How to Update OpenClaw?

OpenClaw releases updates frequently with new features, model support, and bug fixes. Updating is simple and preserves all your configuration, conversation history, and skills.

The built-in update command checks for the latest version, downloads it, and restarts the Gateway. Your data, soul.md, and installed skills are preserved. The entire process takes under a minute.

For Docker installations, pull the new image and recreate the container. Your data persists in the volume. Docker Compose makes this a two-command process.

Before updating, check the release notes on GitHub for any breaking changes. Major version updates (e.g., 2.x to 3.x) may require configuration migration — the update command will guide you through it.

You can also pin a specific version if stability is more important than having the latest features. Specify the version number during npm install or use a specific Docker image tag.

To check your current version and see if an update is available, use the version command. For automatic updates, set up a cron job that runs the update command weekly — but test in a staging environment first for production setups.

# Update OpenClaw
openclaw update

# Check current version
openclaw --version

# Docker update
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d