OpenClaw: frequently asked questions¶
Short answers about the OpenClaw agent. Each answer links to the guide that explains it step by step. For general questions (plans, billing, data), see AI Agents: frequently asked questions.
Plans and speed¶
Is the Lite plan enough for OpenClaw?
It is enough to try OpenClaw, but expect it to be slow. OpenClaw needs a lot of memory. On our Lite test agent (2 GB) the memory was almost full while it answered a question, some dashboard pages took 30 to 60 seconds to open, and the chat sometimes stayed on grey placeholders. If you use OpenClaw every day, choose Plus (4 GB) or more.
More: First steps with OpenClaw and Change your plan.
The dashboard is very slow, or stays on grey placeholders
Wait up to a minute and click the page again. If nothing loads, the agent is probably short of memory: restart it from Manage agent in the client area.
Opening the dashboard¶
What is the password for the OpenClaw dashboard?
There is none. OpenClaw does not use a username and password. In the client area, click Manage agent → Open dashboard: it is a one-time link, valid for 10 minutes, that registers your browser with the agent. Next time, in the same browser, you can open the agent's address directly.
More: First steps with OpenClaw.
\"This Gateway expects its token\" or \"Conversation unavailable\"
Your browser is not registered with the agent (new browser, cleared cookies, a closed private window, or the one-time link expired). Go back to the client area and click Open dashboard again.
More: The dashboard does not open.
\"Unable to auto-login. Please contact support.\"
The agent was too busy to answer, for example while restarting after Save and apply, or while its memory was full. Wait a few minutes and click Open dashboard again. If it keeps happening, restart the agent and wait until the status is healthy.
AI key and costs¶
Where do I put my AI key?
In the client area: your agent → Settings tab → Provider and API key → Save and apply. Anthropic, OpenAI and OpenRouter keys work the same way. Wait one or two minutes before opening the dashboard.
You can also set the key inside OpenClaw (Settings → Models). Use only one of the two: whatever is filled in the client area is applied again every time you click Save and apply, and it wins.
More: First steps with OpenClaw.
How do I check which model OpenClaw uses?
In the dashboard, open your avatar menu → Settings → Models. Under Provider access, your provider should show Ready. Pages → Agents also shows the model of your assistant.
More: First steps with OpenClaw.
The chat shows \"No models available\"
The agent has no working AI key. Check Settings in the client area (provider and key), click Save and apply, wait a minute and reload the dashboard.
How much has my agent spent on AI?
Pages → Usage shows the tokens used and their cost, by model and by provider. That cost is calculated by OpenClaw: the real bill comes from your AI provider, so check the exact amount in your provider's console.
More: A tour of the OpenClaw dashboard and How much will the AI cost me?
Using OpenClaw¶
Where are scheduled tasks?
In Pages → Automations. Click New automation to create one, or ask the assistant in the chat.
How do I turn a skill on or off?
In the dashboard: avatar menu → Settings → Skills. Click a skill and use the switch. You do not need to restart the agent.
More: Skills in OpenClaw.
Why do some skills say Needs Setup?
They need a program or a key that is not on the server. Open the skill and read Missing requirements. If it says os: darwin, the skill only works on a Mac.
More: Skills in OpenClaw.
Can I install skills made by other people?
Pages → Plugins → Skills lists community skills with an Install button. We have not tested these. A skill can tell your assistant to run commands on your server, so only install skills from authors you trust.
How do I connect Telegram, WhatsApp or Discord?
- Telegram: the client area Settings tab has a Telegram bot section (bot token from @BotFather and your Telegram ID). The Hermes Telegram guide shows how to create the bot.
- WhatsApp, Discord and other channels are connected in the dashboard (Settings → Channels). Guides for OpenClaw are coming soon.
For WhatsApp, use a separate number, not your personal one: WhatsApp can restrict or ban numbers that behave like bots. See the warning in Connect Hermes to WhatsApp.
Updates, restarts and files¶
The dashboard says an update is available
On LusoVPS, update your agent with Update in the client area (Manage agent tab). It installs the version we have made available and keeps your data. We did not test updating from inside OpenClaw.
I clicked Restart and got an error
When the agent is overloaded, a restart can take much longer than usual. On our test agent the page showed an error, but the restart still happened: the dashboard worked again about 9 minutes after the click. Do not click Restart several times: wait 5 minutes and reload the Manage agent tab.
The logs say \"Set OPENAI_API_KEY in your environment\"
It is only about memory search, which wants an OpenAI key. With only a Claude key, the assistant still answered in our tests.
Can I use the terminal to check OpenClaw?
Yes, in the client area Terminal tab. openclaw health is a quick check. Every openclaw command needs extra memory and can be slow on Lite. Avoid openclaw doctor on a Lite agent: in our test it froze the server.
Where should I keep my files?
In /home/node/.openclaw (shortcut ~/openclaw). That folder is kept when you save the settings or update the agent.