openclaw/docs/help/troubleshooting.md

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Symptom first troubleshooting hub for OpenClaw	OpenClaw is not working and you need the fastest path to a fix You want a triage flow before diving into deep runbooks	Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

If you only have 2 minutes, use this page as a triage front door.

First 60 seconds

Run this exact ladder in order:

openclaw status
openclaw status --all
openclaw gateway probe
openclaw gateway status
openclaw doctor
openclaw channels status --probe
openclaw logs --follow

Good output in one line:

• openclaw status → shows configured channels and no obvious auth errors.
• openclaw status --all → full report is present and shareable.
• openclaw gateway probe → expected gateway target is reachable.
• openclaw gateway status → Runtime: running and RPC probe: ok.
• openclaw doctor → no blocking config/service errors.
• openclaw channels status --probe → channels report connected or ready.
• openclaw logs --follow → steady activity, no repeating fatal errors.

Decision tree

flowchart TD
  A[OpenClaw is not working] --> B{What breaks first}
  B --> C[No replies]
  B --> D[Dashboard or Control UI will not connect]
  B --> E[Gateway will not start or service not running]
  B --> F[Channel connects but messages do not flow]
  B --> G[Cron or heartbeat did not fire or did not deliver]
  B --> H[Node is paired but camera canvas screen exec fails]
  B --> I[Browser tool fails]

  C --> C1[/No replies section/]
  D --> D1[/Control UI section/]
  E --> E1[/Gateway section/]
  F --> F1[/Channel flow section/]
  G --> G1[/Automation section/]
  H --> H1[/Node tools section/]
  I --> I1[/Browser section/]

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw channels status --probe openclaw pairing list openclaw logs --follow ```

Good output looks like:

- `Runtime: running`
- `RPC probe: ok`
- Your channel shows connected/ready in `channels status --probe`
- Sender appears approved (or DM policy is open/allowlist)

Common log signatures:

- `drop guild message (mention required` → mention gating blocked the message in Discord.
- `pairing request` → sender is unapproved and waiting for DM pairing approval.
- `blocked` / `allowlist` in channel logs → sender, room, or group is filtered.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#no-replies](/gateway/troubleshooting#no-replies)
- [/channels/troubleshooting](/channels/troubleshooting)
- [/channels/pairing](/channels/pairing)

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw logs --follow openclaw doctor openclaw channels status --probe ```

Good output looks like:

- `Dashboard: http://...` is shown in `openclaw gateway status`
- `RPC probe: ok`
- No auth loop in logs

Common log signatures:

- `device identity required` → HTTP/non-secure context cannot complete device auth.
- `unauthorized` / reconnect loop → wrong token/password or auth mode mismatch.
- `gateway connect failed:` → UI is targeting the wrong URL/port or unreachable gateway.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#dashboard-control-ui-connectivity](/gateway/troubleshooting#dashboard-control-ui-connectivity)
- [/web/control-ui](/web/control-ui)
- [/gateway/authentication](/gateway/authentication)

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw logs --follow openclaw doctor openclaw channels status --probe ```

Good output looks like:

- `Service: ... (loaded)`
- `Runtime: running`
- `RPC probe: ok`

Common log signatures:

- `Gateway start blocked: set gateway.mode=local` → gateway mode is unset/remote.
- `refusing to bind gateway ... without auth` → non-loopback bind without token/password.
- `another gateway instance is already listening` or `EADDRINUSE` → port already taken.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#gateway-service-not-running](/gateway/troubleshooting#gateway-service-not-running)
- [/gateway/background-process](/gateway/background-process)
- [/gateway/configuration](/gateway/configuration)

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw logs --follow openclaw doctor openclaw channels status --probe ```

Good output looks like:

- Channel transport is connected.
- Pairing/allowlist checks pass.
- Mentions are detected where required.

Common log signatures:

- `mention required` → group mention gating blocked processing.
- `pairing` / `pending` → DM sender is not approved yet.
- `not_in_channel`, `missing_scope`, `Forbidden`, `401/403` → channel permission token issue.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#channel-connected-messages-not-flowing](/gateway/troubleshooting#channel-connected-messages-not-flowing)
- [/channels/troubleshooting](/channels/troubleshooting)

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw cron status openclaw cron list openclaw cron runs --id --limit 20 openclaw logs --follow ```

Good output looks like:

- `cron.status` shows enabled with a next wake.
- `cron runs` shows recent `ok` entries.
- Heartbeat is enabled and not outside active hours.

Common log signatures:

- `cron: scheduler disabled; jobs will not run automatically` → cron is disabled.
- `heartbeat skipped` with `reason=quiet-hours` → outside configured active hours.
- `requests-in-flight` → main lane busy; heartbeat wake was deferred.
- `unknown accountId` → heartbeat delivery target account does not exist.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#cron-and-heartbeat-delivery](/gateway/troubleshooting#cron-and-heartbeat-delivery)
- [/automation/troubleshooting](/automation/troubleshooting)
- [/gateway/heartbeat](/gateway/heartbeat)

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw nodes status openclaw nodes describe --node openclaw logs --follow ```

Good output looks like:

- Node is listed as connected and paired for role `node`.
- Capability exists for the command you are invoking.
- Permission state is granted for the tool.

Common log signatures:

- `NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE` → bring node app to foreground.
- `*_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` → OS permission was denied/missing.
- `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval required` → exec approval is pending.
- `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: allowlist miss` → command not on exec allowlist.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#node-paired-tool-fails](/gateway/troubleshooting#node-paired-tool-fails)
- [/nodes/troubleshooting](/nodes/troubleshooting)
- [/tools/exec-approvals](/tools/exec-approvals)

```bash openclaw status openclaw gateway status openclaw browser status openclaw logs --follow openclaw doctor ```

Good output looks like:

- Browser status shows `running: true` and a chosen browser/profile.
- `openclaw` profile starts or `chrome` relay has an attached tab.

Common log signatures:

- `Failed to start Chrome CDP on port` → local browser launch failed.
- `browser.executablePath not found` → configured binary path is wrong.
- `Chrome extension relay is running, but no tab is connected` → extension not attached.
- `Browser attachOnly is enabled ... not reachable` → attach-only profile has no live CDP target.

Deep pages:

- [/gateway/troubleshooting#browser-tool-fails](/gateway/troubleshooting#browser-tool-fails)
- [/tools/browser-linux-troubleshooting](/tools/browser-linux-troubleshooting)
- [/tools/chrome-extension](/tools/chrome-extension)