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openclaw/docs/cli/uninstall.md
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Peter Steinberger 7bc994aee8 fix(install): avoid success after incomplete lifecycle changes (#125992)
* fix(install): make lifecycle mutations transactional

Standalone installers now apply npm-version-aware lifecycle approval. Updates verify and repair the installation before reporting success and preserve the prior install owner during method switches. Uninstall now exits nonzero when requested cleanup is only partially completed. Plugin update behavior is unchanged.

Closes #125925

* test(uninstall): assert aggregated live-owner failure

* fix(install): satisfy standalone shell checks

* fix(update): scan PATH for prior Git wrapper

* test(hooks): await Gmail watcher descendant exit

* fix(install): verify Windows npm candidate

* fix(ci): normalize package acceptance version

* fix(update): preserve staged local package links

* test(update): fold staged symlink coverage

* fix(update): retire every legacy Git wrapper

* test(docs): align consolidated ownership checks
2026-08-18 20:50:15 -07:00

2.5 KiB

summary, read_when, title
summary read_when title
CLI reference for `openclaw uninstall` (remove gateway service + local data)
You want to remove the gateway service and/or local state
You want a dry-run first
Uninstall

openclaw uninstall

Uninstall the Gateway service and/or local data. The CLI itself is not removed; uninstall it via npm/pnpm separately.

Options

Flag Default Description
--service false Remove the Gateway service.
--state false Remove state and config.
--workspace false Remove workspace directories.
--app false Remove the macOS app.
--all false Shorthand for --service --state --workspace --app.
--yes false Skip confirmation prompts.
--non-interactive false Disable prompts; requires --yes.
--dry-run false Print planned actions without removing files.

With no scope flags, an interactive multiselect prompts for which components to remove (defaults to service, state, workspace preselected).

Examples

openclaw backup create
openclaw uninstall
openclaw uninstall --service --yes --non-interactive
openclaw uninstall --state --workspace --yes --non-interactive
openclaw uninstall --all --yes
openclaw uninstall --dry-run

Notes

Uninstall reports each requested scope and exits nonzero if any requested cleanup fails or is blocked. A failed gateway service inspection, stop, or uninstall blocks state and workspace mutation, but independent macOS app cleanup is still attempted. After service teardown is safe, other permitted scopes continue so failures can be reported together. On non-macOS systems, --app reports that the scope is not applicable.

  • Run openclaw backup create first for a restorable snapshot before removing state or workspaces.
  • Before removing state, --state requires exclusive state ownership. If an unmanaged or externally supervised Gateway is still running, uninstall refuses and asks you to stop it first.
  • --state preserves configured workspace directories unless --workspace is also selected.