OpenClaw Migration Guide: Upgrade Safely with Minimal Downtime

Migration is where most teams either preserve stability or introduce avoidable risk. Use a staged process with rollback readiness.

Step 1 - Inventory current state#

• Active channels and routing rules.
• Automation jobs, hooks, and webhooks.
• Provider configuration and credentials.
• Custom plugins and local policies.

Step 2 - Create backups and rollback checkpoints#

• Backup configuration files and environment variables references.
• Export key logs and health baselines.
• Capture current behavior for acceptance comparison.

Step 3 - Run migration in staging first#

• Apply migration steps in non-production first.
• Validate sessions, channels, and automation paths.
• Test retry, queue, and error handling behavior.

Step 4 - Execute production migration window#

• Freeze non-critical changes during migration.
• Apply update and run doctor/health checks immediately.
• Re-enable channels gradually, starting with low-risk paths.

Step 5 - Post-migration hardening and monitoring#

• Rotate credentials used during migration.
• Review logs for abnormal patterns.
• Confirm policy boundaries and sandbox behavior.

Need a zero-drama OpenClaw migration? Request guided migration support.

Official docs referenced#

• Migration guide
• Updating
• CLI update
• CLI doctor
• CLI health
• Gateway troubleshooting