Upgrading and migrating

WednesdayAI releases frequently. Treat updates like shipping infrastructure: update, run checks, restart, verify. This page covers upgrading in place, rolling back, and migrating to a new machine.

Before you upgrade

Know your install method — global npm/pnpm, or from source (git checkout).
Know how your gateway runs — foreground terminal, systemd service (Linux), or macOS menubar app.

Snapshot your config:

cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak

Upgrade (recommended: installer script)

Re-run the installer — it detects your existing installation, upgrades in place, and runs openclaw doctor afterward:

curl -fsSL https://wednesdayai.dev/install.sh | bash

Skip re-running the onboarding wizard:

curl -fsSL https://wednesdayai.dev/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard

For source installs:

curl -fsSL https://wednesdayai.dev/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --no-onboard

Upgrade (`openclaw update`)

openclaw update is the preferred path for source installs. It runs a safe update flow: requires a clean worktree, switches to the selected channel, fetches and rebases, installs deps, rebuilds core and the Control UI, runs openclaw doctor, and restarts the gateway (use --no-restart to skip).

openclaw update
openclaw update --dry-run            # preview without applying

On npm/pnpm installs (no git metadata), openclaw update tries to update via your package manager; if it cannot detect the install, use the manual path below. Select a release channel, or pin a one-off tag/version:

openclaw update --channel stable     # production releases (default)
openclaw update --channel beta       # pre-release builds
openclaw update --channel dev        # bleeding edge
openclaw update --tag 2026.4.0       # one-off version/dist-tag

Control UI — Update & Restart

The control panel has an Update & Restart action (RPC update.run) for source installs. It runs the same source-update flow, writes a restart report, restarts the gateway, and pings the last active session with the result. If the rebase fails, the gateway aborts and restarts without applying the update.

Upgrade (manual)

npm
pnpm
From source

npm install -g openclaw@latest

pnpm add -g openclaw@latest
pnpm approve-builds -g     # if prompted for build script approval

cd /path/to/wednesdayai-core
git pull --rebase
pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm ui:build

After upgrading

openclaw --version       # confirm the new version
openclaw doctor          # config migrations and channel health
openclaw gateway restart # apply the new binary
openclaw status          # verify everything is running

If channels stopped working after an upgrade, run openclaw doctor. WhatsApp auth state is migrated only via doctor, and doctor also warns if the service is now running on Bun or a version-managed Node path — WhatsApp and Telegram require a stable system Node.

Auto-updater (optional)

The gateway can update itself on a schedule. Disabled by default:

{
  update: {
    channel: "stable",
    auto: {
      enabled: true,
      stableDelayHours: 6,
      stableJitterHours: 12,
    },
  },
}

The dev channel never auto-applies — use manual openclaw update.

Rolling back

npm / pnpm
From source

npm install -g openclaw@<last-good-version>
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway restart

Find published versions: npm view openclaw versions --json

cd /path/to/wednesdayai-core
git fetch origin
git checkout "$(git rev-list -n 1 --before='2026-04-01' origin/main)"
pnpm install && pnpm build && pnpm ui:build
openclaw gateway restart

Return to latest later: git checkout main && git pull && pnpm install && pnpm build

Migrating to a new machine

Export from the old machine

cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json ~/openclaw-config-backup.json
tar czf ~/openclaw-credentials-backup.tgz ~/.openclaw/credentials/
tar czf ~/openclaw-sessions-backup.tgz ~/.openclaw/agents/   # optional, can be large

Install on the new machine

Follow Getting started to install and onboard. Stop the gateway after onboarding completes.

Restore

cp ~/openclaw-config-backup.json ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
tar xzf ~/openclaw-credentials-backup.tgz -C ~/
tar xzf ~/openclaw-sessions-backup.tgz -C ~/

Verify

openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway start
openclaw status

WhatsApp credentials tied to a phone’s linked-device pairing may need re-scanning the QR on the new host. If WhatsApp shows disconnected after migration, run openclaw channels logout --channel whatsapp && openclaw channels login --channel whatsapp.

Related: Doctor · Troubleshooting · Getting started

Getting started

Gateway configuration

Channels

Automation

Observability

Core concepts

AI providers

Security

Maintenance

Admin

Channels (synced pages)

Gateway (synced pages)

Gateway security

Installation

Platforms

macOS app

More providers

Security

Web UI

Shohin

Upgrading and migrating

Upgrading and migrating

Before you upgrade

Upgrade (recommended: installer script)

Upgrade (`openclaw update`)

Control UI — Update & Restart

Upgrade (manual)

After upgrading

Auto-updater (optional)

Rolling back

Migrating to a new machine

​Upgrading and migrating

​Before you upgrade

​Upgrade (recommended: installer script)

​Upgrade (openclaw update)

​Control UI — Update & Restart

​Upgrade (manual)

​After upgrading

​Auto-updater (optional)

​Rolling back

​Migrating to a new machine

Upgrading and migrating

Before you upgrade

Upgrade (recommended: installer script)

Upgrade (`openclaw update`)

Control UI — Update & Restart

Upgrade (manual)

After upgrading

Auto-updater (optional)

Rolling back

Migrating to a new machine