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openclaw/docs/nodes/troubleshooting.md
Peter Steinberger f7d7148cf0 docs: rewrite published docs grounded in current source (#100142)
Source-grounded rewrite of 529 published docs pages with per-unit information-loss verification: 1,713 factual corrections cited to src/**, generated surfaces regenerated, frontmatter titles preserved for i18n, release notes pages untouched. All docs gates green.

Closes #100141
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---
summary: "Troubleshoot node pairing, foreground requirements, permissions, and tool failures"
read_when:
- Node is connected but camera/canvas/screen/exec tools fail
- You need the node pairing versus approvals mental model
title: "Node troubleshooting"
---
Use this page when a node is visible in status but node tools fail.
## Command ladder
```bash
openclaw status
openclaw gateway status
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw doctor
openclaw channels status --probe
```
Then run node-specific checks:
```bash
openclaw nodes status
openclaw nodes describe --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw approvals get --node <idOrNameOrIp>
```
Healthy signals:
- Node is connected and paired for role `node`.
- `nodes describe` includes the capability you're calling.
- Exec approvals show the expected mode/allowlist.
## Foreground requirements
`canvas.*`, `camera.*`, and `screen.*` are foreground-only on iOS/Android nodes.
Quick check and fix:
```bash
openclaw nodes describe --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw nodes canvas snapshot --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw logs --follow
```
If you see `NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE`, bring the node app to the foreground and retry.
## Permissions matrix
| Capability | iOS | Android | macOS node app | Typical failure code |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| `camera.snap`, `camera.clip` | Camera (+ mic for clip audio) | Camera (+ mic for clip audio) | Camera (+ mic for clip audio) | `*_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` |
| `screen.record` | Screen Recording (+ mic optional) | Screen capture prompt (+ mic optional) | Screen Recording | `*_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` |
| `location.get` | While Using or Always (depends on mode) | Foreground/Background location based on mode | Location permission | `LOCATION_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` |
| `system.run` | n/a (node host path) | n/a (node host path) | Exec approvals required | `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED` |
## Pairing versus approvals
Three separate gates control whether a node command succeeds:
1. **Device pairing**: can this node connect to the gateway?
2. **Gateway node command policy**: is the RPC command ID allowed by `gateway.nodes.allowCommands` / `denyCommands` and platform defaults?
3. **Exec approvals**: can this node run a specific shell command locally?
Node pairing is an identity/trust gate, not a per-command approval surface. For `system.run`, the per-node policy lives in that node's exec approvals file (`openclaw approvals get --node ...`), not in the gateway pairing record.
Quick checks:
```bash
openclaw devices list
openclaw nodes status
openclaw approvals get --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw approvals allowlist add --node <idOrNameOrIp> "/usr/bin/uname"
```
- Pairing missing: approve the node device first.
- `nodes describe` missing a command: check the gateway node command policy and whether the node actually declared that command on connect.
- Pairing fine but `system.run` fails: fix exec approvals/allowlist on that node.
For approval-backed `host=node` runs, the gateway also binds execution to the prepared canonical `systemRunPlan`. If a later caller mutates the command, cwd, or session metadata before the approved run is forwarded, the gateway rejects the run as an approval mismatch instead of trusting the edited payload.
## Common node error codes
| Code | Meaning |
| -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `NODE_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE` | App is backgrounded; bring it to the foreground. |
| `CAMERA_DISABLED` | Camera toggle disabled in node settings. |
| `*_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` | OS permission missing/denied. |
| `LOCATION_DISABLED` | Location mode is off. |
| `LOCATION_PERMISSION_REQUIRED` | Requested location mode not granted. |
| `LOCATION_BACKGROUND_UNAVAILABLE` | App is backgrounded but only While Using permission exists. |
| `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: approval required` | Exec request needs explicit approval. |
| `SYSTEM_RUN_DENIED: allowlist miss` | Command blocked by allowlist mode. On Windows node hosts, shell-wrapper forms like `cmd.exe /c ...` are treated as allowlist misses in allowlist mode unless approved via the ask flow. |
## Fast recovery loop
```bash
openclaw nodes status
openclaw nodes describe --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw approvals get --node <idOrNameOrIp>
openclaw logs --follow
```
If still stuck:
- Re-approve device pairing.
- Re-open the node app (foreground).
- Re-grant OS permissions.
- Recreate/adjust the exec approval policy.
## Related
- [Nodes overview](/nodes)
- [Camera nodes](/nodes/camera)
- [Location command](/nodes/location-command)
- [Exec approvals](/tools/exec-approvals)
- [Gateway pairing](/gateway/pairing)
- [Gateway troubleshooting](/gateway/troubleshooting)
- [Channel troubleshooting](/channels/troubleshooting)