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| summary: "Move (migrate) a OpenClaw install from one machine to another" | |
| read_when: | |
| - You are moving OpenClaw to a new laptop/server | |
| - You want to preserve sessions, auth, and channel logins (WhatsApp, etc.) | |
| title: "Migration Guide" | |
| # Migrating OpenClaw to a new machine | |
| This guide migrates a OpenClaw Gateway from one machine to another **without redoing onboarding**. | |
| The migration is simple conceptually: | |
| - Copy the **state directory** (`$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR`, default: `~/.openclaw/`) — this includes config, auth, sessions, and channel state. | |
| - Copy your **workspace** (`~/.openclaw/workspace/` by default) — this includes your agent files (memory, prompts, etc.). | |
| But there are common footguns around **profiles**, **permissions**, and **partial copies**. | |
| ## Before you start (what you are migrating) | |
| ### 1) Identify your state directory | |
| Most installs use the default: | |
| - **State dir:** `~/.openclaw/` | |
| But it may be different if you use: | |
| - `--profile <name>` (often becomes `~/.openclaw-<profile>/`) | |
| - `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=/some/path` | |
| If you’re not sure, run on the **old** machine: | |
| ```bash | |
| openclaw status | |
| ``` | |
| Look for mentions of `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` / profile in the output. If you run multiple gateways, repeat for each profile. | |
| ### 2) Identify your workspace | |
| Common defaults: | |
| - `~/.openclaw/workspace/` (recommended workspace) | |
| - a custom folder you created | |
| Your workspace is where files like `MEMORY.md`, `USER.md`, and `memory/*.md` live. | |
| ### 3) Understand what you will preserve | |
| If you copy **both** the state dir and workspace, you keep: | |
| - Gateway configuration (`openclaw.json`) | |
| - Auth profiles / API keys / OAuth tokens | |
| - Session history + agent state | |
| - Channel state (e.g. WhatsApp login/session) | |
| - Your workspace files (memory, skills notes, etc.) | |
| If you copy **only** the workspace (e.g., via Git), you do **not** preserve: | |
| - sessions | |
| - credentials | |
| - channel logins | |
| Those live under `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR`. | |
| ## Migration steps (recommended) | |
| ### Step 0 — Make a backup (old machine) | |
| On the **old** machine, stop the gateway first so files aren’t changing mid-copy: | |
| ```bash | |
| openclaw gateway stop | |
| ``` | |
| (Optional but recommended) archive the state dir and workspace: | |
| ```bash | |
| # Adjust paths if you use a profile or custom locations | |
| cd ~ | |
| tar -czf openclaw-state.tgz .openclaw | |
| tar -czf openclaw-workspace.tgz .openclaw/workspace | |
| ``` | |
| If you have multiple profiles/state dirs (e.g. `~/.openclaw-main`, `~/.openclaw-work`), archive each. | |
| ### Step 1 — Install OpenClaw on the new machine | |
| On the **new** machine, install the CLI (and Node if needed): | |
| - See: [Install](/install) | |
| At this stage, it’s OK if onboarding creates a fresh `~/.openclaw/` — you will overwrite it in the next step. | |
| ### Step 2 — Copy the state dir + workspace to the new machine | |
| Copy **both**: | |
| - `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` (default `~/.openclaw/`) | |
| - your workspace (default `~/.openclaw/workspace/`) | |
| Common approaches: | |
| - `scp` the tarballs and extract | |
| - `rsync -a` over SSH | |
| - external drive | |
| After copying, ensure: | |
| - Hidden directories were included (e.g. `.openclaw/`) | |
| - File ownership is correct for the user running the gateway | |
| ### Step 3 — Run Doctor (migrations + service repair) | |
| On the **new** machine: | |
| ```bash | |
| openclaw doctor | |
| ``` | |
| Doctor is the “safe boring” command. It repairs services, applies config migrations, and warns about mismatches. | |
| Then: | |
| ```bash | |
| openclaw gateway restart | |
| openclaw status | |
| ``` | |
| ## Common footguns (and how to avoid them) | |
| ### Footgun: profile / state-dir mismatch | |
| If you ran the old gateway with a profile (or `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR`), and the new gateway uses a different one, you’ll see symptoms like: | |
| - config changes not taking effect | |
| - channels missing / logged out | |
| - empty session history | |
| Fix: run the gateway/service using the **same** profile/state dir you migrated, then rerun: | |
| ```bash | |
| openclaw doctor | |
| ``` | |
| ### Footgun: copying only `openclaw.json` | |
| `openclaw.json` is not enough. Many providers store state under: | |
| - `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/credentials/` | |
| - `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/agents/<agentId>/...` | |
| Always migrate the entire `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` folder. | |
| ### Footgun: permissions / ownership | |
| If you copied as root or changed users, the gateway may fail to read credentials/sessions. | |
| Fix: ensure the state dir + workspace are owned by the user running the gateway. | |
| ### Footgun: migrating between remote/local modes | |
| - If your UI (WebUI/TUI) points at a **remote** gateway, the remote host owns the session store + workspace. | |
| - Migrating your laptop won’t move the remote gateway’s state. | |
| If you’re in remote mode, migrate the **gateway host**. | |
| ### Footgun: secrets in backups | |
| `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` contains secrets (API keys, OAuth tokens, WhatsApp creds). Treat backups like production secrets: | |
| - store encrypted | |
| - avoid sharing over insecure channels | |
| - rotate keys if you suspect exposure | |
| ## Verification checklist | |
| On the new machine, confirm: | |
| - `openclaw status` shows the gateway running | |
| - Your channels are still connected (e.g. WhatsApp doesn’t require re-pair) | |
| - The dashboard opens and shows existing sessions | |
| - Your workspace files (memory, configs) are present | |
| ## Related | |
| - [Doctor](/gateway/doctor) | |
| - [Gateway troubleshooting](/gateway/troubleshooting) | |
| - [Where does OpenClaw store its data?](/help/faq#where-does-openclaw-store-its-data) | |