Agent Breaking Changes_

← OpenClaw

OpenClaw OpenClaw 2026.8.1

breakingsecuritydeprecatedmodelpricing

2026-08-31 · official notes

Summary

Full notes

## 2026.8.1

[2026.8.1 release notes](https://docs.openclaw.ai/releases/2026.8.1)

> **Update help:** If the automatic update fails, use a local coding harness to help complete the update, diagnose any migration errors, and verify that the Gateway starts correctly. Back up your configuration and state before making changes.

### Highlights

- **Find past conversations:** search visible conversation text by exact words or phrases and reopen the surrounding messages from a matching result. (#105057, #105635, #105585) Thanks @hercial61.
- **Sessions beyond your Gateway:** run work on paired devices or cloud workers, move the session workspace with it, and reuse warm machines and project seeds for later cloud sessions. (#123280, #127752, #131744, #132374)
- **Follow work as it happens:** keep a durable session progress card through reloads and follow subagent activity and accumulating edits across web and native chat. (#125125, #125438, #125442, #125444, #121549, #121840, #121815, #121813)
- **Answer clearly:** respond to structured agent questions through web and native cards, messaging buttons, or plain text, with free-text alternatives and an explicit Skip path. (#109922, #110372, #130262) Thanks @obviyus.
- **Interactive results and dashboards:** use widgets in chat, pin them to session dashboards, grant specific actions or network origins, and export rendered views as images. (#101840, #108983, #110960, #127315) Thanks @100yenadmin and @hannesrudolph.
- **Private credential requests:** let your agent request a credential through a masked prompt without putting its value in chat or model context, and use an opt-in proxy to limit protected-secret substitution to approved destinations. (#129670, #123216, #132122)
- **Approve recurring work once:** grant an automation permission for an exact operation, inspect or revoke that permission later, and require a fresh approval when the job or operation changes. (#129526, #131602)
- **Richer audio and video:** keep media attached to the conversation across uploads, generated replies, playback, and reloads, with native playback controls and video uploads on Apple and Android clients. (#115842, #116051, #116037)

