Keeping OpenClaw Updated: Version Management

Why Update?

OpenClaw is actively developed. Updates bring:

• New features and skills
• Bug fixes and performance improvements
• Security patches
• Support for new AI models
• Channel adapter improvements

Checking Your Version

openclaw --version

Update Methods

npm Global Install

npm update -g openclaw

pnpm

pnpm update -g openclaw

Docker

docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker compose up -d

Claw for All

Updates are automatic — we deploy the latest stable version to all instances. No action required.

Safe Update Practices

1. Read the Changelog

Before updating, check what's changed:

openclaw changelog

Or visit the GitHub releases page.

2. Backup Your Data

cp -r ~/.openclaw ~/.openclaw-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d)

3. Test First

If running in production, test the update on a separate instance first.

4. Update and Verify

npm update -g openclaw
openclaw --version        # Verify new version
openclaw status           # Check everything is running

Rollback

If an update causes issues:

npm

npm install -g openclaw@previous-version

Docker

docker compose down
# Edit docker-compose.yml to use previous tag
docker compose up -d

From Backup

cp -r ~/.openclaw-backup-20260218 ~/.openclaw

Auto-Updates

For non-critical personal use, enable automatic updates:

{
  "auto_update": true,
  "update_channel": "stable"
}

Channels:

• stable — Thoroughly tested releases
• beta — Early access to new features
• nightly — Latest development (not recommended for production)