How do I upgrade to OpenClaw 2.0?

OpenClaw 2.0 ships as version v2026.8.1. After updating, the release notes tell you to run `openclaw doctor --fix`, which migrates shipped model references, provider configuration, stored sessions, and automation routes. The command also flags conflicts it cannot resolve so an operator can repair them by hand.

What breaks when I move to OpenClaw 2.0?

OpenClaw 2.0 removes the bundled OpenProse plugin, so you follow the upstream Agent Skill migration and keep your `.prose` source files. Model references under `codex/*` and `openai-codex/*` move to `openai/*`. Separately, plugin SDK import paths are deprecated from 2026-09-01, with config moving to `api.pluginConfig`.

Can a team share an OpenClaw session?

Yes. OpenClaw 2.0 adds shared cloud sessions so several people can work in the same conversation, plus team operator roles that limit which agents and sessions a person can reach. A shared credential store, managed from the CLI or Settings, holds team-level secrets, and private credential requests arrive through masked prompts.

Why did OpenClaw 2.0 take so long compared with earlier releases?

OpenClaw had shipped 106 releases in 230 days before this one, so the near-two-month gap was unusual for the project. Community manager Hannes Rudolph writes that OpenClaw 2.0 touches installation, messaging, memory, skills, models, automations, the browser, native apps, plugins, and security at once, and holds half of every pull request the project has ever merged.

OpenClaw · 2026-08-30 · major

OpenClaw 2.0 — the largest release yet for the open-source AI assistant

OpenClaw 2.0 (v2026.8.1) merges over 16,000 pull requests from 933 contributors, adding conversation search, shared cloud sessions for teams, self-learning skills, and a rebuilt browser experience.

OpenClaw 2.0 rebuilds installation, memory, skills, the browser and team access in one release built from over 16,000 merged pull requests.

Key specs

GitHub stars	388,174

Quick facts

Version	v2026.8.1, called OpenClaw 2.0
Contributors	933, of which 569 were first-time
Pull requests merged	Over 16,000 — half of all PRs ever merged
Build time	Nearly two months
Platforms	Browser, macOS, Android, Wear OS
Breaking changes	OpenProse plugin removed; codex/* model refs move to openai/*
Migration command	openclaw doctor --fix

What is it?

OpenClaw 2.0 adds conversation search over exact words and phrases, shared cloud sessions that let a team work in one conversation, and skills the assistant learns on its own and reuses later. The browser is now the main way in, rebuilt as a first-class experience, and onboarding can import memories from Claude, Codex and Hermes. Version v2026.8.1 carries the changes.

How does it work?

Active Memory is on by default in OpenClaw 2.0, and a model runs in the background to consolidate memories, promoting provenance-qualified material into long-term storage that you can inspect and prune. Skills follow the same idea: the assistant captures reusable lessons and applies scanner-approved ones automatically. Automations bind to the conversation that created them, and you approve a recurring operation once, then inspect or revoke that permission later.

Why does it matter?

Self-hosted assistants have been single-user tools. Team operator roles, a shared credential store and masked credential prompts in OpenClaw 2.0 make it something a small team can run together without handing everyone every secret. The trade-off is a migration: the bundled OpenProse plugin is gone and OpenAI model routes have changed, so existing installs need a repair pass before the SDK deprecations land on 2026-09-01.

Who is it for?

self-hosters and small teams running their own AI assistant

Frequently asked questions

How do I upgrade to OpenClaw 2.0?: OpenClaw 2.0 ships as version v2026.8.1. After updating, the release notes tell you to run `openclaw doctor --fix`, which migrates shipped model references, provider configuration, stored sessions, and automation routes. The command also flags conflicts it cannot resolve so an operator can repair them by hand.
What breaks when I move to OpenClaw 2.0?: OpenClaw 2.0 removes the bundled OpenProse plugin, so you follow the upstream Agent Skill migration and keep your `.prose` source files. Model references under `codex/*` and `openai-codex/*` move to `openai/*`. Separately, plugin SDK import paths are deprecated from 2026-09-01, with config moving to `api.pluginConfig`.
Can a team share an OpenClaw session?: Yes. OpenClaw 2.0 adds shared cloud sessions so several people can work in the same conversation, plus team operator roles that limit which agents and sessions a person can reach. A shared credential store, managed from the CLI or Settings, holds team-level secrets, and private credential requests arrive through masked prompts.
Why did OpenClaw 2.0 take so long compared with earlier releases?: OpenClaw had shipped 106 releases in 230 days before this one, so the near-two-month gap was unusual for the project. Community manager Hannes Rudolph writes that OpenClaw 2.0 touches installation, messaging, memory, skills, models, automations, the browser, native apps, plugins, and security at once, and holds half of every pull request the project has ever merged.

Try it

openclaw doctor --fix