Keeping OpenClaw Updated and Backed Up

Updates

OpenClaw is actively developed — new features, bug fixes, and security patches ship frequently. Updating is straightforward with the built-in update command.

How to Update

ssh claw@YOUR_SERVER_IP
openclaw update

If openclaw update isn't available in your version, re-run the installer:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Your data and config in ~/.openclaw/ are preserved across updates.

Check the Version

openclaw --version

When to Update

• Check the OpenClaw changelog periodically
• Join the OpenClaw Discord for release announcements
• Critical security updates are announced prominently

Backups

You have two layers of backup protection:

Layer 1: Vultr Auto Backups (Lesson 5)

You enabled these during setup. Vultr automatically snapshots your entire server weekly. If your server is completely destroyed, you can restore from a backup.

Layer 2: Manual Config Backup

For faster, more granular recovery, periodically back up your OpenClaw data.

# Stop OpenClaw to ensure a clean snapshot
systemctl --user stop openclaw-gateway

# Create a timestamped backup
tar czf ~/openclaw-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz -C ~ .openclaw/

# Restart OpenClaw
systemctl --user start openclaw-gateway

Download Backups to Your Computer

# Run this on your LOCAL machine
mkdir -p ~/openclaw-backups
scp claw@YOUR_SERVER_IP:~/openclaw-backup-*.tar.gz ~/openclaw-backups/

What to Back Up

• ~/.openclaw/ — your entire OpenClaw directory: configuration, custom instructions, conversation transcripts, knowledge files, cron jobs, and routing rules

Test Your Backup

A backup file you've never tested is not a backup — it's a hope. After creating a backup, verify it:

# Extract to a temp directory and check the contents
mkdir /tmp/backup-test
tar xzf ~/openclaw-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz -C /tmp/backup-test
ls /tmp/backup-test/.openclaw/

You should see your OpenClaw configuration and data files. If the tar command fails or the directory is empty, something went wrong — try the backup again.

# Clean up when you're satisfied
rm -rf /tmp/backup-test

Restore from Backup

systemctl --user stop openclaw-gateway
tar xzf ~/openclaw-backup-20260318.tar.gz -C ~
systemctl --user start openclaw-gateway

When You're Done

• Updated OpenClaw at least once
• Created a manual backup (with OpenClaw stopped first)
• Tested the backup by extracting to a temp directory
• Know how to restore from backup
• Vultr auto backups confirmed active (Vultr dashboard → Backups tab)