openclaw/docs/reference/secretref-credential-surface.md

summary, read_when, title

summary	read_when	title
Canonical supported vs unsupported SecretRef credential surface	Verifying SecretRef credential coverage Auditing whether a credential is eligible for `secrets configure` or `secrets apply` Verifying why a credential is outside the supported surface	SecretRef Credential Surface

SecretRef credential surface

This page defines the canonical SecretRef credential surface.

Scope intent:

• In scope: strictly user-supplied credentials that OpenClaw does not mint or rotate.
• Out of scope: runtime-minted or rotating credentials, OAuth refresh material, and session-like artifacts.

Supported credentials

openclaw.json targets (secrets configure + secrets apply + secrets audit)

• models.providers.*.apiKey
• models.providers.*.headers.*
• skills.entries.*.apiKey
• agents.defaults.memorySearch.remote.apiKey
• agents.list[].memorySearch.remote.apiKey
• talk.apiKey
• talk.providers.*.apiKey
• messages.tts.elevenlabs.apiKey
• messages.tts.openai.apiKey
• tools.web.search.apiKey
• tools.web.search.gemini.apiKey
• tools.web.search.grok.apiKey
• tools.web.search.kimi.apiKey
• tools.web.search.perplexity.apiKey
• gateway.auth.password
• gateway.auth.token
• gateway.remote.token
• gateway.remote.password
• cron.webhookToken
• channels.telegram.botToken
• channels.telegram.webhookSecret
• channels.telegram.accounts.*.botToken
• channels.telegram.accounts.*.webhookSecret
• channels.slack.botToken
• channels.slack.appToken
• channels.slack.userToken
• channels.slack.signingSecret
• channels.slack.accounts.*.botToken
• channels.slack.accounts.*.appToken
• channels.slack.accounts.*.userToken
• channels.slack.accounts.*.signingSecret
• channels.discord.token
• channels.discord.pluralkit.token
• channels.discord.voice.tts.elevenlabs.apiKey
• channels.discord.voice.tts.openai.apiKey
• channels.discord.accounts.*.token
• channels.discord.accounts.*.pluralkit.token
• channels.discord.accounts.*.voice.tts.elevenlabs.apiKey
• channels.discord.accounts.*.voice.tts.openai.apiKey
• channels.irc.password
• channels.irc.nickserv.password
• channels.irc.accounts.*.password
• channels.irc.accounts.*.nickserv.password
• channels.bluebubbles.password
• channels.bluebubbles.accounts.*.password
• channels.feishu.appSecret
• channels.feishu.verificationToken
• channels.feishu.accounts.*.appSecret
• channels.feishu.accounts.*.verificationToken
• channels.msteams.appPassword
• channels.mattermost.botToken
• channels.mattermost.accounts.*.botToken
• channels.matrix.password
• channels.matrix.accounts.*.password
• channels.nextcloud-talk.botSecret
• channels.nextcloud-talk.apiPassword
• channels.nextcloud-talk.accounts.*.botSecret
• channels.nextcloud-talk.accounts.*.apiPassword
• channels.zalo.botToken
• channels.zalo.webhookSecret
• channels.zalo.accounts.*.botToken
• channels.zalo.accounts.*.webhookSecret
• channels.googlechat.serviceAccount via sibling serviceAccountRef (compatibility exception)
• channels.googlechat.accounts.*.serviceAccount via sibling serviceAccountRef (compatibility exception)

auth-profiles.json targets (secrets configure + secrets apply + secrets audit)

• profiles.*.keyRef (type: "api_key")
• profiles.*.tokenRef (type: "token")

Notes:

• Auth-profile plan targets require agentId.
• Plan entries target profiles.*.key / profiles.*.token and write sibling refs (keyRef / tokenRef).
• Auth-profile refs are included in runtime resolution and audit coverage.
• For SecretRef-managed model providers, generated agents/*/agent/models.json entries persist non-secret markers (not resolved secret values) for apiKey/header surfaces.
• For web search:
  • In explicit provider mode (tools.web.search.provider set), only the selected provider key is active.
  • In auto mode (tools.web.search.provider unset), tools.web.search.apiKey and provider-specific keys are active.

Unsupported credentials

Out-of-scope credentials include:

• commands.ownerDisplaySecret
• channels.matrix.accessToken
• channels.matrix.accounts.*.accessToken
• hooks.token
• hooks.gmail.pushToken
• hooks.mappings[].sessionKey
• auth-profiles.oauth.*
• discord.threadBindings.*.webhookToken
• whatsapp.creds.json

Rationale:

• These credentials are minted, rotated, session-bearing, or OAuth-durable classes that do not fit read-only external SecretRef resolution.