Image-tool compression/detail preference for images loaded from file paths, URLs, and media references.

Default: `auto`.

OpenClaw adapts the resize ladder to the selected image model. For example, Claude Opus 4.7, OpenAI GPT-5.5, Qwen VL, and hosted Llama 4 vision models can use larger images than older/default high-detail vision paths, while multi-image turns are compressed more aggressively in `auto` mode to control token and latency cost.

OpenClaw adapts the resize ladder to the selected image model. For example, Claude Opus 4.8, OpenAI GPT-5.5, Qwen VL, and hosted Llama 4 vision models can use larger images than older/default high-detail vision paths, while multi-image turns are compressed more aggressively in `auto` mode to control token and latency cost.

Values:

defaults: {

model: "openai/gpt-5.5",

models: {

"anthropic/claude-opus-4-7": {

"anthropic/claude-opus-4-8": {

agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },

},

"vllm/*": {

- Runtime precedence is exact model policy first (`agents.list[].models["provider/model"]`, `agents.defaults.models["provider/model"]`, or `models.providers.<provider>.models[]`), then `agents.list[]` / `agents.defaults.models["provider/*"]`, then provider-wide policy at `models.providers.<provider>.agentRuntime`.

- Whole-agent runtime keys are legacy. `agents.defaults.agentRuntime`, `agents.list[].agentRuntime`, session runtime pins, and `OPENCLAW_AGENT_RUNTIME` are ignored by runtime selection. Run `openclaw doctor --fix` to remove stale values.

- OpenAI agent models use the Codex harness by default; provider/model `agentRuntime.id: "codex"` remains valid when you want to make that explicit.

- For Claude CLI deployments, prefer `model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7"` plus model-scoped `agentRuntime.id: "claude-cli"`. Legacy `claude-cli/claude-opus-4-7` model refs still work for compatibility, but new config should keep provider/model selection canonical and put the execution backend in provider/model runtime policy.

- For Claude CLI deployments, prefer `model: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-8"` plus model-scoped `agentRuntime.id: "claude-cli"`. Legacy `claude-cli/claude-opus-4-7` model refs still work for compatibility, but new config should keep provider/model selection canonical and put the execution backend in provider/model runtime policy.

- This only controls text agent-turn execution. Media generation, vision, PDF, music, video, and TTS still use their provider/model settings.

**Built-in alias shorthands** (only apply when the model is in `agents.defaults.models`):

Z.AI GLM-4.x models automatically enable thinking mode unless you set `--thinking off` or define `agents.defaults.models["zai/<model>"].params.thinking` yourself.

Z.AI models enable `tool_stream` by default for tool call streaming. Set `agents.defaults.models["zai/<model>"].params.tool_stream` to `false` to disable it.

Anthropic Claude 4.6 models default to `adaptive` thinking when no explicit thinking level is set.

Anthropic Claude Opus 4.8 keeps thinking off by default in OpenClaw; when adaptive thinking is explicitly enabled, Anthropic's provider-owned effort default is `high`. Claude 4.6 models default to `adaptive` when no explicit thinking level is set.

### `agents.defaults.cliBackends`