I asked it to fix the dashboard after I fixed it and it started, disconnected from everything and now it says
Invalid config:
- gateway.auth.mode: Invalid input (allowed: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy")
#I broke my Openclaw when I was trying to fix a dashboard
bleak pendant
fossil ingotBOT
bleak pendant
If you guys can help that would be great
chrome sapphireBOT
Yep — that error means gateway.auth.mode got set to an invalid value (or wrong type).
It must be exactly one of:
"none""token""password""trusted-proxy"
Quick recovery (safe default = token auth):
pnpm openclaw --version
pnpm openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode token
pnpm openclaw doctor --generate-gateway-token
pnpm openclaw gateway restart
pnpm openclaw gateway status
If you prefer password auth instead:
pnpm openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode password
# then set OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PASSWORD in your env/service config
pnpm openclaw gateway restart
If you want, paste your gateway.auth block (redact token/password) and I’ll sanity-check it line-by-line.
Docs:
Yep, we can fix it 👍
This is usually one bad value like trusted_proxy (underscore) or off in gateway.auth.mode.
Run this exactly:
pnpm openclaw --version
pnpm openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode token
pnpm openclaw doctor --generate-gateway-token
pnpm openclaw gateway restart
pnpm openclaw gateway status
If restart still fails, send these outputs:
pnpm openclaw config get gateway.auth.mode
pnpm openclaw config get gateway.auth
(You can redact token/password.)
Also make sure your config file is JSON5 (~/.openclaw/openclaw.json) and mode is a quoted string, e.g. "token".
Refs:
bleak pendant
I am not using pnpm,
chrome sapphireBOT
Perfect — then just use the same commands without pnpm:
openclaw --version
openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode token
openclaw doctor --generate-gateway-token
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw gateway status
If config set fails, edit ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json manually and make sure this is valid:
{
gateway: {
auth: {
mode: "token"
}
}
}
Then restart gateway.
If you paste your gateway.auth block (redact secrets), I can spot the exact broken value fast.
bleak pendant
```json5
mode: "token"
}
}
}
```
Then restart gateway.
If you paste your `gate...
Tell me specifically what you want from me so I can copy it without giving my secrets….
chrome sapphireBOT
100% fair — my bad, let’s do this with zero secrets shared.
Please copy/paste these exactly and send me only the output:
openclaw --version
openclaw config get gateway.auth.mode
Then run this fix (no need to paste token values):
openclaw config set gateway.auth.mode token
openclaw doctor --generate-gateway-token
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw gateway status
If it still errors after that, send only this output (still safe):
openclaw gateway status
I do not need your token/password at all.
bleak pendant
100% fair — my bad, let’s do this with **zero secrets shared**.
Please copy/pas...
openclaw --version
OpenClaw 2026.3.28 (f9b1079)
openclaw config get gateway.auth.mode
Invalid config at /Users/pl/.openclaw/openclaw.json:\n- gateway.auth.mode: Invalid input (allowed: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy")
🦞 OpenClaw 2026.3.28 (f9b1079) — Running on your hardware, reading your logs, judging nothing (mostly).
Config invalid
File: ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Problem:
- gateway.auth.mode: Invalid input (allowed: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy")
Run: openclaw doctor --fix
And
openclaw gateway status
Invalid config at /Users/pl/.openclaw/openclaw.json:\n- gateway.auth.mode: Invalid input (allowed: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy")
🦞 OpenClaw 2026.3.28 (f9b1079) — Give me a workspace and I'll give you fewer tabs, fewer toggles, and more oxygen.
Config invalid
File: ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Problem:
- gateway.auth.mode: Invalid input (allowed: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy")
Run: openclaw doctor --fix
Gateway status failed: Error: Invalid config at /Users/pl/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
- gateway.auth.mode: Invalid input (allowed: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy")
chrome sapphireBOT
Awesome, that output helps a lot.
You’re on a good version — the issue is just that the config is invalid enough that normal config get/set won’t run yet.
Step 1 (easy): let OpenClaw repair it
openclaw doctor --fix
Step 2 (if doctor doesn’t fix it): manual one-line fix
Open this file:
/Users/pl/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Find the gateway auth mode entry and set it to exactly:
mode: "token"
(Valid values are only: "none", "token", "password", "trusted-proxy".)
Then run:
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw gateway status
If you want me to verify without secrets, paste only the line containing mode: from the gateway.auth section.
bleak pendant
Awesome, that output helps a lot.
You’re on a good version — the issue is just ...
Fix didn’t work will do the other part
chrome sapphireBOT
Looks like your message got cut off 😅
Can you paste one of these:
- Output of:
openclaw doctor --fix
or
- Just the
mode:line fromgateway.authin/Users/pl/.openclaw/openclaw.json.
No secrets needed.
bleak pendant
Ok I think me changing it worked but the drop down app I tried to fix doesn’t work
There is something that says error pairing required for what I want
And when I ask Openclaw to fix it it bricks it and all of this happens
@chrome sapphire
chrome sapphireBOT
Got it — pairing required is a separate step after auth/config.
Copy this exactly:
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve --latest
Then refresh/reconnect the dashboard.
If it still says pairing required:
- keep dashboard tab open (so it creates a fresh pending request)
- run again:
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve --latest
If you want, paste the non-secret output of openclaw devices list and I’ll tell you exactly which request to approve.
Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai/web/dashboard#if-you-see-unauthorized-1008
Yeah — that’s super frustrating, and you’re not wrong.
When config gets even slightly invalid, “auto-fix” loops can make it worse fast.
Use this safe recovery pattern instead (commands only, no AI self-editing):
# 1) backup current config first
cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.bak.$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
# 2) let built-in fixer handle schema issues
openclaw doctor --fix
# 3) restart gateway
openclaw gateway restart
# 4) if dashboard says pairing required
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve --latest
And for future: when asking OpenClaw for help, say:
“Give me commands only. Do not edit config files directly.”
That avoids these brick loops.