How to Uninstall OpenClaw?

Uninstalling OpenClaw is straightforward. The built-in uninstall command removes the binary, configuration, and all associated data. If you want to keep your data (conversation history, memory, soul.md), back up the ~/.openclaw directory first.

The uninstall command stops the Gateway, removes the systemd service (if installed), deletes the binary, and removes the data directory. It does NOT uninstall Node.js or Docker — those are shared system components.

For manual removal: delete the ~/.openclaw directory (contains all config and data), remove the global npm package, and disable any systemd services you created.

If you installed via Docker, stop the container and remove the image. Your data persists in the Docker volume unless you explicitly delete it.

To uninstall individual skills without removing OpenClaw itself, use the skill remove command. This removes the skill's MCP server and its data but leaves the rest of your setup intact.

Before uninstalling, consider exporting your soul.md and configuration — they represent your customization work and can be reused if you reinstall later.

# Automatic uninstall
openclaw uninstall

# Manual removal
rm -rf ~/.openclaw
npm uninstall -g openclaw

# Docker removal
docker compose down
docker rmi openclaw/openclaw