### Changes

- **OpenProse migration (breaking):** remove the bundled OpenProse plugin and `/prose` command; run `openclaw doctor --fix` to clean stale configuration and follow the [upstream Agent Skill migration](https://docs.openclaw.ai/prose), keeping existing `.prose` source files. (#128494) Thanks @obviyus and @vincentkoc.
- **OpenAI route migration (breaking):** use `openclaw doctor --fix` to migrate shipped `codex/*` and `openai-codex/*` model refs, provider config, stored sessions, and automation routes to `openai/*`, retaining Codex runtime intent and flagging conflicts for operator repair. Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Upcoming deprecations (2026-09-01):** external plugins should migrate ahead of the SDK removal gate: `plugin-sdk-config-runtime-subpath` moves to `api.pluginConfig` and the focused `openclaw/plugin-sdk/config-mutation`, `openclaw/plugin-sdk/runtime-config-snapshot`, or `openclaw/plugin-sdk/config-contracts` imports; `plugin-sdk-channel-reply-pipeline-subpath` and `plugin-sdk-channel-lifecycle-subpath` move to `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-outbound`; `plugin-sdk-channel-message-subpath` moves to `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-outbound` and `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-inbound`; `plugin-sdk-infra-runtime-subpath` moves to focused `openclaw/plugin-sdk/` imports such as `delivery-queue-runtime`, `diagnostic-runtime`, `error-runtime`, `exec-approvals-runtime`, `fetch-runtime`, and `ssrf-runtime`, according to the helper used. These are upcoming gates, not removals in this release; see the [SDK migration guide](https://docs.openclaw.ai/plugins/sdk-migration) for per-helper mappings and remaining compatibility limits.
- **Official provider packages:** install BytePlus, ComfyUI, Mistral, NovitaAI, OpenCode, Synthetic, Volcengine, Vydra, and Xiaomi as needed through onboarding. Recover missing configured packages with `openclaw update repair` or `openclaw doctor --fix`; complete requested capability review and restart the Gateway after explicit installation. OpenCode Go remains bundled. (#116866, #116888, #116919, #117007, #117035, #116720, #116854, #116813, #116861) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Additional official packages:** install Cohere and Meta providers, DuckDuckGo search, Voyage embeddings, and iMessage messaging as separate official plugins when needed; configured missing owners use the same explicit update, doctor, or install recovery flow. (#116662, #116740, #116785, #117101) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **OpenAI long-context opt-in:** make expanded active-input context an explicit model configuration choice, keeping the runtime budget distinct from the model's native capacity and preserving configured overrides. (#112916)
- **Personal conversation recall:** with Active Memory enabled, retrieve bounded same-agent private conversation context by default on personal installs without configured DM isolation; explicit controls can disable recall, and groups and channels remain excluded. (#110597)
- **Grounded dreaming:** enable model-backed background memory consolidation by default, promoting provenance-qualified material into long-term memory with a Dream Diary and an explicit disable control. (#114819)
- **Automatic self-learning:** capture strong reusable lessons and automatically apply scanner-approved new or Workshop-owned skills by default, while leaving user-authored skill changes pending and preserving explicit off or propose settings. (#115576)
- **Session reset default:** keep conversations across idle periods and day boundaries when no reset policy is configured; retain explicit daily or idle policies and manual `/new` or `/reset`. (#111140)
- **CPU-scaled foreground concurrency:** size default top-level agent concurrency from available CPU parallelism, bounded between 8 and 16 simultaneous runs, while preserving explicit operator limits. (#114047)
- **Explicit model allowlists:** separate aliases and per-model settings from explicit `modelPolicy.allow` restrictions, with per-agent policies and provider wildcards; doctor migrates valid legacy restrictions without silently opening access when migration is incomplete. (#110888) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Remembered model selection and explicit scopes:** choose whether a model change affects this session, its agent, or the shared default; preserve existing surface behavior when no scope is set, including session-only Telegram callback picks and local TUI selection. (#115717, #127813) Thanks @Marvinthebored and @Peetiegonzalez.
- **Conversation-bound automations and loops:** default new agent-turn automations to their originating conversation when creation has session context. Owner-only `/loop` supports fixed-interval or self-paced checks; context-free CLI/API creation stays isolated. (#114328)
- **Owner-directed ambient heartbeat:** send ambient heartbeat alerts to a resolvable owner DM by default and skip unroutable ambient polls; configure an owner or explicit target instead of relying on a previous group conversation. (#121988) Thanks @obviyus.
- **Named agent setup:** choose the first agent name during interactive onboarding or with `--agent-name`, migrate legacy main-session history to its clear owner, and reuse `main` as an ordinary agent ID after required doctor repairs. (#123521, #123609, #123424, #123349)
- **Clearer plugin trust:** review an external plugin's capabilities, source, version, and exact artifact before install or enablement, while keeping the previous plugin unchanged if you decline an update. (#130168) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Plugin install provenance warnings:** require `--force` for arbitrary executable plugin sources in CLI/chat installs. Trusted ClawHub, bundled, official-catalog, and tracked-update sources skip that provenance warning, but retain capability consent. Crestodian installs require trusted sources. (#102197) Thanks @jesse-merhi.
