🧹 OpenClaw Complete Uninstall Guide (All Platforms)

This guide covers all supported ways to fully remove OpenClaw, including cases where the CLI is missing but background services are still running.

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🟢 Path 1: Easy Path (CLI Still Installed)

Use this if the openclaw command still works.

✅ Recommended (Built-in Uninstaller)

openclaw uninstall

🤖 Non-Interactive (Automation / CI / npx)

openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive
npx -y openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive

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🔧 Manual Steps (Same Result)

Use this if you want explicit control or debugging visibility.

1. Stop the gateway service

openclaw gateway stop

2. Uninstall the gateway service (launchd / systemd / schtasks)

openclaw gateway uninstall

3. Delete state and config

rm -rf "${OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR:-$HOME/.openclaw}"

If you set OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH to a custom location outside the state directory, delete that file manually as well.

4. Delete workspace (optional, removes agent files)

rm -rf ~/.openclaw/workspace

5. Remove the CLI (choose what you used)

npm rm -g openclaw
pnpm remove -g openclaw
bun remove -g openclaw

6. macOS App (if installed)

rm -rf /Applications/OpenClaw.app

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⚠️ Notes

• If you used profiles (--profile or OPENCLAW_PROFILE), repeat state deletion for each:

  rm -rf ~/.openclaw-<profile>

• In remote mode, the state directory lives on the gateway host — run steps 1–4 there as well.

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🔴 Path 2: Manual Service Removal (CLI Missing)

Use this if OpenClaw services are still running but the CLI is gone.

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🍎 macOS (launchd)

Default label:

• bot.molt.gateway
• or bot.molt.<profile>
• legacy: com.openclaw.*

launchctl bootout gui/$UID/bot.molt.gateway
rm -f ~/Library/LaunchAgents/bot.molt.gateway.plist

If you used profiles, replace gateway with <profile>.

Also remove any legacy com.openclaw.*.plist files if present.

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🐧 Linux (systemd — user service)

Default unit:

• openclaw-gateway.service
• or openclaw-gateway-<profile>.service

systemctl --user disable --now openclaw-gateway.service
rm -f ~/.config/systemd/user/openclaw-gateway.service
systemctl --user daemon-reload

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🪟 Windows (Scheduled Task)

Default task:

• OpenClaw Gateway
• or OpenClaw Gateway (<profile>)

schtasks /Delete /F /TN "OpenClaw Gateway"

PowerShell cleanup:

Remove-Item -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.openclaw\gateway.cmd"

If you used profiles, delete:

$env:USERPROFILE\.openclaw-<profile>\gateway.cmd

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📦 Install Type Differences

Normal Install (install.sh / npm / pnpm / bun)

If you used:

• https://openclaw.bot/install.sh
• install.ps1
• npm install -g openclaw@latest

Remove with:

npm rm -g openclaw
# or
pnpm remove -g openclaw
bun remove -g openclaw

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Source Checkout (git clone)

If you ran OpenClaw from a repo checkout:

1. Uninstall the gateway service first (Easy Path or Manual Service Removal)
2. Delete the repo directory
3. Delete state + workspace:

rm -rf ~/.openclaw ~/.openclaw/workspace

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✅ Verification (Optional but Smart)

After uninstalling, confirm nothing is running:

ps aux | grep openclaw
launchctl list | grep molt
systemctl --user list-units | grep openclaw

If anything still shows up, you missed a service or profile.

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Final verdict (brutally honest)

• Your original content was correct but messy.
• This version is publishable, auditable, and support-ready.
• Drop this into a GitHub Gist or README as-is — no cleanup needed.

If you want, I can also:

• Add troubleshooting scenarios
• Create a short “TL;DR” uninstall
• Convert this into official docs format (Docusaurus / MkDocs)

Say the word.