- Managed proxy: add `proxy.loopbackMode` for Gateway loopback control-plane traffic, allowing operators to keep the default Gateway loopback bypass, force loopback Gateway traffic through the proxy, or block it. (#77018) Thanks @jesse-merhi.

- Telegram/native commands: show the current thinking level above the `/think` level picker so users can see the active setting before changing it. (#78278) Thanks @obviyus.

- Plugins/hooks: add a `before_agent_run` pass/block gate that can stop a user prompt before model submission while preserving a redacted transcript entry for the user, and clarify that raw conversation hooks require `hooks.allowConversationAccess=true`. (#75035) Thanks @jesse-merhi.

- Config/Nix: keep startup-derived plugin enablement, gateway auth tokens, control UI origins, and owner-display secrets runtime-only instead of rewriting `openclaw.json`; in Nix mode, config writers, mutating `openclaw update`, plugin lifecycle mutators, and doctor repair/token-generation now refuse with agent-first nix-openclaw guidance. (#78047) Thanks @joshp123.

### Fixes

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Live stream preview">

OpenClaw can stream draft replies by sending a temporary message and editing it as text arrives. `channels.discord.streaming` takes `off` (default) | `partial` | `block` | `progress`. `progress` keeps one editable status draft and updates it with tool progress until final delivery; `streamMode` is a legacy alias and is auto-migrated.

OpenClaw can stream draft replies by sending a temporary message and editing it as text arrives. `channels.discord.streaming` takes `off` (default) | `partial` | `block` | `progress`. `progress` keeps one editable status draft and updates it with tool progress until final delivery; `streamMode` is a legacy runtime alias. Run `openclaw doctor --fix` to rewrite persisted config to the canonical key.

Default stays `off` because Discord preview edits hit rate limits quickly when multiple bots or gateways share an account.

Legacy keys:

- `channels.slack.streamMode` (`replace | status_final | append`) is auto-migrated to `channels.slack.streaming.mode`.

- boolean `channels.slack.streaming` is auto-migrated to `channels.slack.streaming.mode` and `channels.slack.streaming.nativeTransport`.

- legacy `channels.slack.nativeStreaming` is auto-migrated to `channels.slack.streaming.nativeTransport`.

- `channels.slack.streamMode` (`replace | status_final | append`) is a legacy runtime alias for `channels.slack.streaming.mode`.

- boolean `channels.slack.streaming` is a legacy runtime alias for `channels.slack.streaming.mode` and `channels.slack.streaming.nativeTransport`.

- legacy `channels.slack.nativeStreaming` is a runtime alias for `channels.slack.streaming.nativeTransport`.

- Run `openclaw doctor --fix` to rewrite persisted Slack streaming config to the canonical keys.

## Typing reaction fallback

Config helpers for non-interactive edits in `openclaw.json`: get/set/patch/unset/file/schema/validate values by path and print the active config file. Run without a subcommand to open the configure wizard (same as `openclaw configure`).

<Note>

When `OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`, OpenClaw treats `openclaw.json` as immutable. Read-only commands such as `config get`, `config file`, `config schema`, and `config validate` still work, but config writers refuse. Agents should edit the Nix source for the install instead; for the first-party nix-openclaw distribution, use [nix-openclaw Quick Start](https://github.com/openclaw/nix-openclaw#quick-start) and set values under `programs.openclaw.config` or `instances.<name>.config`.

</Note>

## Root options

<ParamField path="--section <section>" type="string">

Notes:

- In Nix mode (`OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`), read-only doctor checks still work, but `doctor --fix`, `doctor --repair`, `doctor --yes`, and `doctor --generate-gateway-token` are disabled because `openclaw.json` is immutable. Edit the Nix source for this install instead; for nix-openclaw, use the agent-first [Quick Start](https://github.com/openclaw/nix-openclaw#quick-start).

- Interactive prompts (like keychain/OAuth fixes) only run when stdin is a TTY and `--non-interactive` is **not** set. Headless runs (cron, Telegram, no terminal) will skip prompts.

- Performance: non-interactive `doctor` runs skip eager plugin loading so headless health checks stay fast. Interactive sessions still fully load plugins when a check needs their contribution.

- `--fix` (alias for `--repair`) writes a backup to `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak` and drops unknown config keys, listing each removal.

command with `OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_LIFECYCLE_TRACE=1`. The trace writes phase timings

to stderr and keeps JSON output parseable. See [Debugging](/help/debugging#plugin-lifecycle-trace).

