OpenClaw Rescue Mode Guide
Use rescue mode to quickly restore service when OpenClaw configuration goes wrong
How to Use Rescue Mode
Go to My OpenClaw Page
After logging in, click the user menu at the top and select 'My OpenClaw' to enter instance management page.
Switch to Rescue Mode Tab
On the instance management page, click the 'Rescue Mode' tab at the top. You will see rescue mode instructions and a 'Load Configuration Backups' button.
Rescue mode does not automatically query backup list, you need to click the button
OpenClaw automatically keeps backups of the last 5 configuration versions
Query Available Configuration Backups
Click the 'Load Configuration Backups' button. The system will connect to your OpenClaw instance and list all available backup files. Usually displays 1-5 backup versions.
The first one marked 'Current Config' is the version currently in use
Other versions are sorted in reverse chronological order, newer ones first
Select Version to Restore
Browse the backup list, check modification time, OpenClaw version number and file size of each version. After finding the version you want to restore, click the 'Select This Version' button on the right.
Usually select the configuration from the last known working state
If unsure, start trying from the latest backup
Execute Restore Operation
After selecting a version, an 'Execute Rescue Restore' button appears at the bottom of the page. Clicking it triggers a confirmation dialog, warning that current configuration will be replaced and Gateway will restart (~2 minutes).
Restore operation completely replaces current configuration and cannot be undone
All ongoing conversations will be interrupted during Gateway restart
Need to wait about 2 minutes after restore before reconnecting
Wait for Gateway Restart
After confirming restore, system automatically replaces configuration file and restarts Gateway service. Page displays 'Configuration restored successfully' and suggests refreshing after 2 minutes.
Do not close page or perform other operations during restart
Refresh page after 2 minutes to check Gateway status
If still inaccessible, try restoring to an earlier version
Verify Restore Results
After Gateway restart completes, try opening Control UI and test basic functions. If restore succeeds, you should be able to access Web UI normally and use chat features.
Check if model configuration restored to expected state
Test a conversation to confirm API calls work
If issue persists, may need to restore to an earlier version