Agent

OpenClaw Guide

Complete guide — how to use OpenClaw, fix common errors, manage billing, and get the most out of every feature.

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All OpenClaw Guides

How to fix OpenClaw error?

Start by checking whether the issue is caused by account access, plan status, browser state, or a temporary service incident. Then follow the step-by-step checks below to isolate the root cause quickly.

How to fix OpenClaw 401/invalid API key errors for cron jobs?

A 401 error in OpenClaw cron jobs means the Anthropic API key stored in your agent's environment is invalid, expired, or missing — regenerate it from console.anthropic.com, update the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable in your OpenClaw workflow, and re-run the job. This error does not indicate an OpenClaw account problem; it is an Anthropic API authentication failure passed through to your cron output.

How to fix OpenClaw agent not responding in a session (stuck run)?

An OpenClaw agent stuck in a run is almost always caused by one of three things: a tool call that has hit the default 60-second execution timeout, an Anthropic API rate limit pausing the agent mid-task, or a browser/bash tool blocked on a network operation. Open the run's live log in the OpenClaw dashboard, identify the last successful tool call, and use the Cancel Run button to terminate it cleanly before restarting with a revised configuration.

How to report a OpenClaw bug effectively (what to include)?

A well-structured OpenClaw bug report gets resolved 3 to 5 times faster than a vague one — include the exact error message, the run ID from the dashboard URL, your agent configuration YAML (with API keys removed), the sequence of steps that reproduces the issue, and your OpenClaw plan tier. Submit via the support form at openclaw.com or paste it into the #bug-reports channel on their Discord.

How to estimate OpenClaw cost and prevent unexpected spend?

OpenClaw costs come from two sources: the OpenClaw platform subscription fee (fixed per tier) and Anthropic API usage billed directly to your API key at rates ranging from $0.25 per million input tokens for Claude Haiku to $15 per million input tokens for Claude Opus. Set a monthly spending limit in your Anthropic console at console.anthropic.com > Limits to prevent unexpected charges — this hard cap stops API calls when the limit is reached.

How to fix OpenClaw git push failing in automation (auth/DNS/network)?

Git push failures in OpenClaw automations are caused by one of three things: missing or expired credentials (no SSH key or PAT configured in the worker environment), DNS resolution failures in OpenClaw's container network that block GitHub/GitLab domains, or a repository permission issue where the token lacks write access. The fix in 90% of cases is adding a valid Personal Access Token with repo write scope to your OpenClaw workflow environment as GIT_TOKEN or configuring SSH key authentication.

How to avoid OpenClaw temporary restrictions (suspicious activity flags)?

OpenClaw flags accounts for suspicious activity when it detects patterns like API key sharing across multiple IP addresses, an unusually high number of failed authentication attempts within a short window (typically more than 10 failed logins in 5 minutes), or automated login scripts that bypass normal OAuth flows. Most temporary restrictions lift automatically within 1 to 4 hours — do not attempt repeated logins during this window, as each failed attempt resets the cooldown timer.

OpenClaw login not working on desktop app?

Desktop app login failures on OpenClaw are fixed in most cases by three steps: quit the app completely, delete the app's local credential cache (on macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/OpenClaw/; on Windows: %APPDATA%/OpenClaw/), relaunch and sign in fresh. If that fails, update the app to the latest version — older desktop builds sometimes have OAuth flow bugs that are patched in newer releases.

OpenClaw login not working on mobile (iOS/Android)?

Mobile login failures on OpenClaw are fixed in 80% of cases by force-closing the app, clearing app storage (iOS: Settings > OpenClaw > Clear Storage; Android: Settings > Apps > OpenClaw > Clear Storage + Clear Cache), then reinstalling if clearing does not help. If login opens a browser that does not redirect back to the app, the custom URL scheme handler may have been broken by a system update — reinstalling the app re-registers it.

OpenClaw Login & API Key Issues

Most OpenClaw API key failures are fixed in under 2 minutes: go to Settings > API Keys, revoke the old key, generate a new one, and update your OPENCLAW_API_KEY environment variable. API keys do not auto-rotate, but they are invalidated immediately if you revoke them or reset your account password.

How to fix OpenClaw model access errors (plan does not allow model)?

The 'plan does not allow model' error in OpenClaw means your current subscription tier does not include access to the Claude model specified in your agent configuration — for example, using claude-opus-4-5 on a plan that only permits claude-haiku. Fix it by either upgrading your OpenClaw plan to one that includes the model, or changing your agent's model setting to a model available on your current tier.

How to fix OpenClaw Telegram delivery not working (messages not sent)?

Telegram message delivery failures in OpenClaw are caused by one of three issues: an invalid or revoked Telegram bot token, the target chat ID is wrong or the bot has not been added to the target group/channel, or the Telegram API is rate limiting the bot at 30 messages per second per bot or 20 messages per minute to the same chat. Verify your bot token in BotFather, confirm the chat ID with a test message, and check OpenClaw's run logs for the Telegram API error response code.