- **Session permission modes:** choose an explicit session permission mode and keep restricted filesystem access anchored to its recorded workspace or worktree, while newly created worktrees inherit configured policy unless a mode is selected. (#124909, #131547, #132989)
- **Team operator roles:** assign verified users named roles that limit accessible agents, other people's sessions, and operator scopes, and optionally require sandboxed execution for newly created sessions; these are collaboration controls, not hostile-tenant isolation. (#128548, #129926)
- **Shared credential store:** manage team-scoped secret and environment entries in SQLite through the CLI and Settings; keep secret values write-only, bind protected egress to declared hosts, and distinguish readable environment values from secrets. (#121559, #121724, #126088)
- **Optional 1Password broker:** resolve curated SecretRefs or read selected 1Password fields with service-account auth, per-secret approval, and value-free audit. Agent-tool reads expose the selected value to the model for that execution. (#106133)
- **Usage statistics controls:** offer opt-in feature statistics with the daily version check. Inspect payloads with `openclaw telemetry show`; disable statistics or all automatic update requests. Feature statistics default off. (#128476)
- **Incognito threads:** keep Control UI conversation transcripts and compaction state in Gateway memory until restart, with memory flush off. Provider processing, diagnostic logs, and explicit tool writes retain their own behavior. (#113006) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Guided onboarding:** guide first-run setup through Custodian with structured option cards and native setup controls. (#109841, #110141, #114631) Thanks @jesse-merhi.
- **Local model setup:** offer model-download actions in web and macOS onboarding, prefer stronger available local models during detection, and provide lean mode for local runtimes. (#113476, #109250, #110596)
- **Quick Chat and desktop setup:** add macOS dictation, paste-to-app and model controls, Linux agent switching and per-agent routing, and a more complete Linux onboarding flow. (#110994, #110285, #129815)
- **Cloud setup:** select project-specific cloud worker defaults and see the active service, profile, machine resources, and worker-slot availability in placement controls. (#126238, #125696, #132405, #132394)
- **Cloud worker bootstrap:** use the running Gateway’s verified runtime artifact for cloud nodes, aligning source builds and worker packages. Images need supported Node.js, npm, and registry access; reverse proxies must forward the authenticated bootstrap-artifact route. (#133037)
- **External supervision:** set `OPENCLAW_SUPERVISOR_MODE=external` to let an external supervisor own Gateway restarts, service lifecycle, and updates without competing native service changes. (#109162, #119846, #121069) Thanks @shakkernerd and @vincentkoc.
- **ClickClack setup and commands:** connect ClickClack with a one-use expiring setup code, verify the account immediately, and publish native command menus at Gateway startup when the token has `commands:write`. (#107907, #109398) Thanks @shakkernerd.
- **Memory migration:** offer detected Claude Code, Codex, and Hermes memory imports during CLI, macOS, and Linux onboarding. (#108977)
- **Plugin uninstall cleanup:** remove exact recorded install paths from `plugins.load.paths` for marketplace, npm, and other managed installs while preserving parent, child, prefix, and unrelated paths. (#118930) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Recoverable backups:** schedule recorded database backups, keep versioned snapshots in an operator-owned Git repository, and restore a verified full archive into a fresh staging directory. (#122485, #122750)
- **Shared Gateway profiles:** manage display names and avatars, see who is online, and retain session-creator attribution with person filters. (#111224, #111421, #111501, #112658) Thanks @joshavant.
- **Cloud lifecycle:** suspend idle cloud workers after a configured interval and provision a replacement on the next message, preserving the session and reconciled workspace. (#130242)
- **Development previews:** expose agent-run development servers through authenticated Portals, including supported node-backed cloud workers, without manually opening inbound worker ports. (#122536, #130105)
- **Device hosting:** opt paired machines into session hosting with one-paste onboarding and enable native session hosting from the macOS app. (#122499, #131717)
- **Daytona sandboxes:** add a Daytona backend plugin for isolated cloud execution. (#121554) Thanks @mislavivanda and @Patrick-Erichsen.
- **Task suggestions:** name the suggestion-card tool `suggest_task` so agents can propose follow-up work without implying that it has started, with doctor migration for persisted references to the old name. (#121694)
- **Goals:** create and manage goals from the Control UI without entering slash commands. (#131370)
- **Workboard:** link boards to owning automations, run attached automations when linked sessions finish, and show complete boards on session dashboards. (#125076, #125170, #125094) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Agent interoperability:** add an opt-in A2A 1.0 channel plugin for authenticated text tasks, task polling, and messages to configured peer agents. (#130008)
- **Email triggers:** start agent work from configured inbound IMAP mailboxes through a new plugin. (#130230)
- **Approval surfaces:** show typed operation-scope summaries on channel cards, add native Teams approve/deny controls, and deliver opted-in PWA approval notifications. (#130116, #129997, #129348) Thanks @Takhoffman.
- **Session organization:** carry session colors across web and native apps, group the web sidebar by project, and search sessions and connected catalogs from the command palette. (#132570, #131543, #128356) Thanks @VACInc.
- **Safer startup repair:** apply safe doctor configuration migrations at Gateway startup before normal operation. (#132135)
