openclaw browser
Manage OpenClaw’s browser control server and run browser actions (tabs, snapshots, screenshots, navigation, clicks, typing).
Related:
Common flags
--url <gatewayWsUrl>: Gateway WebSocket URL (defaults to config).
--token <token>: Gateway token (if required).
--timeout <ms>: request timeout (ms).
--browser-profile <name>: choose a browser profile (default from config).
--json: machine-readable output (where supported).
Quick start (local)
openclaw browser profiles
openclaw browser --browser-profile openclaw start
openclaw browser --browser-profile openclaw open https://example.com
openclaw browser --browser-profile openclaw snapshot
Profiles
Profiles are named browser routing configs. In practice:
openclaw: launches or attaches to a dedicated OpenClaw-managed Chrome instance (isolated user data dir).
user: controls your existing signed-in Chrome session via Chrome DevTools MCP.
- custom CDP profiles: point at a local or remote CDP endpoint.
openclaw browser profiles
openclaw browser create-profile --name work --color "#FF5A36"
openclaw browser create-profile --name chrome-live --driver existing-session
openclaw browser delete-profile --name work
Use a specific profile:
openclaw browser --browser-profile work tabs
Tabs
openclaw browser tabs
openclaw browser open https://docs.openclaw.ai
openclaw browser focus <targetId>
openclaw browser close <targetId>
Snapshot / screenshot / actions
Snapshot:
openclaw browser snapshot
Screenshot:
openclaw browser screenshot
Navigate/click/type (ref-based UI automation):
openclaw browser navigate https://example.com
openclaw browser click <ref>
openclaw browser type <ref> "hello"
Existing Chrome via MCP
Use the built-in user profile, or create your own existing-session profile:
openclaw browser --browser-profile user tabs
openclaw browser create-profile --name chrome-live --driver existing-session
openclaw browser create-profile --name brave-live --driver existing-session --user-data-dir "~/Library/Application Support/BraveSoftware/Brave-Browser"
openclaw browser --browser-profile chrome-live tabs
This path is host-only. For Docker, headless servers, Browserless, or other remote setups, use a CDP profile instead.
Remote browser control (node host proxy)
If the Gateway runs on a different machine than the browser, run a node host on the machine that has Chrome/Brave/Edge/Chromium. The Gateway will proxy browser actions to that node (no separate browser control server required).
Use gateway.nodes.browser.mode to control auto-routing and gateway.nodes.browser.node to pin a specific node if multiple are connected.
Security + remote setup: Browser tool, Remote access, Tailscale, SecurityLast modified on March 22, 2026