Common OpenClaw issues and how to fix them

The commands in this guide run on your VPS over SSH as root (how to access it). The three you will use most:

openclaw-admin gateway status
openclaw-admin doctor
openclaw-admin logs --follow

The panel does not load

If you have just ordered it, OpenClaw finishes installing a few minutes after the first email. Wait for the "Your OpenClaw is ready" email or for the "Your application" section in your panel to show the details. If nothing has changed after an hour, open a ticket.
If it used to work, check the proxy and the agent:

systemctl status caddy
openclaw-admin gateway status

If the agent is stopped, run openclaw-admin gateway restart. Also check with ufw status that ports 80 and 443 are still open.

It asks me for a token

That is the normal login: paste into Gateway secret the token from the "Your OpenClaw is ready" email or from the "Your application" section in your panel.

It stays "pending approval"

Each new browser is approved from the server, also if you clear your cookies or use a private window:

openclaw-admin devices list
openclaw-admin devices approve REQUEST_ID

The agent does not reply anywhere

If it does not reply from the panel either, it is almost always the AI provider: a mistyped key, no credit or a model that no longer exists. openclaw-admin doctor points it out. Check the key and credit with your provider and connect it again (how).

It replies in the panel but not on Telegram

The first time you message the bot it returns a pairing code that has to be approved: openclaw pairing approve telegram CODE (as the openclaw user).
The bot token may be mistyped or revoked in @BotFather.
If you use the same bot somewhere else at the same time (another server, your computer), Telegram only delivers messages to one of them.

WhatsApp got disconnected

Link it again with openclaw channels login --channel whatsapp (as the openclaw user) and scan the QR code.

I run "openclaw" and do not see my configuration

The configuration belongs to the openclaw user. As root use openclaw-admin <command>, or switch first with su - openclaw.

It runs out of memory or is slow

The model runs at your provider, not on the VPS. What uses memory here is the automated browser and the tools the agent uses. Check with free -h, turn off the tools you do not use and, if the usage comes from your normal use, upgrade your plan without losing anything.

What support covers

We help you with the VPS and the OpenClaw installation: keeping the server and the service running, the initial access and the steps in these guides. Choosing the model, prompts, tools and channels is your own configuration; for that you have the official OpenClaw documentation. If something on the server is not working, open a ticket and, for security, do not paste the token or your keys.

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