<Note>

In Nix mode (`OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`), plugin lifecycle mutators are disabled. Use the Nix source for this install instead of `plugins install`, `plugins update`, `plugins uninstall`, `plugins enable`, or `plugins disable`; for nix-openclaw, use the agent-first [Quick Start](https://github.com/openclaw/nix-openclaw#quick-start).

</Note>

<Note>

Bundled plugins ship with OpenClaw. Some are enabled by default (for example bundled model providers, bundled speech providers, and the bundled browser plugin); others require `plugins enable`.

Plugin install metadata is machine-managed state, not user config. Installs and updates write it to `plugins/installs.json` under the active OpenClaw state directory. Its top-level `installRecords` map is the durable source of install metadata, including records for broken or missing plugin manifests. The `plugins` array is the manifest-derived cold registry cache. The file includes a do-not-edit warning and is used by `openclaw plugins update`, uninstall, diagnostics, and the cold plugin registry.

When OpenClaw sees shipped legacy `plugins.installs` records in config, it moves them into the plugin index and removes the config key; if either write fails, the config records are kept so the install metadata is not lost.

When OpenClaw sees shipped legacy `plugins.installs` records in config, runtime reads treat them as compatibility input without rewriting `openclaw.json`. Explicit plugin writes and `openclaw doctor --fix` move those records into the plugin index and remove the config key when config writes are allowed; if either write fails, the config records are kept so the install metadata is not lost.

### Uninstall

Initialize `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` and the agent workspace.

<Note>

`openclaw setup` is for mutable config installs. In Nix mode (`OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`), OpenClaw refuses setup writes because the config file is managed by Nix. Agents should use the first-party [nix-openclaw Quick Start](https://github.com/openclaw/nix-openclaw#quick-start) or the equivalent source config for another Nix package.

</Note>

Related:

- Getting started: [Getting started](/start/getting-started)

terminal/WebSocket output, while file logs require `logging.level: "debug"` or

`"trace"` in config. See [Gateway logging](/gateway/logging).

<Note>

In Nix mode (`OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`), mutating `openclaw update` runs are disabled. Update the Nix source or flake input for this install instead; for nix-openclaw, use the agent-first [Quick Start](https://github.com/openclaw/nix-openclaw#quick-start). `openclaw update status` and `openclaw update --dry-run` remain read-only.

</Note>

<Warning>

Downgrades require confirmation because older versions can break configuration.

</Warning>

Legacy key migration:

- Telegram: legacy `streamMode` and scalar/boolean `streaming` values are detected and migrated by doctor/config compatibility paths to `streaming.mode`.

- Discord: `streamMode` + boolean `streaming` auto-migrate to `streaming` enum.

- Slack: `streamMode` auto-migrates to `streaming.mode`; boolean `streaming` auto-migrates to `streaming.mode` plus `streaming.nativeTransport`; legacy `nativeStreaming` auto-migrates to `streaming.nativeTransport`.

- Discord: `streamMode` + boolean `streaming` remain runtime aliases for the `streaming` enum; run `openclaw doctor --fix` to rewrite persisted config.

- Slack: `streamMode` remains a runtime alias for `streaming.mode`; boolean `streaming` remains a runtime alias for `streaming.mode` plus `streaming.nativeTransport`; legacy `nativeStreaming` remains a runtime alias for `streaming.nativeTransport`. Run `openclaw doctor --fix` to rewrite persisted config.

### Runtime behavior

```

- `talk.provider` must match a key in `talk.providers` when multiple Talk providers are configured.

- Legacy flat Talk keys (`talk.voiceId`, `talk.voiceAliases`, `talk.modelId`, `talk.outputFormat`, `talk.apiKey`) are compatibility-only and are auto-migrated into `talk.providers.<provider>`.

- Legacy flat Talk keys (`talk.voiceId`, `talk.voiceAliases`, `talk.modelId`, `talk.outputFormat`, `talk.apiKey`) are compatibility-only. Run `openclaw doctor --fix` to rewrite persisted config into `talk.providers.<provider>`.

- Voice IDs fall back to `ELEVENLABS_VOICE_ID` or `SAG_VOICE_ID`.

- `providers.*.apiKey` accepts plaintext strings or SecretRef objects.

- `ELEVENLABS_API_KEY` fallback applies only when no Talk API key is configured.