---
summary: "Why a tool is blocked: sandbox runtime, tool allow/deny policy, and elevated exec gates"
title: Sandbox vs tool policy vs elevated
read_when: "You hit 'sandbox jail' or see a tool/elevated refusal and want the exact config key to change."
status: active
---

OpenClaw has three related but different controls:

1. **Sandbox** (`agents.defaults.sandbox.*` / `agents.list[].sandbox.*`) decides **where tools run** (sandbox backend vs host).
2. **Tool policy** (`tools.*`, `tools.sandbox.tools.*`, `agents.list[].tools.*`) decides **which tools are available/allowed**.
3. **Elevated** (`tools.elevated.*`, `agents.list[].tools.elevated.*`) is an **exec-only escape hatch** to run outside the sandbox when you are sandboxed (`gateway` by default, or `node` when the exec target is configured to `node`).

## Quick debug

Use the inspector to see what OpenClaw is _actually_ doing:

```bash
openclaw sandbox explain
openclaw sandbox explain --session agent:main:main
openclaw sandbox explain --agent work
openclaw sandbox explain --json
```

It prints:

- effective sandbox mode/scope/workspace access
- whether the session is currently sandboxed (main vs non-main)
- effective sandbox tool allow/deny (and whether it came from agent/global/default)
- elevated gates and fix-it key paths

## Sandbox: where tools run

Sandboxing is controlled by `agents.defaults.sandbox.mode`:

- `"off"`: everything runs on the host.
- `"non-main"`: only non-main sessions are sandboxed (common "surprise" for groups/channels).
- `"all"`: everything is sandboxed.

`agents.defaults.sandbox.workspaceAccess` controls what the sandbox can see: `"none"`, `"ro"`, or `"rw"`.

See [Sandboxing](/gateway/sandboxing) for the full matrix (scope, workspace mounts, images).

### Bind mounts (security quick check)

- `docker.binds` _pierces_ the sandbox filesystem: whatever you mount is visible inside the container with the mode you set (`:ro` or `:rw`).
- Default is read-write if you omit the mode; prefer `:ro` for source/secrets.
- `scope: "shared"` ignores per-agent binds (only global binds apply).
- OpenClaw validates bind sources twice: first on the normalized source path, then again after resolving through the deepest existing ancestor. Symlink-parent escapes do not bypass blocked-path or allowed-root checks.
- Non-existent leaf paths are still checked safely. If `/workspace/alias-out/new-file` resolves through a symlinked parent to a blocked path or outside the configured allowed roots, the bind is rejected.
- Binding `/var/run/docker.sock` effectively hands host control to the sandbox; only do this intentionally.
- Workspace access (`workspaceAccess`) is independent of bind modes.

## Tool policy: which tools exist/are callable

Two layers matter:

- **Tool profile**: `tools.profile` and `agents.list[].tools.profile` (base allowlist)
- **Provider tool profile**: `tools.byProvider[provider].profile` and `agents.list[].tools.byProvider[provider].profile`
- **Global/per-agent tool policy**: `tools.allow`/`tools.deny` and `agents.list[].tools.allow`/`agents.list[].tools.deny`
- **Provider tool policy**: `tools.byProvider[provider].allow/deny` and `agents.list[].tools.byProvider[provider].allow/deny`
- **Sandbox tool policy** (only applies when sandboxed): `tools.sandbox.tools.allow`/`tools.sandbox.tools.deny` and `agents.list[].tools.sandbox.tools.*`

Rules of thumb:

- `deny` always wins.
- If `allow` is non-empty, everything else is treated as blocked.
- Tool policy is the hard stop: `/exec` cannot override a denied `exec` tool.
- Tool policy filters tool availability by name; it does not inspect side effects inside `exec`. If `exec` is allowed, denying `write`, `edit`, or `apply_patch` does not make shell commands read-only.
- `/exec` only changes session defaults for authorized senders; it does not grant tool access.
- Provider tool keys accept either `provider` (e.g. `google-antigravity`) or `provider/model` (e.g. `openai/gpt-5.4`).
- Gateway logs include `agents/tool-policy` audit entries when a tool policy step removes tools or a sandbox tool policy blocks a call. Use `openclaw logs` to see the rule label, config key, and affected tool names.

