OpenClaw 2026.9.7 adds an Agents API harness; ChatGPT sign-in is a separate beta

OpenClaw 2026.9.7 gives an agent two new, easily confused routes into OpenAI: a dedicated Agents API runtime and a beta Sign in with ChatGPT credential for eligible Responses API calls. They do not share the same access rules. The September 30 release also tightens the update path with database rollback snapshots and stronger pre-update checks. It is a follow-up to 2026.9.6’s restart recovery and GitHub reader, not a reannouncement of those features.

A separate runtime for persistent Agents API work

The new @openclaw/agentsapi plugin registers an explicit agentsapi harness alongside Codex. An operator selects a model and opts it into that runtime; installing the release does not silently move existing agents over. OpenClaw’s versioned runtime documentation says the OpenAI provider still handles model routes and API-key authentication. A restricted key needs Agents and Responses read/write permission plus Models read permission. An unsupported model fails at the API rather than being preapproved by an OpenClaw model allowlist.

In the documented hosted path, execution runs in an OpenAI-hosted Linux VM while OpenClaw keeps a local binding and mirrors the conversation’s commentary, tool activity and final answer into its transcript. Follow-up messages can reuse the remote session; /new or /reset starts a fresh one. This is not a transparent copy of the Gateway’s filesystem. The release documentation describes explicit attachment transfer and warns that resetting an OpenClaw session retires its local binding but does not delete remote Agents API history or workspace. Users handling sensitive files should account for that separation.

There is a wrinkle in the release material: the plugin manifest exposes a self_hosted environment requiring an externally connected executor, while the tagged runtime guide still calls self-hosted executors outside its prototype scope. The default documented path is OpenAI-hosted. Treat self-hosting as an integration to validate against the exact build and executor, not as a turnkey promise from the headline. The MVP also lacks native delegation and several Codex-specific integrations.

Sign in with ChatGPT is not an Agents API key

The same release adds Sign in with ChatGPT (Beta) through openclaw models auth login --provider openai --method siwc. With OpenAI-enabled registration and token sharing, this lets eligible Responses API requests draw on a user’s Codex allowance. OpenClaw says model and allowance eligibility are enforced by OpenAI; it does not display the SIWC quota or per-app usage. This is not general access to every OpenAI endpoint, and the Agents API harness above still calls for OpenAI API-key authentication.

The tagged SIWC guide lists concrete exclusions: hosted OpenAI plugins, connected apps, hosted MCP tools, hosted image generation, audio transcription and speech synthesis are not covered by this credential. Developer function tools and web search are supported. Users must approve token sharing, not merely sign in for identity. OpenClaw does not import ChatGPT conversations or Codex history. Those distinctions matter if someone expects a ChatGPT login to replace an API key throughout an existing setup.

Database rollback is stronger, but keep your own backup

The release notes say an update now backs up every state and agent database before migration and restores those databases on rollback. It takes consistent snapshots while the Gateway continues writing, and stops before schema changes if snapshot cleanup fails. This is more substantial than a copy of the installed package, but it is not a promise to restore every workspace file or external action. OpenClaw’s update guide still recommends an independently verified backup before updating.

For a supported installation, openclaw update remains the documented entry point. The published 2026.9.7 npm metadata requires Node >=24.16.0 <25 || >=26.1.0. One known issue in the release notes: on Windows, an update from 2026.9.6 can exit silently with code 13; OpenClaw says to run openclaw update again. Decide which runtime and credential are actually needed, check the host and Node prerequisites, and keep a backup before changing a working Gateway.