How to Open the OpenClaw Terminal UI Instead of the Web UI

Start the gateway, open the TUI, and keep debugging or chatting from the terminal when you do not need the browser dashboard.

OpenClaw does not require the web dashboard for day-to-day use. If you prefer a terminal-first workflow, the TUI gives you chat, tool output, and model controls without leaving the shell.

Quick answer

Start the gateway, run openclaw tui, and only add --url plus --token when you are connecting to a remote gateway.

Command line steps

1. Start or verify the gateway

The TUI is a gateway client, so it only works once the gateway is reachable.

2. Open the local TUI

For a local install, the default command is enough.

3. Connect the TUI to a remote gateway when needed

When you pass an explicit URL, also pass explicit auth.

What to check if it still fails

• If the TUI cannot connect, verify the gateway first with openclaw gateway status --require-rpc.
• If you passed --url, remember the CLI stops auto-reading your saved token. Supply --token or --password explicitly.
• If you just want logs, openclaw logs --follow is often faster than opening the TUI.