Troubleshoot Your OpenClaw Instance

OpenClaw is a powerful agent with deep system-level capabilities. Occasionally it may stop responding or get into an unexpected state. This guide helps you diagnose and fix common issues.

Before You Start: Check Instance Status

Go to your MyOpenClaw dashboard

Look at the status indicator on your instance card

- Green — Running normally

- Yellow — Starting up or restarting

- Red — Stopped or error

Most issues are resolved with a restart. Start there.

---

Step 1: Soft Restart

A soft restart reboots your instance while preserving all data and configuration.

In your dashboard, find your instance

Click the ⋮ menu → Restart

Wait 60–90 seconds for it to come back online (OpenClaw takes ~73 seconds to bind)

Test by sending a message

This fixes: Temporary hangs, memory pressure, skill installation issues, configuration changes not taking effect.

---

Step 2: Check the Logs

If restart doesn't fix it, check what's happening:

Go to Dashboard → Control Panel → Activity

Look for error messages in the recent log entries

Common error patterns:

ErrorCauseFix exit code 1Invalid config fileCheck openclaw.json — see Step 3 exit code 137Out of memoryUpgrade plan or reduce running skills Discord error 4014Missing Message Content IntentEnable in Discord Developer Portal port 8080 already in useStale processRestart should clear this

---

Step 3: Configuration Issues (exit code 1)

If your instance crash-loops with exit code 1, there's likely an invalid configuration:

Go to Control Panel → Configure → Config (JSON)

Look for obvious syntax errors

Common causes:

- Invalid model name format

- Unknown configuration keys (e.g., deprecated settings)

- Mismatched brackets

Quick fix: If you're unsure what changed, click Reset to Defaults to restore a clean working configuration. You'll need to re-add your API key and reconnect channels.

---

Step 4: Channel Not Responding

If your instance is running but your Telegram/Discord bot isn't responding:

Telegram:

Verify the bot token is correct in Integrations → Telegram

Try sending /start to the bot

Check if your webhook registration expired (re-save the token to refresh it)

Discord:

Confirm Message Content Intent is enabled in the Discord Developer Portal

Verify the Channel ID is correct

Check the bot has permission to read and write in that channel

WhatsApp:

Check your WASender session is still active at wasender.app

Re-scan the QR code if the session expired

---

Step 5: Agent Gets Stuck in a Loop

Occasionally an agent can get into a recursive tool call loop:

Send "Stop" or "Cancel" to your bot — this usually aborts the current task

If unresponsive, go to Control Panel → Sessions and click Reset Session

The session will restart fresh without losing memory

---

Still Stuck?

If none of the above resolves your issue:

Note the exact error message from the logs

Contact support with:

- Your username

- The error message

- What you were doing when it happened

We typically respond within a few hours. For urgent issues, post in the OpenClaw Discord — the community is active and helpful.