Remote OpenClaw Blog
Uninstall OpenClaw
4 min read ·
Uninstall OpenClaw with openclaw uninstall if the CLI is still installed. As of April 2026, the
official docs recommend openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive for full unattended
removal, then manually removing the CLI package you originally installed.
Quick Command
The official uninstall path is the built-in OpenClaw uninstaller documented at the install guide and the CLI reference.
Use this when the CLI still works:
openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive
If you may want a restorable snapshot first, the official docs also point to
openclaw backup create before removing state or workspaces. The docs also show an
npx -y openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive fallback for automation.
What Gets Removed
The uninstall flags split OpenClaw cleanup into service, state, workspace, and app scopes.
| Scope | What it targets | How the docs surface it |
|---|---|---|
--service |
The gateway service registration | Covered in the uninstall command reference and the gateway runbook |
--state |
Local state and config | Defaults to ${OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR:-$HOME/.openclaw} unless you changed it |
--workspace |
Workspace directories | Explicitly listed in the CLI reference and manual cleanup path |
--app |
The macOS app bundle | Relevant only if you installed the app |
--all |
Service, state, workspace, and app together | Documented as shorthand in the CLI reference |
The package-manager install is separate. The official uninstall guide says to remove the CLI afterward with
npm rm -g openclaw, pnpm remove -g openclaw, or bun remove -g openclaw,
depending on how you installed it.
Manual Path
The manual fallback keeps the same order as the official uninstall guide.
Operator Launch Kit
If that last section felt like a lot - Operator Launch Kit ships preconfigured.
When the CLI still exists but you want explicit control, the docs show this sequence:
- Run
openclaw gateway stop. - Run
openclaw gateway uninstall. - Delete the state directory:
rm -rf "${OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR:-$HOME/.openclaw}". - Optionally delete the workspace:
rm -rf ~/.openclaw/workspace. - Remove the CLI install from npm, pnpm, or Bun.
The
gateway runbook
is worth checking before and after cleanup because it shows the supported stop and health-check commands and notes
that gateway status --deep can detect stale launchd, systemd, or scheduled task installs.
When the CLI Is Gone
The official docs include a separate fallback for hosts where the service is still running but the CLI is missing.
On macOS, the uninstall guide shows a launchd cleanup path using labels like ai.openclaw.gateway
and deleting the related plist under ~/Library/LaunchAgents. On Linux, the same doc points to the
systemd user service file and daemon reload path. If you used profiles, the docs say to repeat the cleanup for
each profile-specific state directory and service label.
The same page also notes that remote mode matters: if your gateway runs on another host, the service, state, and workspace cleanup steps need to happen on that gateway host too.
Before You Reinstall Later
A clean uninstall is mostly about knowing what not to keep by accident.
If you plan to reinstall later, keep a backup first, then verify the old state directory and service are really
gone before starting again. That avoids dragging stale profiles, stale gateway services, or half-removed
workspaces into the new install. If you only wanted a reset rather than a full removal, the official CLI also has
a separate openclaw reset flow for config and state cleanup without uninstalling the CLI.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
The built-in uninstaller is the right default, but it is not magic. It only cleans up the scopes you ask it to
clean up, and package-manager removal is still separate. If you are trying to preserve a workspace or only remove
a stale service, --all is the wrong choice. If the CLI has already disappeared, you are in manual
cleanup territory and should follow the service-specific steps in the official uninstall guide instead of guessing.
Related Guides
- OpenClaw Install Guide
- OpenClaw Docs Guide
- OpenClaw Security Hardening
- How to Set Up OpenClaw AI Agent
FAQ
What is the fastest way to uninstall OpenClaw?
The official fastest path is openclaw uninstall --all --yes --non-interactive when the CLI still works.
Does uninstalling OpenClaw remove the CLI package too?
No. The uninstall guide says to remove the package-manager install separately with npm, pnpm, or Bun after the OpenClaw cleanup steps finish.
What should I do if the CLI is already missing?
Use the manual service-removal path in the official uninstall guide. That path covers launchd or systemd cleanup plus deleting the state directory manually.
Should I run a backup before uninstalling?
Yes, if you may want to restore the machine later. The official docs explicitly call out openclaw backup create before removing state or workspaces.