### Tool groups (shorthands)

Tool policies (global, agent, sandbox) support `group:*` entries that expand to multiple tools:

```json5
{
  tools: {
    sandbox: {
      tools: {
        allow: ["group:runtime", "group:fs", "group:sessions", "group:memory"],
      },
    },
  },
}
```

Available groups:

| Group              | Tools                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `group:runtime`    | `exec`, `process`, `code_execution` (`bash` is accepted as an alias for `exec`)                                                                            |
| `group:fs`         | `read`, `write`, `edit`, `apply_patch`                                                                                                                     |
| `group:sessions`   | `sessions_list`, `sessions_history`, `sessions_send`, `sessions_spawn`, `sessions_yield`, `subagents`, `session_status`                                    |
| `group:memory`     | `memory_search`, `memory_get`                                                                                                                              |
| `group:web`        | `web_search`, `x_search`, `web_fetch`                                                                                                                      |
| `group:ui`         | `browser`, `canvas`                                                                                                                                        |
| `group:automation` | `heartbeat_respond`, `cron`, `gateway`                                                                                                                     |
| `group:messaging`  | `message`                                                                                                                                                  |
| `group:nodes`      | `nodes`, `computer`                                                                                                                                        |
| `group:agents`     | `agents_list`, `get_goal`, `create_goal`, `update_goal`, `update_plan`, `skill_workshop`                                                                   |
| `group:media`      | `image`, `image_generate`, `music_generate`, `video_generate`, `tts`                                                                                       |
| `group:openclaw`   | most built-in OpenClaw tools (excludes the `read`/`write`/`edit`/`apply_patch`/`exec`/`process` fs and runtime primitives, `canvas`, and provider plugins) |
| `group:plugins`    | all loaded plugin-owned tools, including configured MCP servers exposed through `bundle-mcp`                                                               |

For read-only agents, deny `group:runtime` as well as mutating filesystem tools unless sandbox filesystem policy or a separate host boundary enforces the read-only constraint.

For sandboxed MCP servers, the sandbox tool policy is a second allow gate. If `mcp.servers` is configured but sandboxed turns only show built-in tools, add `bundle-mcp`, `group:plugins`, or a server-prefixed MCP tool name/glob such as `outlook__send_mail` or `outlook__*` to `tools.sandbox.tools.alsoAllow`, then restart/reload the gateway and recapture the tool list. Server globs use the provider-safe MCP server prefix: non-`[A-Za-z0-9_-]` characters become `-`, names that do not start with a letter get an `mcp-` prefix, and long or duplicate prefixes may be truncated or suffixed.

`openclaw doctor` currently checks this shape for OpenClaw-managed servers in `mcp.servers`. MCP servers loaded from bundled plugin manifests or Claude `.mcp.json` use the same sandbox gate, but this diagnostic does not enumerate those sources yet; use the same allowlist entries if their tools disappear in sandboxed turns.

## Elevated: exec-only "run on host"

Elevated does **not** grant extra tools; it only affects `exec`.

- If you are sandboxed, `/elevated on` (or `exec` with `elevated: true`) runs outside the sandbox (approvals may still apply).
- Use `/elevated full` to skip exec approvals for the session.
- If you are already running direct, elevated is effectively a no-op (still gated).
- Elevated is **not** skill-scoped and does **not** override tool allow/deny.
- Elevated does not grant arbitrary cross-host overrides from `host=auto`; it follows the normal exec target rules and only preserves `node` when the configured/session target is already `node`.
- `/exec` is separate from elevated. It only adjusts per-session exec defaults for authorized senders.

Gates:

- Enablement: `tools.elevated.enabled` (and optionally `agents.list[].tools.elevated.enabled`)
- Sender allowlists: `tools.elevated.allowFrom.<provider>` (and optionally `agents.list[].tools.elevated.allowFrom.<provider>`)

See [Elevated Mode](/tools/elevated).

## Common "sandbox jail" fixes

### "Tool X blocked by sandbox tool policy"

Fix-it keys (pick one):

- Disable sandbox: `agents.defaults.sandbox.mode=off` (or per-agent `agents.list[].sandbox.mode=off`)
- Allow the tool inside sandbox:
  - remove it from `tools.sandbox.tools.deny` (or per-agent `agents.list[].tools.sandbox.tools.deny`)
  - or add it to `tools.sandbox.tools.allow` (or per-agent allow)
- Check `openclaw logs` for the `agents/tool-policy` entry. It records the sandbox mode and whether the allow or deny rule blocked the tool.

### "I thought this was main, why is it sandboxed?"

In `"non-main"` mode, group/channel keys are _not_ main. Use the main session key (shown by `sandbox explain`) or switch mode to `"off"`.

## Related

- [Sandboxing](/gateway/sandboxing) -- full sandbox reference (modes, scopes, backends, images)
- [Multi-Agent Sandbox & Tools](/tools/multi-agent-sandbox-tools) -- per-agent overrides and precedence
- [Elevated Mode](/tools/elevated)