--- summary: "CLI reference for `openclaw cron` (schedule and run background jobs)" read_when: - You want scheduled jobs and wakeups - You’re debugging cron execution and logs title: "cron" --- # `openclaw cron` Manage cron jobs for the Gateway scheduler. Related: - Cron jobs: [Cron jobs](/automation/cron-jobs) Tip: run `openclaw cron --help` for the full command surface. Note: isolated `cron add` jobs default to `--announce` delivery. Use `--no-deliver` to keep output internal. `--deliver` remains as a deprecated alias for `--announce`. Note: cron-owned isolated runs expect a plain-text summary and the runner owns the final send path. `--no-deliver` keeps the run internal; it does not hand delivery back to the agent's message tool. Note: one-shot (`--at`) jobs delete after success by default. Use `--keep-after-run` to keep them. Note: `--session` supports `main`, `isolated`, `current`, and `session:`. Use `current` to bind to the active session at creation time, or `session:` for an explicit persistent session key. Note: for one-shot CLI jobs, offset-less `--at` datetimes are treated as UTC unless you also pass `--tz `, which interprets that local wall-clock time in the given timezone. Note: recurring jobs now use exponential retry backoff after consecutive errors (30s → 1m → 5m → 15m → 60m), then return to normal schedule after the next successful run. Note: `openclaw cron run` now returns as soon as the manual run is queued for execution. Successful responses include `{ ok: true, enqueued: true, runId }`; use `openclaw cron runs --id ` to follow the eventual outcome. Note: `openclaw cron run ` force-runs by default. Use `--due` to keep the older "only run if due" behavior. Note: isolated cron turns suppress stale acknowledgement-only replies. If the first result is just an interim status update and no descendant subagent run is responsible for the eventual answer, cron re-prompts once for the real result before delivery. Note: if an isolated cron run returns only the silent token (`NO_REPLY` / `no_reply`), cron suppresses direct outbound delivery and the fallback queued summary path as well, so nothing is posted back to chat. Note: `cron add|edit --model ...` uses that selected allowed model for the job. If the model is not allowed, cron warns and falls back to the job's agent/default model selection instead. Configured fallback chains still apply, but a plain model override with no explicit per-job fallback list no longer appends the agent primary as a hidden extra retry target. Note: isolated cron model precedence is Gmail-hook override first, then per-job `--model`, then any stored cron-session model override, then the normal agent/default selection. Note: isolated cron fast mode follows the resolved live model selection. Model config `params.fastMode` applies by default, but a stored session `fastMode` override still wins over config. Note: if an isolated run throws `LiveSessionModelSwitchError`, cron persists the switched provider/model (and switched auth profile override when present) before retrying. The outer retry loop is bounded to 2 switch retries after the initial attempt, then aborts instead of looping forever. Note: failure notifications use `delivery.failureDestination` first, then global `cron.failureDestination`, and finally fall back to the job's primary announce target when no explicit failure destination is configured. Note: retention/pruning is controlled in config: - `cron.sessionRetention` (default `24h`) prunes completed isolated run sessions. - `cron.runLog.maxBytes` + `cron.runLog.keepLines` prune `~/.openclaw/cron/runs/.jsonl`. Upgrade note: if you have older cron jobs from before the current delivery/store format, run `openclaw doctor --fix`. Doctor now normalizes legacy cron fields (`jobId`, `schedule.cron`, top-level delivery fields including legacy `threadId`, payload `provider` delivery aliases) and migrates simple `notify: true` webhook fallback jobs to explicit webhook delivery when `cron.webhook` is configured. ## Common edits Update delivery settings without changing the message: ```bash openclaw cron edit --announce --channel telegram --to "123456789" ``` Disable delivery for an isolated job: ```bash openclaw cron edit --no-deliver ``` Enable lightweight bootstrap context for an isolated job: ```bash openclaw cron edit --light-context ``` Announce to a specific channel: ```bash openclaw cron edit --announce --channel slack --to "channel:C1234567890" ``` Create an isolated job with lightweight bootstrap context: ```bash openclaw cron add \ --name "Lightweight morning brief" \ --cron "0 7 * * *" \ --session isolated \ --message "Summarize overnight updates." \ --light-context \ --no-deliver ``` `--light-context` applies to isolated agent-turn jobs only. For cron runs, lightweight mode keeps bootstrap context empty instead of injecting the full workspace bootstrap set. Delivery ownership note: - Cron-owned isolated jobs always route final user-visible delivery through the cron runner (`announce`, `webhook`, or internal-only `none`). - If the task mentions messaging some external recipient, the agent should describe the intended destination in its result instead of trying to send it directly. ## Common admin commands Manual run: ```bash openclaw cron run openclaw cron run --due openclaw cron runs --id --limit 50 ``` Agent/session retargeting: ```bash openclaw cron edit --agent ops openclaw cron edit --clear-agent openclaw cron edit --session current openclaw cron edit --session "session:daily-brief" ``` Delivery tweaks: ```bash openclaw cron edit --announce --channel slack --to "channel:C1234567890" openclaw cron edit --best-effort-deliver openclaw cron edit --no-best-effort-deliver openclaw cron edit --no-deliver ``` Failure-delivery note: - `delivery.failureDestination` is supported for isolated jobs. - Main-session jobs may only use `delivery.failureDestination` when primary delivery mode is `webhook`. - If you do not set any failure destination and the job already announces to a channel, failure notifications reuse that same announce target.