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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.claw-link.dev/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

OpenClaw overview illustration When OpenClaw stops responding, the annoying part is not just that it broke. It is that “not responding” can describe five different failures that look identical from the outside. If OpenClaw is not responding, do not start with random fixes. Start by figuring out which kind of “not responding” you actually have. In practice, most cases fall into one of these buckets:
  • OpenClaw ignores messages entirely
  • OpenClaw responds in one context, but not another
  • OpenClaw broke right after an update
  • tools or plugin-backed behavior disappeared
  • OpenClaw replies, but does not actually complete the task
This page is the umbrella troubleshooting hub for sorting those cases fast.
Compass icon Fast rule: before you change config, identify the symptom family first. Most wasted debugging starts with solving the wrong problem.

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Compass icon At a glance

  • “Not responding” is usually a symptom family, not a single bug.
  • Start with openclaw status and openclaw gateway status.
  • Test one minimal request in the simplest context that should work.
  • If the issue started after a change, branch into the matching child guide instead of improvising.

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First: identify your symptom family

Before you touch anything, ask which of these is closest.

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Case 1: OpenClaw ignores messages completely

Examples:
  • the connected bot looks online, but replies to nothing
  • a direct message gets no response
  • a group mention gets no response
  • the install appears alive, but interaction feels dead
Start with:
  • openclaw status
  • openclaw gateway status --json
  • the simplest direct test message in the expected context
If this sounds like your issue, continue here and then read:
  • Connected Channel or Bot Is Online but OpenClaw Ignores Messages
  • Why OpenClaw Works in DM but Not in Groups or Threads

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Case 2: OpenClaw broke after an update

Examples:
  • it worked before the upgrade
  • tools disappeared after updating
  • the current chat feels stale or wrong
  • rollback or version changes introduced new weirdness
This usually points to stale sessions, gateway reload issues, or config drift. Go straight to:
  • OpenClaw Not Responding After an Update? Start Here

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Case 3: Tools or plugin-backed behavior disappeared

Examples:
  • expected tools no longer show up
  • a plugin installed successfully, but nothing surfaces
  • tool-backed workflows now fail or never appear
This usually points to tool catalog, plugin state, allowlist, or session freshness issues. Go to:
  • Plugin Installed but Tools Don’t Appear in OpenClaw
  • How to Fix “Tool Not Found” in OpenClaw

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Case 4: OpenClaw replies, but does not actually act

Examples:
  • it says it will do something
  • no tool call follows
  • the reply sounds plausible, but the task never completes
That often means the runtime, tools, approvals, or session state are not lining up with the request. Read:
  • Why OpenClaw Says It Will Act but Doesn’t Complete the Task

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Case 5: It works in one place, but not another

Examples:
  • DMs work, but groups do not
  • one channel works, another does not
  • the main chat works, but threads or topics fail
That usually means routing, permissions, context rules, or thread visibility differences. Read:
  • Why OpenClaw Works in DM but Not in Groups or Threads
  • Connected Channel or Bot Is Online but OpenClaw Ignores Messages
  • Healthy Gateway, Wrong Routing: Why OpenClaw Isn’t Responding in the Channel You Expect

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Fastest generic troubleshooting flow

If you are not sure which bucket you are in yet, use this order.

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1) Check basic status

Run: 
openclaw status
Then: 
openclaw gateway status
And if available: 
openclaw gateway status --json
You are looking for obvious signals like:
  • gateway health problems
  • config validation failures
  • plugin/runtime issues
  • broken state after updates or rollbacks

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2) Test one minimal request

Do not start with a long workflow. Use one simple request in the easiest context that should work. Good examples:
  • one direct message
  • one explicit mention in the target group or thread
  • one short request that previously worked reliably
That helps you separate:
  • total failure
  • context-specific failure
  • selective silence
  • tool/runtime failure

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3) Compare a working context with a broken one

If anything works anywhere, use that. Compare:
  • DM vs group
  • working channel vs broken channel
  • fresh chat vs old chat
  • pre-update behavior vs post-update behavior
That comparison is usually more useful than trying three random fixes in a row.

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4) If the issue started after change, follow the matching branch

Examples:
  • after update → check stale chat, reload, config drift
  • after plugin install → check allowlist, restart, fresh chat
  • after moving to groups/threads → check mentions, permissions, routing
  • after rollback → inspect config compatibility

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Common root-cause families

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Root cause 1: stale session or stale tool catalog

Symptoms:
  • old chat behaves oddly
  • fresh chat behaves normally
  • newly added tools or plugin behavior do not appear
Fix:
  • start a fresh chat
  • retry the exact same task there

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Root cause 2: gateway or runtime unhealthy

Symptoms:
  • status looks wrong
  • requests stall or fail broadly
  • visible connection exists, but processing does not
Fix:
  • check openclaw status
  • check openclaw gateway status --json
  • restart the gateway if needed

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Root cause 3: routing, permissions, or context mismatch

Symptoms:
  • one context works, another does not
  • DM works, shared context fails
  • bot appears online, but selectively ignores messages
Fix:
  • compare working and broken targets directly
  • verify scope, mentions, permissions, and thread visibility

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Root cause 4: plugin or tool surfacing problem

Symptoms:
  • tools disappeared
  • plugin seems installed but inactive
  • expected tool-backed workflows never appear
Fix:
  • verify config/allowlist
  • restart gateway
  • test in a fresh chat
  • inspect the tool-specific guide

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Root cause 5: post-update or rollback drift

Symptoms:
  • issue started right after version change
  • behavior changed immediately after upgrade or rollback
  • config and runtime no longer agree
Fix:
  • follow the post-update checklist
  • inspect ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json if version drift is suspected

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Minimal recovery checklist

If you just want the shortest sane checklist, do this:
  1. run openclaw status
  2. run openclaw gateway status --json
  3. test one short request in the simplest expected context
  4. start a fresh chat and retry it
  5. if the issue began after an update, read OpenClaw Not Responding After an Update? Start Here
  6. if tools are missing, read Plugin Installed but Tools Don’t Appear in OpenClaw and How to Fix “Tool Not Found” in OpenClaw
  7. if DMs work but shared spaces do not, read Why OpenClaw Works in DM but Not in Groups or Threads

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Common mistakes

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Treating all silence as the same bug

Bad assumption. Silence after an update is not the same problem as silence only in group threads.

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Debugging only in one stale chat

A classic self-own.

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Using presence as proof the whole path works

A bot can be online while routing or processing is still broken.

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Fixing plugin, routing, and update issues as if they were interchangeable

They overlap, but they are not the same.

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Final thought

The fastest way to fix “OpenClaw not responding” is to stop treating it like one mystery. It is usually one of a few repeat offenders:
  • stale session
  • unhealthy gateway/runtime
  • tool/plugin surfacing issue
  • routing or permissions mismatch
  • post-update config drift
Figure out which family you are in first, and the rest gets much less dramatic.
  • OpenClaw Not Responding After an Update? Start Here
  • How to Fix “Tool Not Found” in OpenClaw
  • Plugin Installed but Tools Don’t Appear in OpenClaw
  • Connected Channel or Bot Is Online but OpenClaw Ignores Messages
  • Why OpenClaw Works in DM but Not in Groups or Threads
  • Why OpenClaw Says It Will Act but Doesn’t Complete the Task
  • Healthy Gateway, Wrong Routing: Why OpenClaw Isn’t Responding in the Channel You Expect