OpenClaw 2026.10.1 adds skill discovery, app panels and external backups

OpenClaw has released version 2026.10.1, adding ways to discover installed skills, use compatible apps alongside conversations and save backups externally. The project lists 2,425 pull requests and 402 contributors for the release..

Agents can search for relevant installed skills without including the entire library in their initial instructions. Compatible MCP Apps can display forms and work with supported files beside a conversation. Full backups can be stored on external drives, mounted storage or Cloudflare R2.

The discovery feature addresses cases where prompt limits leave useful skills out of an agent's initial view. Search still follows existing read permissions, and finding a skill does not authorize its execution. Fresh Mac app installations also include the runtime needed to operate without a separate Node installation.

The new features require some configuration after installation. MCP Apps and scheduled backups are optional, while Mac users must enable background operation to keep automations running after closing the app. Backups can be restored into a separate staging directory before activation..