OpenClaw Skills Install: Add Superpowers to Your Agent in Minutes

The fastest I've installed a skill and had it working in production: 43 seconds. That's the ClaWHub CLI path. No editing config files, no copying files by hand. You run one command, restart the agent, and the tool is available. This guide shows every installation method so you can pick the right one for your workflow.

Before You Install

Check your OpenClaw version first. Skill installation via CLI requires v1.3.0 or later. If you're on an older version, install methods 2 and 3 still work — you'll just be copying files manually.

openclaw --version
# Should output: openclaw v1.x.x

Also confirm your skills directory exists and is writable:

ls -la ~/.openclaw/skills/
# Should exist. If not:
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/skills/

We'll get to the exact install commands in a moment — but first understand that every OpenClaw skill, regardless of how you install it, ends up in the same place: a named subdirectory inside your skills folder with a SKILL.md manifest file. That's the invariant. The install method just determines how the files get there.

Method 1 — Install from ClaWHub Registry

This is the recommended method for any skill listed in the ClaWHub registry. One command handles download, integrity verification, and placement.

# Install a single skill
openclaw skills install web-search

# Install multiple skills at once
openclaw skills install web-search summarize gmail obsidian

# Install a specific version
openclaw skills install web-search@2.0.1

# Install and immediately verify
openclaw skills install web-search && openclaw skills list | grep web-search

Method 2 — Install from Local Directory

Use this when you've built a custom skill, downloaded one outside ClaWHub, or want to test changes before publishing.

# Install from an absolute path
openclaw skills install /home/user/my-custom-skill/

# Install from current directory (must contain SKILL.md)
openclaw skills install .

# Install and give it a custom name
openclaw skills install /path/to/skill/ --name my-skill

OpenClaw copies the directory into ~/.openclaw/skills/[skill-name]/. It doesn't symlink — it copies. This means changes to the source directory won't automatically update the installed skill. Re-run the install command to update.

Method 3 — Install from Git URL

The most reproducible method for team deployments. Pin to a specific commit or tag for deterministic installs across environments.

# Install from a public Git repo
openclaw skills install https://github.com/user/my-openclaw-skill.git

# Pin to a specific tag
openclaw skills install https://github.com/user/skill.git@v1.2.0

# Pin to a specific commit
openclaw skills install https://github.com/user/skill.git#abc1234

This method requires git to be installed and accessible in your PATH. OpenClaw clones the repo into a temp directory, validates the manifest, then copies the result into your skills directory.

Verifying Installation

After any install method, this is the verification flow:

1. Restart the agent: openclaw restart
2. List skills: openclaw skills list
3. Confirm the skill shows LOADED status
4. Ask the agent a question that would trigger the skill

$ openclaw skills list

NAME          VERSION   STATUS    SUBCATEGORY
-----------   -------   -------   -----------
web-search    2.1.0     LOADED    Built-in
summarize     1.4.2     LOADED    Built-in
my-skill      1.0.0     LOADED    Custom
gmail         3.0.1     ERROR     Productivity

An ERROR status means the skill manifest was found but failed to load — usually a syntax error in SKILL.md or a missing dependency. Run openclaw skills info [skill-name] to see the full error message.

Troubleshooting Common Install Problems

Here's what goes wrong and exactly how to fix it:

• Skill installed but not appearing in list — restart the agent. Skills load at startup only.
• ERROR status after install — run openclaw skills info [name] --debug for the full error trace.
• Permission denied during install — your skills directory isn't writable. Run chmod 755 ~/.openclaw/skills/.
• ClaWHub install fails with "not found" — the skill name may be wrong. Run openclaw skills search [keyword] to find the exact name.
• Git install fails — confirm git is in PATH with which git. Also check the repo URL is public or that you have SSH keys configured.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install an OpenClaw skill from ClaWHub?

Run openclaw skills install [skill-name] and OpenClaw fetches and installs it from ClaWHub automatically. Then restart your agent with openclaw restart for the skill to activate.

Can I install a skill from a local folder?

Yes. Run openclaw skills install /path/to/skill-directory and OpenClaw copies it into your skills directory. The folder must contain a valid SKILL.md manifest to be recognized.

Why isn't my installed skill showing up?

Skills load at startup. If you installed after launching the agent, restart the process with openclaw restart. Also check that the skill directory contains a SKILL.md file — missing manifests are silently skipped.

How do I see which skills are currently loaded?

Run openclaw skills list to see all installed skills, their versions, and their current load status. A LOADED label means the skill is active in the current session.

Can I install multiple skills at once?

Yes. Pass multiple names in a single command: openclaw skills install web-search summarize obsidian. OpenClaw installs them sequentially and reports success or failure for each.

How do I uninstall a skill?

Run openclaw skills remove [skill-name]. This deletes the skill directory and removes it from any profiles that reference it. Restart required to deactivate the skill in a running session.

Do installed skills auto-update?

Skills don't auto-update by default — updates require explicit intent to avoid breaking production agents. Run openclaw skills update periodically or pin specific versions in your config.