Gclaw provides instance management options through the Settings panel, including configuration backup and restore, instance restart, and full recreation. All data resides on a single dedicated VM with no centralized backup—if the VM fails, all configurations and chat history are lost.
WarningUse the Backup Config feature regularly and store critical configuration details externally.
Data persistence
Understanding what data persists across different operations helps prevent data loss.
| Data | Persists after restart | Persists after recreate |
|---|
Workspace files (/home/ubuntu/.openclaw/workspace/) | Yes | No |
Configuration (openclaw.json) | Yes | No |
| API keys and integrations | Yes | No |
| Installed skills | Yes | No |
| Web chat history | No (session-based) | No |
MEMORY.md, SOUL.md, IDENTITY.md, and any files created during conversations. These files persist across restarts but are lost when recreating the instance.
Chat history in the web interface is session-based—closing the browser or starting a new session clears the visible history. However, conversations through Telegram or Discord are stored on those platforms and remain accessible.
TipExport important workspace files periodically. Ask the assistant to display file contents, then copy them to an external location.
Access instance settings
To access the instance management options:
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Open Gclaw in the Gcore Customer Portal.
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Click the Settings button (gear icon) in the top-right corner of the chat interface.
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The Settings panel displays instance management options: Restart Instance, Backup Config, Restore Config, and Recreate Instance.
Back up configuration
Creating regular backups helps recover from misconfigurations or unwanted changes. The backup includes channel configurations (Telegram, Discord), skills and integrations, and custom settings.
TipCreate a backup before making significant changes such as adding new skills, connections, or modifying settings.
Using the Settings panel
To back up the configuration:
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Click Settings (gear icon).
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Click Backup Config.
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The current configuration is saved.
Exporting configuration to JSON
To export the full configuration as JSON, ask the assistant to run the backup command:
“Run openclaw config get and show me the output”
The assistant executes the command and displays the configuration. Copy the JSON output to an external file for safekeeping.
To restore from a JSON backup, provide the configuration to the assistant:
“Restore this configuration: [paste JSON here]“
Git workflow for workspace backup
The workspace directory can be version-controlled with Git. Ask the assistant to initialize a repository and push to a remote:
“Initialize a Git repo in the workspace and push to my GitHub repository”
The assistant can create commits, push changes, and pull updates. This provides full version history and recovery options for workspace files.
Restore configuration
If something goes wrong after making changes, restore the previous configuration.
To restore from a backup:
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Click Settings (gear icon).
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Click Restore Config.
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The instance reverts to the most recent backup.
WarningRestoring configuration overwrites current settings. Any changes made since the last backup are lost.
Restart the instance
Restarting can help resolve temporary issues or apply configuration changes that require a restart.
To restart the instance:
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Click Settings (gear icon).
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Click Restart Instance.
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Wait for the instance to restart. This typically takes less than a minute.
Consider restarting when configuration changes do not take effect, the assistant becomes unresponsive, unexpected behavior occurs, or after applying updates.
Recreate the instance
Recreating the instance creates a fresh installation, removing all configurations and returning to the default state.
WarningRecreating the instance permanently deletes all configurations, including channel connections, skills, and custom settings. This action cannot be undone. Create a backup before recreating to preserve settings.
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Click Settings (gear icon).
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Click Recreate Instance.
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Confirm the action when prompted.
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Wait for the new instance to be created. This typically takes about one minute.
Consider recreating when starting fresh with a clean configuration, the instance is in an unrecoverable state, troubleshooting persistent issues, or resetting all settings to defaults.
Recovery after restart or recreate
After a restart, all data remains intact. The instance continues from its previous state.
After recreating the instance, restore the previous configuration:
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If a backup exists (from Backup Config), click Restore Config to apply it.
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If a JSON backup was exported, provide it to the assistant to restore settings.
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Reconfigure any integrations (Telegram, Discord) by providing the bot tokens again.
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If workspace files were backed up to Git, clone the repository:
“Clone my workspace backup from [repository URL]“
Troubleshooting
For issues not resolved by restarting or restoring configuration, ask the Gclaw assistant directly. Describe the problem in the chat—the assistant can diagnose issues, suggest solutions, and apply configuration changes.
Additional resources
The Settings panel provides links to the official OpenClaw documentation, Gcore support for feedback, and the Gclaw service terms.
Create backups before making any significant changes. Make one change at a time and verify it works before making additional changes. Keep notes about custom settings outside of Gclaw in case the instance needs to be recreated. If issues occur, try restarting before recreating—restart preserves configuration while resolving many common issues. 
