT-4
• Google Gemini
• Local models via Ollama
• Custom providers

Installation

What are the system requirements?

• Node.js 22.x or higher
• 512MB RAM minimum
• macOS, Linux, or Windows

How do I update OpenClaw?

npm update -g openclaw
# or
openclaw gateway update.run

Can I run OpenClaw on a Raspberry Pi?

Yes! OpenClaw runs great on Raspberry Pi and similar ARM devices. Use the ARM build or install via npm.

Configuration

How do I add multiple channels?

Add each channel separately:

openclaw channel add telegram --token "TOKEN1"
openclaw channel add discord --token "TOKEN2" --client-id "ID"

Can I use different models for different tasks?

Yes! Configure multi-agent routing in your config:

{
  "agents": {
    "main": {"model": "claude-3-5-sonnet"},
    "coder": {"model": "gpt-4-codex"}
  }
}

How do I secure my API keys?

Always use environment variables:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-key"

Then reference in config:

{"apiKey": "${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}"}

Usage

How do I clear conversation history?

Use the /reset command in chat, or:

openclaw sessions clear <session-id>

Can OpenClaw browse the web?

Yes! OpenClaw has built-in web search and browsing tools. Just ask it to search or fetch content from URLs.

How do I set up automated tasks?

Use cron jobs:

openclaw cron add --name "daily-brief" \
  --schedule "0 9 * * *" \
  --task "Send daily briefing"

Can OpenClaw access my files?

Yes, with the read and write tools. You control which directories are accessible through configuration.

Troubleshooting

OpenClaw isn't responding to messages

1. Check gateway status: openclaw status
2. Check channel status: openclaw channel status telegram
3. View logs: openclaw logs

I'm getting rate limited

Reduce message frequency or upgrade your AI provider plan. Check your provider's rate limits.

Memory usage is high

1. Clear old sessions: openclaw sessions clear
2. Reduce history length in config
3. Restart gateway: openclaw gateway restart

Tools aren't working

Check that tools are enabled in config and you have the required permissions.

Privacy & Security

Where is my data stored?

All data is stored locally in ~/.openclaw/. Nothing is sent to external servers except API calls to your chosen AI provider.

Can I use OpenClaw without internet?

For the most part, yes! Use a local model via Ollama. Only channel integrations require internet.

How do I backup my data?

openclaw backup create

Is my conversation data private?

Yes! Your conversations are stored only on your machine. OpenClaw doesn't collect or transmit your data.

Still have questions?

• 💬 Join our Discord
• 📖 Read the documentation
• 🐛 Report issues on GitHub