openclaw/docs/install/migrating.md

summary, read_when, title

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Move (migrate) an OpenClaw install from one machine to another	You are moving OpenClaw to a new laptop/server You want to preserve sessions, auth, and channel logins (WhatsApp, etc.)	Migration Guide

Migrating OpenClaw to a New Machine

This guide moves an OpenClaw gateway to a new machine without redoing onboarding.

What Gets Migrated

When you copy the state directory (~/.openclaw/ by default) and your workspace, you preserve:

• Config -- openclaw.json and all gateway settings
• Auth -- API keys, OAuth tokens, credential profiles
• Sessions -- conversation history and agent state
• Channel state -- WhatsApp login, Telegram session, etc.
• Workspace files -- MEMORY.md, USER.md, skills, and prompts

Run `openclaw status` on the old machine to confirm your state directory path. Custom profiles use `~/.openclaw-/` or a path set via `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR`.

Migration Steps

On the **old** machine, stop the gateway so files are not changing mid-copy, then archive:

```bash
openclaw gateway stop
cd ~
tar -czf openclaw-state.tgz .openclaw
```

If you use multiple profiles (e.g. `~/.openclaw-work`), archive each separately.

[Install](/install) the CLI (and Node if needed) on the new machine. It is fine if onboarding creates a fresh `~/.openclaw/` -- you will overwrite it next. Transfer the archive via `scp`, `rsync -a`, or an external drive, then extract:

```bash
cd ~
tar -xzf openclaw-state.tgz
```

Ensure hidden directories were included and file ownership matches the user that will run the gateway.

On the new machine, run [Doctor](/gateway/doctor) to apply config migrations and repair services:

```bash
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw status
```

Common Pitfalls

If the old gateway used `--profile` or `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` and the new one does not, channels will appear logged out and sessions will be empty. Launch the gateway with the **same** profile or state-dir you migrated, then rerun `openclaw doctor`. The config file alone is not enough. Credentials live under `credentials/`, and agent state lives under `agents/`. Always migrate the **entire** state directory. If you copied as root or switched users, the gateway may fail to read credentials. Ensure the state directory and workspace are owned by the user running the gateway. If your UI points at a **remote** gateway, the remote host owns sessions and workspace. Migrate the gateway host itself, not your local laptop. See [FAQ](/help/faq#where-does-openclaw-store-its-data). The state directory contains API keys, OAuth tokens, and channel credentials. Store backups encrypted, avoid insecure transfer channels, and rotate keys if you suspect exposure.

Verification Checklist

On the new machine, confirm:

• openclaw status shows the gateway running
• Channels are still connected (no re-pairing needed)
• The dashboard opens and shows existing sessions
• Workspace files (memory, configs) are present