- **ClawHub review:** show available security-audit information before a plugin install. (#131233) Thanks @Patrick-Erichsen and @vincentkoc.
- **Debugging handoff:** add `openclaw triage` for sanitized agent-debugging handoffs. (#128756)
- **Shared conversation terminals:** share a conversation terminal across browser viewers, and let the agent inspect or operate an operator-opened terminal within that exact session and its permission policy. (#109005, #129604)
- **Terminal uploads:** drop files into a terminal with per-file upload progress, cancellation, and retry, then insert safely quoted paths without running a command. (#107364, #107789)
- **Experimental Fleet:** provision and manage separate experimental OpenClaw cells on a local Docker or Podman host, with per-cell resources, logs, diagnostics, and backup/restore. (#104527, #104669, #104814, #104828)
- **Experimental Swarm:** enable experimental Swarm in Labs to fan out bounded parallel subagents, await structured results, and follow their progress across web and native chat. (#110932, #111267, #111297, #111298, #113850)
- **Interactive widgets:** present interactive widgets in chat, pin them to session dashboards, export rendered views as PNGs, and grant exact actions or network origins to pinned widgets. (#101840, #108889, #108983, #110960, #110987, #110992, #111030, #125803, #127315) Thanks @100yenadmin and @hannesrudolph.
- **Editable prompt queues:** edit queued prompts in place and reorder pending messages without disturbing work already sent to a running session. (#121682, #121692, #124298) Thanks @vyctorbrzezowski, @jjjhenriksen, and @Patrick-Erichsen.
- **Structured questions:** answer structured agent questions through web and native cards, messaging buttons, or a plain-text reply, with free-text alternatives and an explicit Skip path. (#109922, #110372, #130262) Thanks @obviyus.
- **Durable progress cards:** follow one durable progress card for a session across web, macOS, iOS, Android, and dashboard views, retaining the latest plan or status through reloads. (#125125, #125438, #125442, #125444)
- **Presence-triggered conversations:** optionally wake an agent when an eligible Discord participant comes online or a previously active Slack participant returns, with scoped audiences, cooldowns, and configurable Slack guidance. (#107451, #108510, #123805, #123875) Thanks @sjf-oa and @sjf.
- **Room introductions:** introduce the agent when it joins an allowed Matrix or LINE group, with per-account switches to turn introductions off. (#131128)
- **Managed local inference:** set up managed llama.cpp chat and local embeddings, or connect an existing llama-server, using one model-provider namespace and read-only discovery. (#109444, #109585, #123701, #130883, #125781) Thanks @obviyus, @NovaUnboundAi, and @osolmaz.
- **Web request customization:** configure operator request headers for web_fetch and Gemini web search to work with controlled gateways and upstream requirements. (#115545, #115549) Thanks @jesse-merhi.
- **SQLite snapshots:** create, list, verify, and restore compact global and per-agent database snapshots with `openclaw backup sqlite`, using fresh restore targets. (#105718) Thanks @giodl73-repo and @vincentkoc.
- **Workboard dispatch cap:** add a request-scoped `--max-starts` override while preserving the default cap, sequential starts, and one-card-per-owner guard. (#100174) Thanks @souvikDevloper, @Souvikalp, and @jwest75674.
- **Conversation branches:** rewind or fork from a persisted user message, switch among retained transcript branches, and keep earlier conversation paths available; rewind changes chat context without undoing files or other tool effects. (#110660, #110857, #110886, #112056, #112284)
- **Shared-session participation:** set session visibility and membership, assign an owner, and enforce who may view, suggest, or contribute while retaining creator attribution. (#112787, #125057)
- **Headless agent runs:** run `openclaw agent exec` against a chosen working directory with temporary state, optional retained state, explicit model fallbacks, and machine-readable results while preserving configured security restrictions. (#113988, #116038)
- **Configuration change history:** record configuration changes with writer labels, sensitive-value redaction, and manual-edit detection so operators can inspect what changed. (#111147, #111286)
- **Memory ownership:** inspect the sessions that contributed to memory, exclude selected sources from admission, and remove identifiable derived memory with `openclaw memory forget` while keeping source transcripts intact. (#130151) Thanks @vincentkoc.
- **Skill Workshop:** consolidate and improve learned skill collections through a recoverable review flow, reuse existing skills during `/learn`, and schedule collection review through the Gateway's system-owned automation. (#121653, #130030) Thanks @obviyus and @joshavant.
- **MCP dashboards:** pin interactive MCP app views from a conversation to its dashboard, retaining bounded tool grants and restoring the view when reopened. (#111524)
- **MCP connections:** add servers from composer connectors and support per-requester OAuth credentials for shared MCP servers. (#115921, #122166) Thanks @obviyus.
- **Code Mode selection:** configure Code Mode per model while preserving inherited defaults. (#132332)
- **Model discovery:** add Qwen 3.8 Max/Flash, DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision (Experimental), NVIDIA Nemotron 3.5 Lightning, and GLM-5.3/Flash, with provider-owned discovery. (#131294, #123523, #130309) Thanks @oliver-mee and @Marvinthebored.
- **Conversation search:** search past conversations by exact words or phrases and reopen the surrounding messages from a matching hit. (#105057, #105585, #105635, #105831) Thanks @hercial61 and @obviyus.
- **Baseten and Qwen plans:** add Baseten Model APIs and Qwen Token Plan Team Edition as official external plugins with their own setup and authenti
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