Uninstalling OpenClaw on macOS means more than dragging an app to the Trash. LaunchAgents keep the gateway running, per-profile state directories remain under your home folder, and cached API secrets stick around until you remove them. Here’s a mac-specific teardown so you can remove everything safely.
TL;DR
Task | macOS-specific answer |
Stop services |
|
Remove LaunchAgent |
|
Clean leftover files | Delete |
Remove app + CLI |
|
Verify | `launchctl list |
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Prep your Mac with backups and profile inventory
This captures agent workspaces, cron transcripts, and secrets so you can restore elsewhere.
List every profile: look for ~/.openclaw, ~/.openclaw-<profile>, and any custom OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR values so you know what to delete later.
Document connectors: note which Slack, Google, Notion, or Discord tokens were paired to your Mac—they’ll need to be revoked manually.
Stop and uninstall the gateway
Mac uninstalls fail when launchd still supervises the gateway. Run the supported CLI flow:
gateway uninstallremoves theai.openclaw.gatewayLaunchAgent before you start deleting files.- The unified
openclaw uninstallcommand runs the same steps automatically if you prefer a single command.
Remove LaunchAgents and login triggers
Even after the CLI runs, double-check launchd:
Repeat for every profile label (ai.openclaw.<profile>). If you experimented with legacy builds, remove any com.openclaw.*.plist files too.
OpenClaw leftover files cleanup
Thorough removal hinges on deleting the state directories mentioned earlier:
- Replace
<profile>with each profile name you used on this Mac. - If you mounted a custom workspace elsewhere, delete that path too.
- Remove any Dock or Finder favorites that pointed into the workspace so macOS doesn’t recreate metadata later.
Delete the CLI, app bundle, and shells
CLI removal (pick your installer):
Shell completions (if installed): remove any openclaw entries from /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions or ~/.config/fish/completions if you manually copied them.
Rotate API keys and desktop permissions
- Revoke tokens in Slack, Google Cloud Console, Discord, GitHub, Notion, and any custom webhook endpoints OpenClaw touched on this Mac.
- Remove screen-recording, microphone, and accessibility permissions under System Settings → Privacy & Security so macOS forgets OpenClaw entirely.
Verify everything is gone
Run these checks after the cleanup:
If any command still reports a service or binary, revisit the earlier sections and rerun the matching cleanup step.
FAQ
How do I reinstall later?
After the verification commands fail (which means success), rerun the installer you prefer (npm install -g openclaw, install.sh, etc.) and onboard as if it were a new Mac.
Do I need sudo for any step?
No. OpenClaw runs as a user-level launchd job. Use your standard account for every uninstall command to guarantee you touch the correct directories.
What if I used multiple profiles?
Repeat the LaunchAgent removal and directory deletion for each ai.openclaw.<profile> plist and ~/.openclaw-<profile> directory. Profiles are independent, so they won’t disappear until you delete them individually.
Why delete the workspace if I already ran openclaw uninstall?
The CLI only removes the state directory. Workspaces can live anywhere, so manual deletion is the only way to guarantee they’re gone from this Mac.
