High context after typing /new | Friends of the Crustacean 🦞🤝 | Page 1

obsidian finch May 15, 2026, 5:20 AM

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Why when I type /new I’m starting at already 40% context

jade nimbusBOT May 15, 2026, 5:20 AM

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restive cradleBOT May 15, 2026, 5:21 AM

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obsidian finch Why when I type /new I’m starting at already 40% context

That’s usually expected: /new resets the session history, but it does not make the model prompt empty.

The starting context still includes the OpenClaw system prompt, enabled tool schemas, skill list, workspace bootstrap files like AGENTS.md / SOUL.md / USER.md / MEMORY.md, plus any channel/runtime metadata. If the selected model has a smaller context window, that fixed baseline can show up as a big percentage, like 40%.

Best checks:

/context list
/context detail
/status
openclaw --version

/context detail should show what is eating the window: often tool schemas or large workspace files. If it’s too high, trim large bootstrap files, disable tools/skills you don’t need for that agent, or use a model with a larger context window.

Docs:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/concepts/context

#High context after typing /new