How to Update OpenClaw (3 Easy Methods)

Method 1 — Chat Command (Easiest): Just type /update in any chat with your AI. That's it. OpenClaw fetches the latest version, installs it, and restarts. You'll get a confirmation when it's back online.

Method 2 — Ask Your AI: Tell your assistant 'update yourself' or 'run an update'. It executes the update command for you and reports back with the new version number. Natural language, same result.

Method 3 — Manual CLI: Open terminal and run: npm update -g openclaw && openclaw gateway restart. Use this if you prefer command line or need to update without chat access.

What happens during update: OpenClaw downloads the new package from npm, replaces the old files, preserves your config and memory, then restarts the gateway. Total downtime: ~10-30 seconds.

Check your current version: Run 'openclaw --version' in terminal, or ask your AI 'what version are you running?' to see the current version before updating.

View the changelog: After updating, ask 'what's new in this version?' or check github.com/anthropics/openclaw/releases for release notes and new features.

Automatic updates (optional): Set up a weekly cron job to update automatically: 0 4 * * 0 npm update -g openclaw && openclaw gateway restart. Runs every Sunday at 4am.

Rollback if needed: If an update causes issues, install a specific version: npm install -g openclaw@2026.2.5 (replace with your previous version number).

Update on remote servers: SSH into your server and run the same commands. Or set up the cron job for hands-free updates on always-on deployments.

Stay informed: Follow @getopenclaw on Twitter/X or join the Discord for update announcements and breaking changes that might need attention.