How to Install OpenClaw Skills

What Are OpenClaw Skills?

Skills are plugins that give your OpenClaw AI agent new capabilities beyond basic conversation. Each skill adds a specific tool or integration that the agent can use when responding to your messages.

Out of the box, OpenClaw comes with a handful of built-in capabilities. But the real power comes from the 3,000+ skills available on ClawHub — the official skill marketplace. Skills cover everything from web search, image generation, and code execution to browser automation, file management, and database access.

Think of skills like apps on your phone — your agent starts with the basics, and you install exactly the capabilities you need.

Where to Find Skills

There are three main ways to discover OpenClaw skills:

• ClawHub — The official skill marketplace at clawhub.io. Browse categories, read reviews, and install skills directly. ClawHub hosts 3,000+ verified skills from the community and official publishers.
• /skill search command — Search for skills directly from your OpenClaw chat. Run /skill search web search to find all search-related skills, or /skill search image to find image generation skills.
• OpenClaw Launch Skills page — Browse curated skills at openclawlaunch.com/skills with one-click install for managed instances.

How to Install a Skill

There are three methods to install a skill, depending on your setup:

Method 1: /skill install Command

The easiest way to install a skill is through the chat command:

/skill install @publisher/skill-name

For example, to install the Tavily web search skill:

/skill install @anthropic/tavily-search

The skill will be downloaded from ClawHub and activated immediately. If the skill requires an API key or other configuration, it will prompt you during installation.

Method 2: Manual openclaw.json Configuration

You can also install skills by editing your openclaw.json config file directly. This is useful for automation or when deploying multiple instances with the same skill set.

{
  "plugins": {
    "entries": {
      "tavily-search": {
        "enabled": true,
        "source": "@anthropic/tavily-search"
      },
      "image-gen": {
        "enabled": true,
        "source": "@openclaw/image-gen"
      }
    }
  },
  "skills": {
    "tavily-search": {
      "apiKey": "tvly-your-api-key-here"
    }
  }
}

After saving the config, the gateway will hot-reload and activate the new skills without requiring a restart.

Method 3: One-Click on OpenClaw Launch

If you're using OpenClaw Launch, skills are available as one-click installs from your Dashboard. Browse the Skills page, click “Install”, enter any required API keys, and the skill is automatically configured for your instance — no command line or JSON editing needed.

Popular Skills to Start With

Here are the most popular skills that OpenClaw users install first:

For a deep dive on the Tavily search skill, see our Tavily setup guide.

Managing Installed Skills

Once you have skills installed, use these commands to manage them:

• /skill list — View all currently installed skills and their status (enabled/disabled)
• /skill remove skill-name — Uninstall a skill and remove its configuration
• /skill update skill-name — Update a skill to the latest version from ClawHub
• /skill update --all — Update all installed skills at once
• /skill info skill-name — Check the current version, publisher, and configuration details for a skill

You can temporarily disable a skill without removing it by setting “enabled”: false in the plugins config. This keeps your settings intact for when you want to re-enable it later.

Skill Configuration

Many skills work out of the box with no configuration. Others — especially skills that connect to external APIs — require an API key or additional settings.

Passing API Keys via Config

The most common configuration is an API key. Add it to the skills section of your openclaw.json:

{
  "skills": {
    "tavily-search": {
      "apiKey": "tvly-your-key-here"
    },
    "image-gen": {
      "apiKey": "sk-your-openai-key",
      "model": "dall-e-3",
      "size": "1024x1024"
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables

Some skills also accept configuration via environment variables. This is useful for keeping API keys out of your config file:

TAVILY_API_KEY=tvly-your-key-here
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here

Check each skill's documentation on ClawHub for the supported environment variables and configuration options.

Troubleshooting

Skill Not Found

If /skill install returns “skill not found”:

• Double-check the skill name and publisher (e.g., @anthropic/tavily-search)
• Search for the skill on ClawHub to verify the exact name
• Make sure your OpenClaw version supports the skill — some skills require a minimum version

Installation Errors

If a skill fails to install:

• Check your internet connection — skills are downloaded from ClawHub
• Verify you have write access to the OpenClaw config directory
• Try updating OpenClaw to the latest version: older versions may not support newer skills

Skill Not Responding

If a skill is installed but your agent doesn't use it:

• Run /skill list to confirm the skill is enabled
• Check that any required API keys are configured correctly
• Try explicitly asking your agent to use the skill: “Use the browser skill to visit example.com”
• Check the gateway logs for error messages related to the skill

Rate Limits on ClawHub

ClawHub has rate limits on skill downloads and searches. If you hit a rate limit:

• Wait a few minutes and try again
• Rate limits reset every 15 minutes for free accounts
• Authenticated ClawHub accounts have higher rate limits

Skills on OpenClaw Launch

OpenClaw Launch makes skill management effortless. All 3,000+ ClawHub skills are available directly from your Dashboard with one-click install — no command line, no JSON editing, no manual configuration.

When you deploy an instance on OpenClaw Launch, popular skills like web search, code execution, and browser automation are pre-configured and ready to use. Need to add more? Browse the Skills page, click install, enter any required API keys, and your agent gains the new capability instantly.

OpenClaw Launch also handles skill updates automatically — your skills stay up to date without any manual intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many skills can I install?

There is no hard limit on the number of skills you can install. However, each active skill consumes some memory and processing resources. Most users run between 5 and 15 skills without any performance issues. If you notice slower responses, try disabling skills you don't use frequently.

Are OpenClaw skills free?

The vast majority of skills on ClawHub are free to install and use. Some skills connect to external APIs (like Tavily or OpenAI) that have their own pricing — in those cases, you need an API key from the provider. The skill itself is free; the external service may have costs.

How do I find the best skills?

Start with the Skills page on OpenClaw Launch, which curates the most popular and highest-rated skills. On ClawHub, sort by downloads or rating to find community favorites. For specific use cases, use /skill search with descriptive keywords like “web scraping” or “PDF reader”.

Can I create my own skill?

Yes. OpenClaw skills follow an open plugin format, and anyone can create and publish skills to ClawHub. The skill development documentation covers how to build, test, and publish your own skills. Community-created skills go through a verification process before appearing in ClawHub search results.

What is ClawHub?

ClawHub is the official skill marketplace for OpenClaw. It hosts 3,000+ verified skills from official publishers and the community. You can browse, search, install, and review skills on ClawHub. Think of it as the “app store” for your OpenClaw AI agent.

What's Next?

• Browse all skills — Explore 3,000+ skills for your AI agent
• Best OpenClaw skills — Curated list of the top skills for every use case
• ClawHub guide — Learn how to navigate the official skill marketplace
• Tavily search setup — Set up AI-powered web search for your agent
• See pricing — Deploy with skills pre-configured, starting at $3/month