---
title: "Restart the OpenClaw Gateway"
description: "Restart the OpenClaw Gateway when your assistant stops responding. Either from the assistant's status page in the HolaClaw app, or over SSH with `openclaw gateway restart`."
updated: 2026-06-02
canonical: https://holaclaw.ai/docs/advanced/restart-the-openclaw-gateway
---

> **Warning**
> These guides are meant for advanced users. If you are not comfortable making low-level system changes, use the regular HolaClaw app and standard docs instead.

The **OpenClaw Gateway** is the service that connects your assistant to its channels (Telegram, WhatsApp, the Mac menu bar) and routes messages to and from the AI model. If your assistant stops responding, drops a channel, or behaves oddly after a configuration change, restarting the Gateway is usually the quickest fix — it reloads the configuration and reconnects every channel without touching your assistant's memory or settings.

There are two ways to restart it: from the app, or over SSH. Most users should use the app.

## Option 1: Restart from the app (recommended)

The HolaClaw app exposes a status page for each assistant. From there you can restart the Gateway with a single click — no terminal required.

### Step 1: Open the assistant's status page

Open the HolaClaw app and go to the **status page** for the assistant you want to restart. It shows the Gateway's current state along with the channels it's connected to.

### Step 2: Click Restart

On the status page, click **Restart**. HolaClaw stops the Gateway, reloads its configuration, and brings it back up. This usually takes a few seconds.

![HolaClaw assistant status page with the Restart button](/images/docs/advanced/gateway-restart.webp)

Once the status returns to **Running**, your channels will reconnect automatically and your assistant will start responding again.

## Option 2: Restart over SSH

If you already work inside the VM — or the app's status page is unavailable — you can restart the Gateway directly from a terminal.

### Step 1: Connect to the VM

SSH into the HolaClaw virtual machine using the command from the app. See [Access the HolaClaw virtual machine](/docs/advanced/access-the-virtual-machine) for the full walkthrough.

### Step 2: Run the restart command

Once you have a shell inside the VM, run:

```
openclaw gateway restart
```

The command stops the Gateway, reloads its configuration, and starts it again. When it returns, the Gateway is back up and your channels will reconnect.

## What a restart does?

A restart only cycles the Gateway process. It:

- **Reloads** the Gateway's configuration and reconnects every channel.
- **Preserves** your assistant's memory, personality, and channel settings.
- **Does not** reinstall OpenClaw, restart the VM, or change which AI provider you use.

If a restart doesn't resolve the issue, the problem is likely elsewhere (the VM itself, your provider key, or a channel's own configuration) rather than the Gateway.

## If the restart doesn't help

- Give it a moment. Channels can take a few seconds to reconnect after the Gateway comes back up.
- Restart a second time from the status page in case the first attempt was interrupted.
- If the VM itself looks unhealthy, see [HolaClaw VM won't boot](/docs/more/vm-wont-boot).
- If it still won't recover, share what you're seeing in the [HolaClaw Discord](https://discord.gg/FbxAbS5sGQ).

## Related

- [Access the HolaClaw virtual machine](/docs/advanced/access-the-virtual-machine) — connect to the VM over SSH before running Gateway commands.