How to Connect to OpenClaw and Manage the Fleet with MCP
Provision, monitor, and control your AI assistant instances directly from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible tool.
Works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor, Windsurf, and more.
What Is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets AI assistants connect to external tools and data sources. OpenClaw Direct exposes a full MCP server so you can manage your entire fleet from whichever AI tool you already use.
Works With Any MCP Client
Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code — one integration covers them all.
Natural Language Control
No dashboards to navigate. Just tell your AI what you need: 'show me all active instances' or 'provision a new one.'
Secure by Design
OAuth 2.0 with PKCE keeps your connection secure. Every request is scoped to your account. No cross-user access is possible.
What You Can Do with MCP
Eleven tools give you complete control over your OpenClaw fleet from any AI client.
List Instances
See all your OpenClaw instances at a glance — status, tier, health, and datacenter.
Provision New Instances
Spin up a new AI assistant with a single command. No dashboard clicks required.
Health Checks & Usage
Run wellness checks across your fleet and pull usage metrics to track uptime and costs.
Rename & Configure
Update instance names and settings without leaving your AI conversation.
Suspend & Resume
Put instances on leave when you don't need them, then bring them back instantly.
View Subscriptions
Check your active plans, billing status, and subscription details from your AI tool.
Three Steps to Get Connected
From zero to managing your fleet in under two minutes.
Create an Account
Sign up for an OpenClaw Direct account. Your AI tool will authenticate via OAuth.
Add the Server URL
Add the OpenClaw server URL to your preferred AI tool. One line of config is all it takes.
Start Managing
Ask your AI to list instances, provision new ones, run health checks, and more.
Setup Instructions
Pick your AI tool and follow the instructions. Setup takes less than a minute.
https://openclaw.direct/mcp
Claude Code (CLI)
Run this command in your terminal. You'll be prompted to authenticate via your browser.
claude mcp add openclaw \ --transport http \ --url https://openclaw.direct/mcp
Claude Code will open your browser to sign in and authorize access automatically.
Claude Desktop
Add this to your Claude Desktop configuration file. Authentication happens via OAuth — you'll be prompted to sign in through your browser.
{
"mcpServers": {
"openclaw": {
"url": "https://openclaw.direct/mcp"
}
}
}
On macOS the config file is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. On Windows it is at %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT supports MCP servers via OAuth. Connect using the server URL.
Step 1: Open Settings
Go to Settings > Connected apps > Add MCP server.
Step 2: Enter the Server URL
https://openclaw.direct/mcp
Step 3: Authenticate
You'll be redirected to OpenClaw Direct to sign in and authorize access. No token needed — authentication happens via OAuth.
Cursor
Add this configuration to your Cursor MCP settings file (.cursor/mcp.json in your project root). Authentication happens via OAuth.
{
"mcpServers": {
"openclaw": {
"url": "https://openclaw.direct/mcp"
}
}
}
Cursor will prompt you to sign in through your browser when you first connect. Restart Cursor after saving the config.
Windsurf
Add this configuration to your Windsurf MCP settings (accessible via Windsurf Settings > MCP). Authentication happens via OAuth.
{
"mcpServers": {
"openclaw": {
"serverUrl": "https://openclaw.direct/mcp"
}
}
}
Note: Windsurf uses 'serverUrl' instead of 'url'. You'll be prompted to sign in through your browser when you first connect.
Sign up for an OpenClaw Direct account to connect via OAuth.
Sign Up FreeBuilt for Teams That Move Fast
Whether you manage one instance or fifty, MCP puts your fleet at your fingertips.
DevOps & Infrastructure
Monitor instance health, check uptime, and manage capacity from your AI assistant. No context switching between dashboards.
Customer Support Teams
Quickly check the status of a client's instance, run diagnostics, or suspend and resume instances during troubleshooting.
Workflow Automation
Build automated workflows that provision instances, run health checks, and report on usage — all through natural language.
Multi-Instance Management
Running OpenClaw for multiple teams or clients? List, filter, and manage all instances from a single AI conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
MCP is an open standard created by Anthropic that lets AI assistants connect to external tools and data sources. It works like a USB-C port for AI — one standard protocol that any AI client can use to interact with any compatible server.
Claude Desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor, Windsurf, and a growing number of other AI tools support MCP. Any tool that implements the MCP client specification can connect to OpenClaw Direct.
Yes. OpenClaw Direct uses OAuth 2.0 with PKCE for secure authentication. Your AI tool opens a browser window where you sign in to authorize access. All connections are encrypted over HTTPS, and every request is scoped to your account.
Not at all. Add the server URL to your AI tool, sign in when prompted, and you're connected. The whole process takes about a minute. From there, you manage everything through natural language — just ask your AI to 'list my instances' or 'provision a new one.'
Yes, MCP tools include actions that can provision, suspend, resume, and terminate instances. Destructive actions like termination are clearly marked, and your AI tool will typically confirm before proceeding.
No. MCP access is included with every OpenClaw Direct plan. You only pay for your instance subscription and API usage as usual.
Manage Your AI Fleet from Any AI Tool
Connect once, control everything. MCP makes OpenClaw management effortless.
- Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and more
- Provision and manage instances via natural language
- Secure OAuth 2.0 authentication
- Included free with every plan