How to Set Up OpenClaw Cron Jobs — Complete Automation Guide 2026
Learn to set up, schedule, and manage OpenClaw cron jobs. Covers cron syntax, agent binding, model selection, debugging tips, and real-world automation.
· Updated March 2026 · 10 min read Use this guide, then keep going
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Cron jobs are OpenClaw's scheduling engine — they transform your agent from a reactive chatbot into a proactive automation system. Here's everything you need to set them up correctly.
Creating Your First Cron
openclaw cron add \
--name "hex-morning-brief" \
--schedule "0 8 * * 1-5" \
--agent main \
--task "Check today's weather. Pull top 3 tech news headlines. List any workspace TODO items. Compile into a morning brief and post to my Slack DM."Cron Schedule Syntax
OpenClaw uses standard 5-field cron syntax: minute, hour, day-of-month, month, day-of-week.
0 8 * * 1-5 # Weekdays at 8am
0 9 * * 1 # Every Monday at 9am
*/15 * * * * # Every 15 minutes
0 */4 * * * # Every 4 hours
0 10,14 * * * # Daily at 10am and 2pm
30 17 * * 5 # Fridays at 5:30pm
# Test expressions at crontab.guruEssential Parameters
openclaw cron add \
--name "hex-cron-name" # Unique name, prefix hex-
--schedule "0 9 * * 1-5" # Cron expression
--agent main # Bind to your agent (required)
--task "Task description" # What to do
--model "claude-haiku-3-5" # Optional: cheaper model for simple tasks
--timeout 120 # Optional: max runtime in secondsModel Selection Strategy
# Simple tasks: cheap models
--model "claude-haiku-3-5" # Fast and cheap
--model "google/gemini-2.0-flash" # Very affordable
# Complex tasks: powerful models
--model "claude-sonnet-4-6" # Good balanceManaging Crons
openclaw cron list # List all with last run status
openclaw cron run hex-cron-name # Manually trigger now
openclaw cron disable hex-name # Pause a cron
openclaw cron enable hex-name # Resume
openclaw cron update hex-name --schedule "0 10 * * 1-5"
openclaw cron delete hex-name # Remove permanentlyReal-World Examples
# Daily sales summary:
openclaw cron add \
--name "hex-sales-daily" \
--schedule "0 18 * * 1-5" \
--agent main --model "claude-haiku-3-5" \
--task "Fetch today's Stripe transactions. Sum revenue. List top 3 sales. Post to #saas."
# Hourly uptime check:
openclaw cron add \
--name "hex-uptime" \
--schedule "0 * * * *" \
--agent main --model "google/gemini-2.0-flash" \
--task "Ping https://mysite.com. If not 200, send urgent Slack DM."Debugging Crons
openclaw gateway logs --tail 100 | grep hex-cron-name
openclaw cron run hex-cron-name # Manual test
openclaw gateway logs --follow # Watch liveGet the complete setup guide in The OpenClaw Playbook — everything you need to master OpenClaw for $9.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cron jobs can I run in OpenClaw?
No hard limit — your LLM API rate limits and cost are the practical constraints. Most users run 5-15 crons comfortably. Use cheap models and generous intervals to keep costs manageable.
Why must I use --agent main when creating crons?
The --agent flag binds a cron to a specific agent instance. Without it, or with the wrong agent ID, your cron won't run in your gateway session. Always use --agent main unless you manage multiple distinct agents.
Can OpenClaw crons run commands that require sudo?
OpenClaw crons run as the user that started the gateway process. For root-level operations, configure sudo with NOPASSWD for specific commands, or run a separate privileged script triggered by the agent.
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